The highly anticipated new biography of Fox News CEO Roger Ailes reveal some shocking allegations including sexism and anti-Semitism.
The New York Times got an advance copy of the “The Loudest Voice in The Room,” by media reporter Gabriel Sherman. According to the review, “The Loudest Voice In The Room” portrays Ailes as a man with a volatile temper and condescending attitude towards his staffers.
The most astonishing allegations came from an incident in the 1980s. Television producer Randi Harrison reportedly told Sherman that while she was negotiation her salary with Ailes in the 80s, she was offered an additional $100 per week if she agreed to have sex with him whenever he wanted.
Sherman also writes that Ailes used an anti-Semitic slur in 1995 towards an employee. The employee in question is Discovery channel CEO David Zaslav, both Zaslev and Ailes have denied the allegation. The book further alleges that Ailes made comments critical of Bill O’Reilley whom he ostensibly described as “a book salesman with a TV show.” O’Reilly was a Fox host at the time.
According to the biography, Ailes supposedly made comments to suggest he attempted to influence political outcomes when he claimed in 2012 that he wanted to “elect the next president.”
Fox News and Ailes have denied the claims in a statement.
“These charges are false. While we have not read the book, the only reality here is that Gabe was not provided any direct access to Roger Ailes and the book was never fact-checked with Fox News,” read part of the statement.
Fox News has recently waged a campaign to neutralize Sherman’s claims by going as far as to appoint a journalist to write a more favorable biography of Ailes while Sherman’s was still in progress. Last year, Fox’s top communication executive Brian Lewis was fired with many suggesting the sack was in part because Lewis had leaked some information to Sherman. So far Sherman’s biography of Ailes seems quite scathing.
“The Loudest Voice in The Room” is available for purchase on Jan. 21.
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