As Fox TV Stations Group Chairman, Ailes Would Create Much-Needed Synergy

Variety’s Michael Learmonth hits a home run: “Roger Ailes, the bombastic leader of Fox News Channel, has emerged as the most likely successor to Lachlan Murdoch as chairman of the Fox Television Stations Group. Such a move would see Fox News programming assume new prominence on Fox owned-and-operated stations.”

“News Corp. has suffered from not having synergies” between the station group and the cable/syndication/network operations, a former executive tells the trade mag: But with Ailes, “the TV channels will definitely have a different tone to them.”

Learmonth continues: “The Fox-owned stations already are weighing an expansion of new programming that insiders expect to accelerate if Ailes takes control.” Talks include “repackaging” some FNC programming for local stations, he adds. Variety is behind a subscription wall, but you can read it for free by signing up for an e-mail newsletter. (fake@fake.com!) (Via FishBowlNY)