Bill O’Reilly is one of the most recognized media personalities on the planet. The man has reached a level of success in the business few have rivaled. But, during the past few years, he’s experienced darker and more challenging times.
There have been a lot of changes in broadcasting since O’Reilly started in 1973.
His early television news career included reporting and anchoring positions at WNEP-TV in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he also reported the weather.
In 1982, he became a CBS News correspondent, covering the wars in El Salvador on location and the Falkland Islands from his base in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In October 1996, O’Reilly was hired by Roger Ailes, former chairman and CEO of the then startup Fox News Channel, to anchor The O’Reilly Report. The show was later renamed The O’Reilly Factor.
There was nothing called social media back then. The news was earned the old-fashioned way; solid investigations and reporting. But, today, social media, rife with its unlimited tentacles, and ‘iPhone-reporters’ in the world, affect how many news outlets deliver the news.
“Doesn’t affect mine at all,” O’Reilly said. “Zero. We alone decide what is important to the American People. We’re not influenced by what social media is doing. Personally, I don’t do social media, with the exception of an occasional Tweet.”
O’Reilly said he’s never utilized reporting from organizations such as The Daily Beast or Huffington Post as a news source because he said they are coming at the story with a point of view. He doesn’t want to be “caught up with that stuff.
“We will use Associated Press from time to time. We have our own ideology in our reporting. We gather our own information. I may send out a Tweet during a particular event, like last night’s January 6th investigation.
In many instances today, misinformation is used to denounce opinions that other people disagree with; that’s a fact. O’Reilly has a strong opinion on everything in the world, including the use of the term misinformation.
“It’s basically destroying the media companies,” O’Reilly explained. “Reporters may ignore a story, and that happens all the time.”
To illustrate his point, O’Reilly cited a recent firebombing at an anti-abortion center in Buffalo, New York.
“Part of the clinic was dedicated to referrals for adoption,” O’Reilly said. “You couldn’t find that story anywhere. If that had been Planned Parenthood that had been firebombed, it would have led the news on most networks. They pick and choose stories. It’s a horrible scandal.”
Critical topics are presented and discussed hourly in the media universe. Have FOX News, CNN, and MSNBC helped or hurt conversations about important daily issues?
“Depends who you’re talking to,” O’Reilly said. “When I was at Fox, we drove the narrative for America. It was a different company then. In the Boston Marathon bombing, we had all the information upfront. We beat all the networks. Now the ‘information first’ component is gone.”
At Fox, O’Reilly said he had a good cadre of reporters working with him. “We had our ideology. We never isolated our audience or programmed for the audience. We never did that.”
O’Reilly, 72, has been part of the American media scene for decades.
“I don’t think there are any broadcasters who admire my presentation,” O’Reilly said. “Do I care? I think you know the answer to that question. I’m always going to continue working. In fact, I’ve never been working harder. Many of the people I worked with are retired and on the golf course. That’s not me.”
The work is still interesting to O’Reilly. “I like what I do. We’re reaching younger Americans. I don’t get involved with personal relationships in the business,’ he said. “I’ve known Trump for thirty years, but that was long before he entered politics. I liked John McCain and Joe Lieberman. Those are people who have done a lot of good for the country.”
How is O’Reilly playing out with his affiliates?
“Our syndicated shows make money, or they wouldn’t take it,” he said. “My voice is recognizable, and I have an audience that trusts me. On Common Sense With Bill O’Reilly on WABC, we’re the highest-rated at night. I don’t know who stays up that late, but apparently, a lot of people do. We make money for our partners. That’s the way it has always been.”
When he’s not expressing his take on news, life, and weather, the man is a prolific writer.
In his books, he’s ‘killed’ just about everyone in history: Lincoln, Kennedy, Patton, Reagan, Crazy Horse, the Mob. The new book is Killing the Killers: The Secret War Against Terrorists.
“It’s a great father’s day gift,” O’Reilly quips. “Dad will love it. And if you buy from us at www.billoreilly.com, you will get a free copy of Killing the Mob.”
A plug now and then never hurt anyone.
“My books give the reader information on every page that he or she doesn’t already know. I’ve known top people through the Bush administration and the Trump administration. I’ve been allowed access to very high-level material. It’s very compelling stuff.’
O’Reilly said he writes with Martin Dugard on many of his books. “Martin does the research in narrative form. I take the research, sit in front of the computer and ‘embrace the reader.’”
Readers have hugged him back. There are 19 million O’Reilly-written books in print.
Jim Cryns writes features for Barrett News Media. He has spent time in radio as a reporter for WTMJ, and has served as an author and former writer for the Milwaukee Brewers. To touch base or pick up a copy of his new book: Talk To Me – Profiles on News Talkers and Media Leaders From Top 50 Markets, log on to Amazon or shoot Jim an email at jimcryns3_zhd@indeedemail.com.
