Bill Shine
Bill Shine | |
---|---|
White House Director of Communications | |
Assumed office July 5, 2018 | |
President | Donald Trump |
Preceded by | Hope Hicks |
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications | |
Assumed office July 5, 2018 | |
President | Donald Trump |
Preceded by | Position established |
Personal details | |
Born | Farmingville, New York, U.S. | July 4, 1963
Political party | Republican |
Education | State University of New York, Oswego (BA) |
William Shine (born July 4, 1963) is the current White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.[1][2][3] Most of his career was spent as a producer and executive at Fox News. Most recently, he was co-president of Fox News, a position he held for 9 months before he was forced out on May 1, 2017.[4][5][6]
Early life and education
A twin, Shine grew up in East Northport, Long Island, New York.[7][8] He received a B.A. in communications from the State University of New York at Oswego.[9] After college, he worked as a producer for local TV stations on Long Island,[8] beginning in 1985 with WLIG-TV.[9]
Career with Fox
Shine began working for Fox as the senior producer of Hannity & Colmes.[10]
By 1999, Shine was the senior prime-time producer for Fox News.[11] The following year Shine was the executive producer of Fox News Channel's prime-time programs.[12]
In 2001 on Fox News Channel's The Edge, psychic Sylvia Browne said that she knew where the body of Chandra Levy was located.[13] On Fox News Channel's Judith Regan Tonight, psychic James Van Praagh discussed Chandra Levy.[13] Shine responded to questions about having psychics appear on Fox News Channel by saying that psychics are "part of the story" because the Levy family had consulted some. Shine said that the psychics provide "another opinion, another side of the story".[13]
By 2004, Shine was the vice president of production for Fox News Channel.[14] The following year, Shine was Fox News Channel's senior vice president of programming.[15]
When U.S. media carried many stories about missing white women (missing white woman syndrome) and disproportionately few about missing black women, Shine defended Fox News Channel's coverage, saying that Fox News Channel chose to air stories that "have a twist or an emotional aspect to them that make them interesting".[16]
In 2007, after Bill O'Reilly dined at Sylvia's soul-food restaurant in Harlem, O'Reilly said he "couldn't get over the fact" that eating at the restaurant "was like going into an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all." Responding to criticism of O'Reilly's statement, Shine said, "This is nothing more than left-wing outlets stirring up false racism accusations for ratings."[17]
In 2009, Fox host Glenn Beck said that President Barack Obama "has a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture" and "is racist".[18] after President Obama said that Cambridge police officers acted "stupidly" by arresting Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. for breaking into his own home.[19][20] Responding to Beck's comment, Shine said that Beck had "expressed a personal opinion which represented his own views, not those of the Fox News Channel. And as with all commentators in the cable news arena, he is given the freedom to express his opinions."[18] When Fox News Channel's journalists complained that Beck's show was undermining their work, Shine admitted that Beck was controversial and that Fox News Channel had assigned a vice president the full-time job of overseeing Beck's show and to review its content in advance.[21]
In 2014, Shine was promoted to Fox's senior executive vice president of programming.[22]
Shine worked alongside of Fox chairman and chief executive officer Roger Ailes for two decades. After Ailes left Fox, the new executive chairman, Rupert Murdoch, named Shine and Jack Abernethy as co-presidents of Fox News in August 2016.[23][24] Shine headed the network's news and programming operations.
Shine was named in at least four lawsuits against Fox alleging sexual harassment or racial discrimination by the company.[25] Shine left Fox News after being accused in multiple lawsuits of abetting sexual harassment; Donald Trump promptly hired him to be White House communications director.[26]
In April 2017, New York magazine reported that Shine was uncertain about his future at Fox and that he did not think that Rupert Murdoch had been supportive enough of him. A Fox spokesperson denied that the conversations described in the report took place.[27] Fox host Sean Hannity supported Shine, saying that it would be "the total end of the FNC as we know it" if Shine were fired.[28]
On May 1, 2017, Shine was forced out of Fox.[6] Suzanne Scott, who had served as the organization's senior vice president of programming and development since 2009, was promoted to co-president to take his place.[6]
It was later reported that Shine had been questioned by federal prosecutors, presumably about his role and actions at Fox.[29]
Trump administration
Shine accepted an offer in June 2018 to take a position within the Trump administration as a Deputy White House Chief of Staff overseeing communication within the White House.[30] On July 5, 2018, Shine's controversial appointment became official, despite its criticism personified by those such as Bill Kristol, and underscored by protests including from Larry Klayman of Judicial Watch, airing on conservative websites such as Newsmax. In particular, those objecting cited Shine's awareness at the time of the channel's hiring private detectives to intimidate alleged victims of Roger Ailes.[31][32][33]
Personal
Shine is married to Darla Shine, a former TV producer, also from Fox News.[8] News media has reported that Darla Shine posted many racist comments on social media, defending the flag of the Confederate States of America and complained that she would be called a racist if she used the word "nigger".[34] She also claimed 1 in 10 black boys have autism, and shared a pro-Russian news story.[35]
References
- ^ Jennifer Jacobs and Toluse Olorunnipa, "Ex-Fox Chief Bill Shine to Join Trump Communication Team, Sources Say," 'Bloomberg News,' June 29, 2018
- ^ Haberman, Maggie; Shear, Michael D.; Rogers, Katie. "Bill Shine Likely as Next White House Communications Director". The New York Times. June 27, 2018.
- ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Senior Staff Appointment" (press release). Office of the Press Secretary. The White House. July 5, 2018.
- ^ Koblin, John (August 13, 2016). "Fox News Names 2 Insiders to Top Posts". The New York Times. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
- ^ "Corporate Information". Retrieved April 28, 2017.
- ^ a b c Grynbaum, Michael M.; Steel, Emily. "Fox News Executive Departs Amid Turmoil". The New York Times. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ^ Ketcham, Diane (March 1, 1998). "Liberal or Conservative, Both Are From L.I." The New York Times. p. LI3.
- ^ a b c Grynbaumaug, Michael M. (August 15, 2016). "Bill Shine Steps Out From Behind the Scenes to Lead Fox News". The New York Times.
- ^ a b "Communication Studies Alumni Reunion". SUNY Oswego. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ^ "Liz Shooting Starr Now: As Pundit, She Trashes Probe Policy She Helped Create". New York Daily News. December 3, 1998.
- ^ Kurtz, Howard (April 23, 1999). "Whistle-Stops Candidates Flock to the Talk Shows". The Washington Post. p. C1.
- ^ Farhi, Paul (May 25, 2000). "The New Face Of the Talking Head; Heather Nauert's Fast Path to Punditry". The Washington Post. p. C1.
- ^ a b c Kurtz, Howard. "The Slow Start Of Something Big; From Marvin Kalb, a Reminder Of Cautious Scandal Coverage". The Washington Post. July 30, 2001. p. C1.
- ^ Carter, Bill; Steinberg, Jacques. "To Portray The Horror, News Media Agonize". The New York Times. April 1, 2004. p. A12.
- ^ Gold, Matea. "Straight from Van Susteren; The former defense attorney's no- nonsense attitude gains viewers for Fox News Channel". The Los Angeles Times. July 20, 2005. p. E1.
- ^ Wheeler, Ericka C. "Untold stories of Black missing persons". Recorder (Indianapolis, Indiana). August 12, 2005. p. A1.
- ^ David Bauder, Group Points Out O'Reilly Race Comments, Associated Press (September 25, 2007).
- ^ a b Rhodes, E Washington. "Right-wing attacks on Obama growing". Philadelphia Tribune. August 7, 2009. p. 4A.
- ^ "Charge dropped against Harvard scholar", The Washington Times, July 22, 2009.
- ^ Neary, Lynn. "Black And Blue: Police And Minorities". Talk of the Nation. National Public Radio. July 23, 2009.
- ^ Kurtz, Howard. "The Beck Factor at Fox; Some news staffers say his comments undermine their work". The Washington Post. March 15, 2010:. p. C1.
- ^ Ariens, Chris. "Roger Ailes Promotes Bill Shine and Brian Jones at Fox Business". Adweek. August 14, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
- ^ Battaglio, Stephen. "Fox News announces new leadership: Bill Shine and Jack Abernethy will take over Roger Ailes' role". The Los Angeles Times. August 13, 2016. p. C2.
- ^ Flint, Joe. "Fox Settles Harassment Lawsuit". Wall Street Journal. September 7, 2016. p. B1.
- ^ Byers, Dylan. "Fox News' critics ask: Is Bill Shine the Man Who Knew Too Much?" CNN. April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
- ^ "American politics after a year of #MeToo". The Economist. September 27, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
- ^ "Fox News Co-President Bill Shine Uncertain About Future at Network (Report)". Variety. April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
- ^ Farhi, Paul. "Fox News exec resigns amid ongoing scandal". The Washington Post. May 2, 2017. p. C3.
- ^ Williamson, Elizabeth; Steel, Emily (July 20, 2018). "Bill Shine, Trump's Top Communicator, Was Questioned by Federal Prosecutors". The New York Times. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
- ^ Ballhaus, Rebecca. "Ex-Fox News Executive Bill Shine Expected to Take Senior White House Post". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
- ^ Haberman, Maggie (July 5, 2018). "Bill Shine, Ousted From Fox News in Scandal, Joins White House Communications Team". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
- ^ Williams, Rob (June 29, 2018). "Bill Kristol: 'Disgrace' If Shine Gets White House Job". Newsmax. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
- ^ "Judicial Watch Founder Urges Prosecutors to Probe Bill Shine". Newsmax. July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
- ^ Ecarma, Caleb (July 6, 2018). "Bill Shine's Wife Darla Complained She Couldn't Use N-Word and Spread Conspiracy Theories About 'Blacks'". Mediaite. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
- ^ Rosenberg, Eli (July 6, 2018). "Report: Wife of new White House communications official tweeted about n-word, anti-vaccination conspiracies". Chicago Tribune.