The Loudest Voice depicts Roger Ailes’s rise to power as Fox News’ CEO and chairman and his decay with the sexual harassment claims that end his reign at the network. The seven episodes cover a different year in the network’s history and Roger’s life.

The series’ opens on Roger Ailes being fired from CNBC with a non competition clause forbidding him to work at another existing network. However, the agreement did not include the creation of a new network – Fox News.

His approach to news is quite frightening. He does not care about informing the Americans. He only cares about great ratings which is why his target audience are conservative Americans neglected by the other news networks. His strategy is to feed them what they want to hear despite what the truth might be. Ailes does not broadcast the news, he creates it. It is made clear Fox News edited and manipulated materials to fit their editorial lines and damage the reputation of their opponents. It allowed Fox News to become the first news network in the USA and therefore for Roger Ailes to become the maker of the American public opinion.

The series clearly shows him involved in every step of Donald Trump’s campaign and more specifically in his first rally and debate. He is advising him to create an entertaining TV show people will not be able to turn away from and not a political campaign with a programme. Since then, Trump has been using television and Fox News as his own personal platform just as Ailes taught him too. It is fascinating to watch but scary to think that misinformation and TV broadcasting have allowed the election of a President. 

The Loudest Voice does not shy away from the darkest parts of Roger Ailes and tackles the harassment claims that will end his career. From the first episode, it is made clear Ailes has a problem with respecting women as equals. His despicable behaviour is addressed in uncomfortable and powerful scenes from the point of view of the women throughout the seven episodes. It shows how Ailes created a culture of silence enabling him to abuse women for such a long time until one of the TV presenters Gretchen sues him. The recordings made by Gretchen incriminate him beyond doubt and sign the end of his reign.

The Loudest Voice is an interesting addition to the story told by Bombshell (2020) which focuses on the sexual harassment claims against Ailes from the point of view of the women involved. It allows to fully understand the culture at the network and the influence of Roger Ailes. The Loudest Voice is one of the post MeToo productions that serves as a cautionary tale to remind the film and TV industry to not fall into the same traps again.

Available on Amazon Prime.

Creators: Tom McCarthy, Alex Metcalf
Stars: Russell Crowe, Sienna Miller, Seth MacFarlane
Melanie Toutakova
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