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Crazy Like a Fox: The Inside Story of How Fox News Beat CNN
The television editor of The Hollywood Reporter shares his insights into the rise of Fox News, illuminating the bold personalities and back-room deals that made Rupert Murdoch's media gamble pay off. 40,000 first printing.
- GenresPolitics
256 pages, Hardcover
First published April 12, 2004
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 2, 2017
Rating - 7.5
Informative read that does a credible job of describing how Fox News took over the Cable News wars yet the reader is left w the impression that only the surface has been scratched - great sourcing
Becomes clear that leadership is an inner circle and that most CEO's are recycled from previous (and usually failed) positions; Also crystallizes why most mergers fail as there is rarely a morphed culture
Informative read that does a credible job of describing how Fox News took over the Cable News wars yet the reader is left w the impression that only the surface has been scratched - great sourcing
Becomes clear that leadership is an inner circle and that most CEO's are recycled from previous (and usually failed) positions; Also crystallizes why most mergers fail as there is rarely a morphed culture
January 29, 2014
If you want to understand FOX, this is as good a place to start as any. Read it in a day, couldn't put it down!
July 29, 2024
THE HISTORY OF FOX NEWS NETWORK IN THE CONTEXT OF ALL NEWS PROGRAMS
Scott Collins is a staff reporter for the Los Angeles Times. He wrote in the Prologue to this 2004 book, "The story of the cable news wars involves seized opportunities and failed strategies, corporate arrogance and executive intrigue, intense battles for ratings, advertising, and multimillion dollar anchors. And the surprising outcome of this unlikely battle has changed the way Americans get--and use--the news." (Pg. 4)
He records how during a 1996 teleconference, NBC president Bob Wright said of the fledgling Fox News channel, "Fox has a history ... of making announcements... I think [Roger Ailes] is the fourth president of Fox News. They have yet to air a program, as far as I know, in ten years (of trying)... They don't have affiliates with news. They don't have any structure at all, nationally or internationally, really... So it's a real reach," and Collins adds, "Compared to some other observers, Wright was being kind... [Rupert] Murdoch had indeed tried and failed several times during the early 1990s to get a cable news network off the ground, and there was scant reason to believe this time would be any different." (Pg. 69-70)
About the creation of MSNBC, anchor Brian Williams "wondered how NBC would fill the rest of the hours on an all-news network... Williams was hardly the only one with doubts. Many NBC staffers hated the name chosen for the new network. 'MSNBC' was a mouthful. Some half-jokingly pointed out that the letters MS made viewers think not of Microsoft but rather multiple sclerosis. Moreover, while [executive] Andy Lack had promised that MSNBC would fully tap the resources of NBC News, many of the network's top stars were not enthusiastic about appearing on an upstart cable network." (Pg. 131)
Yet by 2001, Collins observes, "With the end of the Clinton era and the ascendancy of another Bush to the Oval Office, Fox News's success was beginning put liberals in a despairing frame of mind. Susan Estrich... lamented... 'Where are these guys on the left who can do a news channel that covers the news well and also provides an opportunity to get their views across?" (Pg. 160) He adds, "For the first few years of its existence, Fox News played the scrappy underdog to CNN. But by late January 2002, that role was no longer viable. At a senior management meeting, Roger Ailes felt compelled to warn his staff against overconfidence." (Pg. 187)
More than just a history of Fox News, this fascinating and insightful book provides a general overview of network news programs in general, and will be interesting reading for anyone studying contemporary mass media.
Scott Collins is a staff reporter for the Los Angeles Times. He wrote in the Prologue to this 2004 book, "The story of the cable news wars involves seized opportunities and failed strategies, corporate arrogance and executive intrigue, intense battles for ratings, advertising, and multimillion dollar anchors. And the surprising outcome of this unlikely battle has changed the way Americans get--and use--the news." (Pg. 4)
He records how during a 1996 teleconference, NBC president Bob Wright said of the fledgling Fox News channel, "Fox has a history ... of making announcements... I think [Roger Ailes] is the fourth president of Fox News. They have yet to air a program, as far as I know, in ten years (of trying)... They don't have affiliates with news. They don't have any structure at all, nationally or internationally, really... So it's a real reach," and Collins adds, "Compared to some other observers, Wright was being kind... [Rupert] Murdoch had indeed tried and failed several times during the early 1990s to get a cable news network off the ground, and there was scant reason to believe this time would be any different." (Pg. 69-70)
About the creation of MSNBC, anchor Brian Williams "wondered how NBC would fill the rest of the hours on an all-news network... Williams was hardly the only one with doubts. Many NBC staffers hated the name chosen for the new network. 'MSNBC' was a mouthful. Some half-jokingly pointed out that the letters MS made viewers think not of Microsoft but rather multiple sclerosis. Moreover, while [executive] Andy Lack had promised that MSNBC would fully tap the resources of NBC News, many of the network's top stars were not enthusiastic about appearing on an upstart cable network." (Pg. 131)
Yet by 2001, Collins observes, "With the end of the Clinton era and the ascendancy of another Bush to the Oval Office, Fox News's success was beginning put liberals in a despairing frame of mind. Susan Estrich... lamented... 'Where are these guys on the left who can do a news channel that covers the news well and also provides an opportunity to get their views across?" (Pg. 160) He adds, "For the first few years of its existence, Fox News played the scrappy underdog to CNN. But by late January 2002, that role was no longer viable. At a senior management meeting, Roger Ailes felt compelled to warn his staff against overconfidence." (Pg. 187)
More than just a history of Fox News, this fascinating and insightful book provides a general overview of network news programs in general, and will be interesting reading for anyone studying contemporary mass media.
July 20, 2021
This book is a quick and informative read on the inner workings of Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC during the rise of 24 hour cable news channels. It does a good job of hiding it bias as well while telling a story about the rise of one network over its competitors.
Would recommend to anyone interested in how our TV news landscape was shaped into what we know today.
Would recommend to anyone interested in how our TV news landscape was shaped into what we know today.
January 10, 2013
Meh... I finished it just waiting for it to end.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews