Thursday, Apr. 01, 2010
Roger Ailes
Age: 69
Occupation: President of Fox News
Previous TIME 100 Appearances: 0
President Obama may have called Fox News a "television station that is entirely devoted to attacking my Administration," but Ailes, the station's creator and granddaddy of its current conservative climate, knows exactly what he's doing. Ailes' broadcasting machine produces an estimated $700 million in profits each year — reportedly more than CNN, MSNBC and the evening newscasts of the three major networks combined. A former Nixon strategist, Ailes is the brain behind the Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck programs. His media empire not only reports the news but also steers the political discussion.