THE AISLE SEAT - by Mike McGranaghan
"DIVIDE AND CONQUER: THE STORY OF ROGER AILES"
Roger Ailes was a man of contradictions. He was a visionary in the field of media whose work indelibly changed television forever. At the same time, he was a sexual predator who shamelessly made unwanted advances toward women, then threatened their careers if they rebuffed him. Ailes also had little use for the truth, preferring to manipulate it into something more convenient to his personal beliefs. That we live in a time when accurate reporting is summarily dismissed by many people as "fake news" simply because it doesn't fit their agenda is a direct result of his work. The documentary Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes looks at the man, his undeniable legacy, and his fatal flaws.
Numerous friends and collaborators -- including Glenn Beck and former Fox News personality Alisyn Camerota (now of CNN) -- help tell the story of how Ailes got his big break in television as the producer of The Mike Douglas Show, advised Richard Nixon in how to perform for the TV cameras, and segued into a career as a political adviser. In the '90s, he went back to television, creating the America's Talking channel (now known as MSNBC) and eventually becoming CEO of Fox News.
It is on this last count that Ailes achieved what some would call his most substantial victory, as he used the medium as a means to push politics. Some of Divide and Conquer's interview subjects point out that his goal with Fox News was to create a one-stop outlet for viewers to receive a politically conservative message -- someplace that wouldn't have to bother with fact-checking, providing context, or presenting valid opposing viewpoints. Keep in mind, it's not Ailes' enemies or rivals saying this; it's his own friends and colleagues, some of whom helped him do it. Ailes believed his network could become a vital tool in shaping both public opinion and government policy. He wasn't wrong.
The last section of the doc focuses on the many sexual harassment allegations made against Ailes and other Fox News personalities. Some of the accusers appear onscreen to tell their stories, and it's infuriating. Ailes clearly created a culture where sexual mistreatment of women was not only excused, it was covered up. Network star Bill O'Reilly, for example, would have been fired from any other outlet as a result of his repeated inappropriate behavior. Ailes protected him. After all, he was doing the exact same thing.
Director Alexis Bloom tries to bring the "fair and balanced" quality Fox News used to tout to her film. She presents the facts and lets the interviewees tell their stories. Even those most critical of Ailes express a weird form of admiration for his shrewdness and vision. In the end, Divide and Conquer is a fascinating, unnerving look at power and influence, and how one person can wield those things to a startling degree. Love him or hate him, Roger Ailes was smarter than most people around him. He used that to his advantage, changing television news, advancing Republican causes, and hurting a lot of women in the process.
(
1/2 out of four)
Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes is unrated, but contains strong language and graphic discussion of sexual harassment. The running time is 1 hour and 47 minutes.
Buy a copy of my book, "Straight-Up Blatant: Musings From The Aisle Seat," on sale now at Lulu.com! Paperback and Kindle editions also available at Amazon.com!
