Ailes Announcement: Morning Papers

In today’s New York Times, Roger Ailes said his primary roles in the station group will be “srategic and advisory;” said “we need to look at all aspects in terms of programming;” dismissed concerns that a revitalized Fox station group would cannibalize viewers from FNC; and expressed a desire to preserve the “local identity” of Fox affiliates. Other morning paper highlights:

> NYT: “With his additional responsibilities, the profile of Mr. Ailes, 65, is expected to rise within the News Corporation, with his influence rivaled, perhaps, only by that of Mr. Chernin.”

> Wall Street Journal: “Although the television-station unit’s revenue and market share increased last year, its growth rate has slowed in part because of a soft advertising market. In a conference call with investors last week, Mr. Murdoch said the television stations’ success relies on the strength of their local news operations. Mr. Ailes is known as a master television producer who likely could boost the stations’ local news prowess.”

> Bloomberg: Ailes probably will try to extend the Fox News brand to the stations, said Joe Bonner, an analyst at Argus Research Corp. in New York. The task may be harder at local stations than with a national network because each local market is different. “Whether you can extend that to the stations is an open question,” Bonner said. “What do you integrate across the platform? There are a lot of questions.”

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