You're watching...
Author Zev Chafets gives insight on unprecedented access to Fox News Channel's president for new biography
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
A man who created -- Fox News in 1996 and has been at a talent ever since there's a new book giving readers an up close look at the Fox News Channel present.
Exempt Seamus is the author of -- country goes off camera he joins us -- nice to nice seven nice to talk DO.
Those dog do do.
I tell you when you first begin talking to ride rails about this.
-- I didn't talk to Roger I guess in the summer of 2011.
-- prior to 2011 I assume they had some sort of thoughts about what you would be learning when you began the -- did anything surprise you during your investigation in your reporting.
A lot of things surprisingly I mean I'm fox watcher and I have been for three years.
So I knew the you know that the network somewhat as a viewer but.
I was very surprised them to see what kind of a leader Roger has been you know it for this network that just.
As a television guy but also the kind of relationship that he -- when people were here.
They think what's curious about when people are successful another Roger's built Fox News Channel to the number one channel.
Is -- why they're successful do you Minnesota -- grasp on why he's been so -- -- what's the secret.
Well I think that Roger knows more about TV than most people and I think it is a fantastic eye for talent you're an example of that.
And I think that Roger was able to see homeless -- he was able to see this network.
-- this is a collection of shows collection of people but as a kind of cast did the you know 44 hour operation where everybody.
Played a part in the sort of -- team.
-- kind of a way and it's come across -- and I think that people relate to fire some very personal waiver.
Yet we -- inside we welcome them don't know as much as people think we might nobody is -- I'm curious what's the relationship like with Rupert Murdoch.
It's a -- does that relationship.
I spent some time with them for example on election night.
And you know the two of them have very friendly.
Exchanges and they kid each other -- Rogers says to me.
If you think that we're friends we are friends of every few months I have to go upstairs and show my numbers -- of -- bad numbers that I did so.
It's a friendship with that that comes with an economic.
Component.
Not good about his political career out before you became head bobbed and -- -- cable news CNN visited political strategist consultant.
He was instrumental which I surprised to read your book I didn't realize that in -- Ronald Reagan 1984.
Debates tell us what happens.
Well they had Reagan had a bad first debate people were saying that he it was a little bit confused and he was three people -- that he was fooled.
And Roger was brought in as a kind of debate doctor for Reagan.
And he told -- look you're the president you've got obviously you're.
You you don't need to impress people with the facts and figures you need to be yourself.
And I found out later is that -- -- you know on this book for Fox's advice to everybody.
When they go in the years to be themselves.
And -- took the advice that he did very well on the second debate.
And of course the famous -- line out of that second debate about Mondale's age should at least it used to that's Rogers line.
I don't think it's Rogers line but everybody around Reagan was afraid to mention to him that that people thought he was tool that Roger is afraid of much.
Told Reagan directly you have to come up with something that will address the concern about your age and Reagan came up with that -- that line.
Which was that it wasn't gonna make age an issue Mondale's youth and inexperience as a bit of that fact they never.
-- seven's a great book and so I in Australia it's funny that you think that when you're inside ever thinks that we know so much it's going outside of a big corporation but actually -- learned a -- so thank you so of thank you.
