Fox News is celebrating an important milestone on Wednesday as it turns 30.
The network is marking the occasion with continued ratings success: During the just-concluded quarter, Fox News remained the most-watched cable network in total viewers and the advertiser-coveted Adults 25-54 demo during primetime and total day.
It has been the No. 1 network in total viewers during primetime for the past three quarters and has remained the most-watched network in total viewers during total day for 22 consecutive quarters.
Two of the network’s executives behind its long-running success, Meade Cooper, executive vice president of primetime programming, and Kim Rosenberg, executive vice president of news programming, are Fox News originals and have been there since its launch in 1996.
In honor of the network’s 30th anniversary, the duo looked back on Fox News’ early days, sharing stories of how far it’s come since then.
TVNewser: What was your first day like?
Cooper: I started a month before the network launched. We all gathered at a nearby Hilton for a welcome presentation and then walked down 6th Avenue to headquarters. I learned I would be working as a production assistant on Hannity & Colmes (then known as Hannity & Liberal to be determined). I met a group of smart, hardworking people who were ready to tackle this incredible, unpredictable job.
Rosenberg: It was my first job out of college—here I was, a 21-year-old theatre major, walking into a newsroom under construction, at a network getting ready for launch. It was chaotic and overwhelming in the best possible way. I was excited and a little nervous about how it would all unfold. And whether I could get through the first day without accidentally crossing in front of the studio camera.
Tell us about a pain point that existed in the early days that no longer exists.
Cooper: The news moved at the same pace as it does today, but the tools we had to work with were not quite as quick. Editing video and creating graphics were much more time-consuming. It was more challenging to get guests in the field. We had to send a satellite truck (which was expensive and had limited availability) to get guests and reporters outside of our bureaus and a few other studios. All of this made it more difficult to change things around to react to breaking news.
Rosenberg: When I first became an associate producer, the network was recording all incoming feeds on videotape. We would have to get that video, find an available screener cart, and scroll through until we found what we wanted to run. We would then write down our timecodes on a sticky note and attach them to the boxes to give to the production assistants and editors. It was a very time-consuming process, and it also meant that if another team needed the same video, you had to negotiate for it. If you weren’t a successful negotiator, your show was in trouble. Now, all our incoming video is digital, different producers can screen it simultaneously, and we can edit with the click of a button. It was a complete game-changer for producers.
How has Fox News changed operationally in the past 30 years?
Cooper: We have grown by leaps and bounds from where we were operationally 30 years ago. We could not produce all of our elements from a computer. We used physical videotapes, which we would run from the edit room to playback. To book guests, we flipped through our paper Rolodexes and made calls from our desk phones since we didn’t have cell phones.
Rosenberg: We’ve grown far beyond the original channel. Fox News Media now encompasses platforms including digital, podcasts, Fox Nation, Fox Books, Fox Weather, and Fox Business. So, operationally, we’re no longer producing for a single screen; we’re meeting our audience wherever and whenever they want to find out what’s going on in the world. That said, our fundamental job has not changed one bit: Get people to the story, get the facts of the story right, and get the news to our viewers. The tools and platform are different. But our mission is the same as it was on that first day 30 years ago.
What has been a memorable moment for you from the past 30 years?
Cooper: There are too many memorable moments to pick just one. I was in the control room for the beginning of the bombing of Baghdad in 2003 and for coverage of the Bin Laden raid in 2011. I have been in the newsroom for elections, inaugurations, and conclaves to select a new Pope. I have traveled across the country and around the world.
Rosenberg: One of my most memorable moments is also deeply personal. Earlier this year, I received a devastating medical diagnosis. Months later, I would learn that the initial indication of stage 4 ovarian cancer was incorrect. But I still required major surgery to remove multiple organs. From the first moment, this company supported my family and me in every possible way, from Suzanne Scott and Jay Wallace to the executive assistants and everyone in between. At a time when I was so scared, I felt completely supported. The day of the surgery, my husband and I had decided he would pick up our daughter after school. We wanted to keep things normal for her. So, when I woke up in the ICU, I opened my eyes to see my sister smiling at the side of my bed. On the other side was my best friend, Jon Glenn; we met at Fox and have worked together for decades. He’d insisted on skipping work that day to sit in the hospital waiting room and make sure I was okay. It’s a cliché that “we’re all family here.” But it’s also true. And it’s part of the reason I love this company. We show up for each other, no matter what.
What is the secret to your longevity at Fox News?
Cooper: I have stayed at Fox for 30 years because I have been able to do a lot of different jobs. Over the years, I have had a handful (well, maybe two handfuls) of job titles, but I have done many other jobs. One of the great things about Fox is that if you work hard and do a good job, you will be given opportunities.
Rosenberg: I know how unusual it is these days for somebody to remain at one company for thirty years. Except here, it’s not that rare. Nearly 100 of us have been working here since launch in 1996. And there are a lot of reasons I think we’ve all stayed. I think one of the biggest is because of the opportunities available: I rose from stage manager to executive vice president. Our CEO, Suzanne Scott, began as a programming assistant. [Fox News president] Jay Wallace was an overnight tape coordinator. I can think of many others with similar trajectories. This company believes fiercely in offering opportunity to those who work hard. And having risen through the corporate hierarchy, we all consider it our duty to help the next generation do the same.
Do you have an interesting story to share from your 30 years of working at Fox News?
Cooper: One year I spent my birthday in Pyongyang, North Korea. A group of North Korean minders sang “Happy Birthday” to me.
Rosenberg: When we first started rehearsing, there were still wires hanging from the ceiling, and workers were putting the finishing touches on everything. Every day was a mad dash to launch. Then, one day, I saw JFK Jr. walking through the newsroom, getting briefed on the business plan, and I thought, “Okay, this job is going to be interesting.”
