Roger Ailes Negotiating New Fox News Contract: NY Mag

Fox News Chief Reportedly Negotiating New Contract

Fox News chief Roger Ailes is in talks over a new contract with News Corp., New York Magazine's Gabriel Sherman reported Thursday.

Ailes has been at the helm of the network since it launched in 1996. Since then, Fox News has become the most profitable part of News Corp., as well as a hugely popular, powerful and influential media presence. Not surprisingly, he has been rewarded handsomely for his efforts, making $21 million in 2011 alone. His current contract ends in 2013.

Sherman wrote that money is a big factor in Ailes' talks -- he wants more of it, but it's not clear how much more he can expect, given that Rupert Murdoch himself made $30 million last year.

Ailes can also benefit from the fact that he has no obvious successor at Fox News. He runs the network with an iron fist, and there is no reason that this would change as the years go by.

Whatever happens, most of Fox News' biggest stars -- including Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Greta van Susteren and Shep Smith -- have signed long-term deals over the past two years, meaning that the network is ensured some degree of stability.

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