Roger Ailes made Fox News into the juggernaut it is today.
His vision and leadership turned the upstart network into the number one rated cable news network in America.
And his passing rocked Fox and the media world.
Ailes died at the age of 77.
He was survived by his wife Elizabeth who released a statement to conservative media icon Matt Drudge.
Her statement appeared on the Drudge Report and read:
“Statement from Elizabeth Ailes:
I am profoundly sad and heartbroken to report that my husband, Roger Ailes, passed away this morning. Roger was a loving husband to me, to his son Zachary, and a loyal friend to many. He was also a patriot, profoundly grateful to live in a country that gave him so much opportunity to work hard, to rise—and to give back. During a career that stretched over more than five decades, his work in entertainment, in politics, and in news affected the lives of many millions. And so even as we mourn his death, we celebrate his life…”
Below is how the hosts of Fox and Friends reacted to the news.
Breaking News: Former Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes has died, his family announced. pic.twitter.com/AksPdNSZaI
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 18, 2017
Liberals reacted with exactly the lack of class you would expect.
Roger Ailes has died. Wow. Sending deep and heartfelt condolences to everyone who was abused, harassed, exploited, and unjustly fired by him
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) May 18, 2017
In memory of Roger Ailes, who made bigotry, fear, and paranoia permanent fixtures of American conservative media: pic.twitter.com/nxw2XYZIRK
— Carlos Maza (@gaywonk) May 18, 2017
Yes, Roger Ailes was a TV genius. He also had an apparently monstrous personal life and nasty, dangerous editorial instincts.
— Sam Stein (@samsteinhp) May 18, 2017
Roger Ailes’ passing was a sad moment for conservatives.
He built the media and messaging infrastructure that allowed Fox to break through the left’s ideological stranglehold on the media.
