Monday, Oct. 7, 1996, Fox News Channel went on the air. In the 22 years since, FNC has gone from “little more than Rupert Murdoch’s “imaginary friend” ….., as one TV critic put it, to the most-watched cable network for 67 consecutive quarters.
Fox News has offered a unique—and extremely successful—brand of cable TV news over that time.
To celebrate its 22nd birthday (which technically was yesterday), the network is offering treats for all of its employees this week.
This morning, it was crepes. Tomorrow, Dylan’s Candy Bar will stop by for those interested in a mid-day pick me up.
Fox & Friends celebrated this morning with cake:
Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and Fox News president Jay Wallace sent a note to staff this morning, marking the milestone:
On October 7, 1996, FOX News Channel made history and launched in 17 million homes. Here is some of the commentary our entry into cable news was greeted with before we were even a few hours old:
Ted Turner proclaimed he would squash FOX News Channel “like a bug” …..
The New York Times’ then vaunted television writer Bill Carter referred to FOX News Channel as little more than Rupert Murdoch’s “imaginary friend” …..
The AP’s Frazier Moore said FOX News Channel was “too small, too late, too green – and, in practice, too much like the others” …..
And 22 years later, we all know how that worked out …..
Rupert Murdoch’s vision to create a 24-hour news network and pioneer the concept of fair and balanced journalism during the day and opinion programming at night became one of the biggest media success stories in the world. FOX News is now the number one cable network in the country and has captured the zeitgeist as the most talked about channel in today’s popular culture.
We created a phenomenon that’s beloved and watched loyally by millions…and we revolutionized the television landscape in the process.
No one has embraced that phenomenon more than Lachlan Murdoch. His commitment to journalism and investment in the bright future of FOX News is unmatched in the industry.
Under his leadership, we are now expanding again and launching our fifth platform later this fall — FOX Nation — an on demand subscription channel which will deliver exclusive content, access and experiences for the FOX News superfan.
So while we take a moment to reflect on the success of the last 22 years and gear up for the next adventure, we also want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who make this possible every day.
Thank you to countless employees who were here on day one, helped build FOX News Channel into the powerhouse that it is today and are still here working just as hard as they did on that fateful day 22 years ago when we flipped the switch to launch in Studio A. And thank you to everyone here who has maintained our success over the last two plus decades through your daily amazing efforts and immense dedication. Here’s to many more successful years to come!
Celebratory treats will be available throughout the week in the south breezeway on the 2nd floor to mark our anniversary and the completion of the entire newsroom complex.
Enjoy and thank you again for all you do!
Suzanne & Jay