Roger Ailes rakes in the big bucks distorting the news

-LIZ DRAPER Fox News Chief Roger Ailes is one of Rupert Murdoch's most trusted underlings. Under Ailes's leadership, Fox News has hammered it's competitors in ratings and is a advertising cash cow for News Corp.  For this, Ailes was rewarded a sweet $24 million  in salary last year, topping the salary of his boss.  Ailes's formula at Fox News has come under fire lately due to what some call a blatant disregard for facts which has lead to questions about the network's news credibility.  But this formula makes money for News Corp via advertisers and therefore Ailes can do no wrong. Even without the Fox News bonus, Ailes was not hurting. He gets an annual salary of $5 million and an annual bonus that last year was $1 million. (Murdoch gets an $8.1 million salary but no annual bonus). But while Ailes’ salary increased thanks to Fox News’ performance, Murdoch’s bonus was tied to the company’s earnings per share. As a result, like other News Corp executives with similar provisions, the CEO’s bonus fell by more than 60% “due to the negative impact of global economic conditions on the company’s fiscal 2009 performance,” the company said. In all, Murdoch received a cash bonus of $5.4 million, compared to $17.5 million the prior year, when his total compensation was $27.6 million.

Fox News' Greta Van Susteren dreams of running an internet news site one day

BY THE SHOGUN Even people who already have their dream jobs have other dream jobs. Take for example Fox News's Greta Greta Van Susteren. She recently posted on her Gretawire blog that she sometimes fantasizes about running an internet news site but made sure to make it clear that she loves her job, you know just in case Fox News tubby, Roger Ales and News Corp God Rupert Murdoch reads too much into her fantasy. I love my job but from time to time think about the future (I can be a dreamer)….what is next? what would be fun for me? Every day I have a different idea of what is next (and let me repeat, I do love my job), but if I had to pick today I would love to run an internet news site. I read the news all the time on the internet and I have some ideas of what I would do differently with some news sites…and I have had success developing GretaWire with you…so I have a history of working with the web Hmmm. Is Greta throwing it out there hoping for interested parties to response? Is she looking to follow the footsteps of others like former American Media Editorial Director Bonnie Fuller and Tina Brown? We would suggest that she launches her own site with some help from her bossman Rupert Murdoch but, Greta probably doesn't want to deal with the whole building from the ground up thing. And the last thing we need is another news site right?

Jeff Bewkes is a green CEO + The Wall Street Journal changing one section at a time and more.....

By SDH Jeff Bewkes was already making CEO money before becoming CEO of Time Warner. He made a sexy $19.4 million in 2007 [AP] For those of you who care, Emmis Communications is unloading Country Sampler magazine. Something about it not fitting with the current image or something like that. [FolioMag] Another Murdoch looks to make a mark in the media business. Elisabeth Murdoch’s company, Shine bought Reveille Productions, which produces “Ugly Betty,” and “The Office.” She may have already bought her mark. [NYT] The Wall Street Journal is revamping it’s “Market Place” section and this has some newsroom employees wondering what their roll will be [NYT] Fox Newser Chris Wallace calls out colleagues who he says Took Obama’s comments about race out of context. OK so how long until Wallace is booted? Doesn’t he know that Fox News is dedicated to pushing the republican agenda? [Media Talk]

And now this morning's worth mentioning media business news

Fox News aims to bring it to you live via satellite SUVs [NYT] Newspaper publishers will stop at nothing to be at the top of Google and Yahoo's search results page [NYT] It's prison time for fallen newspaper kingpin Conrad Black [NYP]

And now this morning's worth mentioning media business news

-YOSH Rupert Murdoch, is setting expectations high for his Sky News saying he wants it to be more like Fox News. that's easy all they have to do is spread the Republican agenda and talk up Rudy Giuliani [MG] That kid who runs the FCC, yeah Kevin Martin, is having a hard time getting his fellow FCCers to support his effort to regulate cable television companies more tightly. Good luck Kevo [NYT] ABC and Facebook now working together to bring you closely to politics. As if you would want to be soclose to that dirty thing. [NYT] Seriously though, why does Rupert Murdoch want to kill the WSJ.com paid wall when it brings in so much money every year? Whoever is in charge of ad sales will have to work their ass off even more to match offset that immediate loss of revenue. [Mediaweek]

and now this morning's worthy media business news mentions

-YOSH No one should be surprised if Robert Greenwald turns up missing without a trace The one man army who has been taking on the mighty Fox News is hat it again, this time with the launch of Foxnewsporn.com. None of the content is actually explicit, but it does include bikini-clad women and blurred nudity. Hell! that's good enough for us. 45 to die at USA today The Internet continues to run up the body count at newspapers and magazines. This time the victims will be at the country's biggest newspaper USA Today. The paper plans to cut 45 newsroom jobs, specifically those poor bastards who know nothing about the Internet. Apparently the Germans are big on celebrity trash news as well OK! Magazine is about to launch it's 14th international edition in just three years. Holy hell. This mag is like a gremlin that ate after midnight or something.

and now this morning's worthy media news mentions

-By YOSH Jeff Zucker to Las Vegas: The little big man at NBC Universal will yap it up at NATPE 2008. Overall, NATPE 2008 will focus on the convergence of programming, advertising and emerging media, with a theme of “Where Now Meets Next.” Why not throw in some dancing and singing postman while you're at it? The Royal Mail, the British postal service, which has been hit hard by the effects of the Internet, is trying to stimulate business by appealing to the senses. A new initiative, aimed at marketers who use the mail to reach potential consumers, encourages them to incorporate a scent, taste or sound in their snail mailings. You mean all those reports weren't their's? CNN Worldwide plans to increase its staff of correspondents by 10 percent as part of a major effort to increase its ability to produce its own reports. Fox News likes Giuliani for one reason and one reason only. He will go into Iran if he wins According to Regan's suit, "This smear campaign was necessary to advance News Corp.'s political agenda, which has long centered on protecting Rudy Giuliani's presidential ambitions." Does CBS have the smartest internet strategy? At the NewTeeVee conference, CBS Interactive president Quincy Smith demonstrated why he and CBS deserve to be viewed as having the smartest Internet strategy of the major TV networks.

Love Fox's American Idol? Buy stock in News Corp and capitalize on Sanjaya

Laura Goldman encourages you individuals out their who play the stock market to dump some cash on News Corp stock so you too can get some of that Idol love. Not sure if many stock market players would bite but the numbers do speak very loud across the board. It is the number one watched show in the coveted 18-49 age group for the third year in a row. 33 million viewers have tuned into “American Idol” each week for the sixth season of the show. In the present era of infinite media choices, capturing an audience of over 30 million viewers on a weekly basis is the equivalent of climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in high heels. News Corp: How to Capitalize on American Idol Ratings [SeekingAlpha]

Video Wire: Fox News and guests attack Black America

Is it true? Does Fox News have no love for Black America or are they just saying what's on their mind? Everyone knows Rupert Murdoch is all about the Republican Party and uses his many media vehicles to promote his Republican views, is this one of his many views as well?

Whatever you do, never look Fox Entertainment Prexy Peter Liguori in the eyes

Making his rounds at first night's American Idol Top 12 Finalists Party, Fox Entertainment President Peter Liguori made sure to land a photo-op with his latest little stars from the game show "Are You Smarter Then a 5th Grader"

News Corp's planned Business news channel to be all lovey dovey with corporate america

This is exactly why Rupert Murdoch's soon to be launched Fox Business News won't be around long enough to make NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker sweat. Rupe and company are planning to be sweet on corporations unlike their soon to be rivals at CNBC. CNBC's lack of sweetness on Corporations (with the exception of Ms. "Money Honey" and the Citi guy) is exactly why they are who they are today. That and because they really have no competition. No one has ever accused CNBC, the cable TV home of Jim Cramer, Larry Kudlow and Maria Bartiromo, of being antibusiness. Until now. Yesterday, Rupert Murdoch confirmed one of the worst kept secrets in the media industry, that the News Corporation will start a long-awaited business news channel in the fourth quarter of this year. In doing so, he also took a shot at CNBC, the leading television business news outlet, vowing that the new channel would be friendlier to corporations. Fox to Begin a ‘More Business Friendly’ News Channel [NYT]

Fox News riding dirty, the only way they know how

The gang at Fox News are getting dirty in the battle with rival CNN who's ass they usually kick in ratings anyway. But now King Rupe's network is taking shots at CNN personalities starting with CNN it boy Anderson Cooper, calling him of all things "the Paris Hilton of Television News" without the night vision sex tape of course....well we think. This is what happens when the bosses go on vacation while their network is in quicksand. But CNN isn't taking any blows from Fox without throwing some back. The ad also claims CNN has shelled out "tens of millions of dollars in advertising" to put Cooper on the map, "and he still gets beaten every night by 'On the Record With Greta Van Susteren' - the No. 1 show at 10 p.m." But don't expect CNN to take the insulting swipe sitting down. "They are preparing their answer to the Fox ad and you can expect something next week . . . It's war," a CNN insider told Page Six. A CNN flack called Fox's ad an "act of desperation because Greta's audience has been eroding and 'Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees' is getting closer. This is a sign they are starting to panic." The rep also denied CNN had spent tens of millions to hype Cooper, but wouldn't say what it has doled out. 'PARIS' TEASE FLUMMOXES CNN [NYP]

Fresh News: Fox News will now spread the Republican agenda via your cell phones

OK so maybe this wasn't worth the whole "Breaking News" treatment, but we just wanted to try out our new breaking news graphic to see how it looks. Hey at least we're being honest right? Fox News Channel plans to sell subscriptions to a service that lets mobile users access a live audio feed of its cable channel, the News Corp.-owned network announced Wednesday.The service -- which Fox News is offering through a deal with Single Touch Interactive -- will initially roll out on AT&T’s Cingular service and will cost $2.99 per month. Fox News Offers Mobile Audio Feed [NM]

Condi Rice loves a good Foxing

Are we to be shocked that a memeber of the Bush Admin loves FOX News? Hell no. Fox is the personal media outlet of Republicans. In comments overheard on an open microphone between morning television interviews, including one with Fox, the top U.S. diplomat said: "My Fox guys, I love every single one of them." But Rice told an aide that when she was next in Iraq she would like to do a "one-on-one" interview with CBS "The Early Show" anchor Harry Smith."He's a decent guy. I know they are like 55 in the ratings, but I like him," Rice said in comments monitored by Reuters on a television feed. Condoleezza Rice Likes Fox News, Dudes [Reuters via Gawker]

American Idolization saturation

With the current none stop expansion of the American Idol brand, don't be surprised if your kids start bugging you to purchase a box of American Idol cereal. We never thought the dam thing would become the monster it is today with a value of $2.5 Billion and the folks behind it aren't stopping there either. Keith Hindle, Fremantle Media Licensing Worldwide exec VP-integrated marketing and interactive-Americas, said the goal is to make "American Idol," which hits the Fox airwaves Jan. 16, a year-round phenomenon. "The top line about everything this season is the desire for interactivity," he said. "We are trying to kick-start that across all elements of the show. Last season, 'Idol' attracted 570 million votes, 65 million text messages. That's a ridiculous amount of interactivity. We are taking that concept that people want to participate and are strengthening that into other things." 'Idol' Juggernaut Passes $2.5 Billion in Value; Keeps Expanding [Ad Age]

Some Really Good Slogans For King Rupe's New Fox Business Channel

Since Rupert Murdoch paid no attention to our suggestions for 2007, we have no choice but to fold under the "If You Can't Beat em Join em" law. So He landed a deal with Time Warner's cable unit to carry his new Fox Business News channel instantly granting Rupe access to 23 million homes. However we are not sure what kind of slogans Rupe and company may have for the new channel, so we wanted to throw some possible slogans out there to......you know lend a helping hand. We know Rupe's Fox News's controversial slogan is "Fair & Balanced", so we wanted to play off of that as well as come up with some original stuff too. So with no further yip yap, here are possible slogans for FOX Business News. Fair & Balanced Self Promotion Fair & Balanced Sabotage OutFoxing The Rest One Sided Home of Cavuto An Eye On Our Corporate Competitors That's the best we could come up with right now. But that doesn't mean the suggestions have to stop. You too can send us your slogans for the New Fox Business News channel.