The Rise of Fox News | 2. A Network for Normal People

Slow Burn

Slate Podcasts

News, Society & Culture, History, Documentary, Politics

4.6 • 25.1K Ratings

🗓️ 25 September 2024

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Before he ran Fox News, Roger Ailes launched a very different kind of channel. America’s Talking was his vision of the future of television: a strange, slapdash, mostly apolitical cable network. When that dream got snatched away from him, Ailes went on a revenge mission—and made a connection with Rupert Murdoch. Want more from Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to unlock full access to all seasons, including members-only bonus episodes from The Rise of Fox News. You'll also enjoy ad-free listening to all of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now by clicking "Try Free" at the top of the Slow Burn show page on Apple Podcasts. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen. Season 10 of Slow Burn was written and reported by Josh Levin. It was executive produced by Lizzie Jacobs. Slow Burn is produced by Sophie Summergrad, Joel Meyer, and Rosie Belson with help from Patrick Fort, Jacob Fenston, and Julia Russo. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. This season was edited by Susan Matthews and Hillary Frey. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. Mix and sound design by Joe Plourde. Our theme music was composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Derreck Johnson created the artwork for this season. Episode artwork by Ivylise Simones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Is your business growing places?
0:03.0	Are you ace up north and awesome in North America?
0:07.0	Got roots in the southeast, but branching out to Southeast Asia.
0:11.0	No matter where you see your business growing, we'll support you, with regionally
0:15.1	based business specialists across the UK and experts on the ground in over 50 markets.
0:20.7	Search Grow with H.S.B.
0:22.8	named UK's Best Bank 2024 by Euromoney.
0:26.0	Restrictions apply for certain countries.
0:30.0	In the spring of 1994, Bill McCutty was working at an ad agency, counting down the hours until the weekend.
0:37.0	We just cracked beers at 3 in the afternoon because the Martini buzz from lunch was starting to wear off and the intern walked in and said I was
0:46.4	going to try out for this contest but I think you'd be better.
0:51.6	That contest was a nationwide competition sponsored by NBC's new cable channel, America's
0:57.8	Talking.
0:58.8	One show on America's Talking Network is a brand new talk show with a brand new host and it could be you.
1:06.0	Talking was Bill's specialty.
1:09.0	He was in his mid-30s and along with his day job in advertising he was trying to make
1:14.1	it in stand-up comedy getting his own TV show seemed worth a shot so he put together
1:19.1	an audition tape. I went out all day Saturday and just held up a sign that said honk if I should have a talk show
1:28.4	And then drove through McDonald's and asked the drive-thru woman if I would make a good talk show host.
1:33.8	Can I help you? Do you think I'd make a good talk show host?
1:37.4	If that's how you feel, I'm sure you could do anything you want to do.
1:42.0	When the contest cut down more than 10 I'm sure you could do anything you want to do.
	...

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