Many of you may have started watching the Showtime series, THE LOUDEST VOICE IN THE ROOM, about Fox News founder Roger Ailes. The problem with it is, that with respect to what Ailes did, what he is credited with accomplishing at Fox, very little of it is true.
Sure Ailes understood television and politics. But at core what he did was to take the world of talk radio, combined it with a bit of “blondification” and transferred it to television. When Fox new went on the air in 1996, Limbaugh had already been on the air for almost ten years.
Ailes simply exploited the rise and power of conservative talk radio. The Economist said many months ago that, “to understand the Republican politics, get in a car, turn on the radio and drive.”
Talk radio, is far more than the viewers that watch even the top rated Fox News shows each night. It's the lens through which millions and millions of its hard core listeners view the world.
No one understands this better than the go-to-guy for talk radio, the founder, editor and publisher of Talkers and Talkers.com, Michael Harrison.
Back in July of 2017, upon the death of Ailes, Harrison and I spoke about this mythology.
My conversation with Michael Harrison:
National Conservatism Is Coming for Us: A Conversation with Professor William Galston
Why YouTube is Different: A Conversation with Mark Bergen
How The Universe Works and Why It Matters: A Conversation with Sean Carroll
We Live in a Golden Age of Ignorance: A conversation with Andy Borowitz
Harvard Is Once Again The Center of Psychedelics: A Conversation with Patrick Schmidt
The End of American Competitiveness: A Conversation with Michael Mazarr
How Did The Pandemic Change Us? A Conversation with Katie Hafner
Why Harvey Weinstein Should Matter: A Conversation with Ken Auletta
The Trump Roster of Toadies: A conversation with Mark Leibovich
Negotiation for Fun and Profit: A Conversation with Rich Cohen
Another Love Discourse
Your Dreams Are Not What You Think
David Gergen on How Great Leaders are Made
Why Anxiety is Good for You!
Has Mitch McConnell Destroyed the US Senate?
Another Way Forward for Democrats
How Wars End: A conversation with Gideon Rose
The Misinformation, Censorship and Noise That The Pandemic Gave Us: A Conversation with Joel Simon
Why the Internet Is Less Safe Than Flying or Driving or Eating: A Conversation with Bruce Schneier
A Whistleblower Stands Up To China: A Conversation with Ashley Yablon
Join Podbean Ads Marketplace and connect with engaged listeners.
Advertise Today
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Jim & Bill (It‘s Another Day)
HauntingLive
Dr. Paul’s Worldviews
The Ben Shapiro Show
Morning Wire