AILES AIMS TO MAKE FOX STATIONS ‘SELF-RELIANT’

Under the leadership of Chairman Roger Ailes, Fox TV Stations group is moving away from syndication and more towards news, information and other locally produced programming.

“To a large extent what happens at local stations and local Web sites will be particularly interesting and will keep the stations commercially successful going forward,†he said during the TV Critics tour in Pasadena yesterday.

“Clearly, the more we can become self-reliant within Fox with our programming, the better off we’ll be. You can always improve your programming. You can bring more information to the screen or hire better talent, you can bring on better producers and improve the way you teach them to be fair and balanced,†Ailes continued.

One part of that strategy is illustrated by Fox’s new morning show, which will be hosted by Dayside’s Mike Jerrick and Juliet Huddy of Fox News Channel and will air from 9-10 a.m., on the Fox-owned stations starting in January. Ailes said the program likely will be syndicated nationwide once it gathers an audience on the Fox O&Os.

Another part of that strategy is Fox’s backing off of syndicated fare—including Fox’s own shows—if the price isn’t right.

That strategy explains why Fox did not acquire Twentieth’s The Family Guy. “We bid on that show at a price we thought we could make money on, but if you aren’t careful you can be sucking canal water with these shows instead of making a profit,†Ailes said.

Twentieth eventually sold the show to Tribune at what industry observers said was a bargain price.  

On another front, Ailes said plans to launch a business news channel for cable are still uncertain.

“When we have the distribution in place, we will go ahead with a business channel. I’ve developed a business plan, but I haven’t pushed it any further than that. Only thing I can say to that is stay tuned. It probably won’t happen this year, but it could happen and we are in active negotiations for it.â€ÂÂÂ