Photo: Reuters    

The ex-chairman and founder of Fox News Roger Ailes has died aged 77, his family says, the BBC reports.

A statement from his wife Elizabeth said she was “profoundly sad and heartbroken”, calling him a “patriot”.

Mr Ailes ran Fox News for two decades and is credited with transforming it into arguably the most powerful voice in conservative media.

But he stepped down last year after a number of female employees accused him of sexual harassment.

At the time he said he was resigning because he had become a “distraction”.

Mrs Ailes’ statement said: “During a career that stretched over more than five decades, his work in entertainment, in politics, and in news affected the lives of many millions.

“And so even as we mourn his death, we celebrate his life.”

Before joining Fox, he served as adviser to several US presidents, from Richard Nixon to George Bush Senior.