One wonders what loud-mouth, high-volume, news and programming magic Roger Ailes might spin should he become the new chairman of Fox Television Stations. The Fox brand -- with its bold and strong
attributes - would no doubt get a needed Fox-style kick.
Reports have circulated that Ailes, the staunch Republican who created the successful conservative-laced Fox News cable network brand,
is destined to assume the top spot replacing Lachlan Murdoch while also keeping his job as chairman of Fox News Channel.
With Ailes at the helm, wild images of local news anchors acting like
Bill O'Reilly wanna-bes arise. At the very least, those local stations will be moved to have a significant presence, such as on O'Reilly, if they don't already have one.
Local TV seems to be
moving more toward an opinionated brand of news. Sinclair Broadcast Group's local newscasts have been in this arena for years.
But other moves at Fox stations could be more pressing. For years
the 35-outlet, Fox Television Station group has had a struggling programming division - kind of a farm system intended to nuture new programming ideas at the local level as a proving ground for bigger
national exposure. Local TV programs used to be developed this way. But today's high cost of production and increasing competitive marketplace make those efforts seem antiquated.
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Industry
insiders predict that Fox News Channel programming will morph into local stations - especially for the creation of a national morning show. Fox attempted this in 1996 with "Fox After Breakfast"
hosted by Tom Bergeron. But low ratings forced it off the air quickly.
On the more mundane front, Ailes' strong business sense would find a way to keep the Fox Television Stations humming
along financially even through tough local TV advertising periods.
With the success of Fox News, Ailes has surely been looking for the opportunity to widen his kingdom. Lachlan Murdoch has opened that door.
A former Ailes deputy, Jack Abernathy, was given the title of CEO of Fox
Television Stations late last year; he served as second-in-command to Lachlan Murdoch. That'll make for an easy transition for Ailes to move in, pound his fist on the table, and kick around his
programming and business ideas.
Even in failure, Ailes' bravado and boldness would strike a fittingly pestering tone for the Fox brand.