Fox News turns thirty Baier and Hume reflect

Oct 7

An anniversary montage traces Special Report's early years, major news coverage, Baier's changing reporting roles and his succession to Brit Hume, with archival clips and recollections from producers Jim Eldridge and Doug Rohrbeck. It includes brief historic Clinton, Harris and Trump clips and different historical Baier/Hume roles. In the ensuing complete interview, Hume says he believed Fox's mix of overlooked valid stories and more conservative voices would find an audience, recalls reaching first place faster than he expected and credits staff. Baier recalls Hume's advice to let the news drive the program and acknowledges colleagues behind the scenes. Hume says early audience responses to news helped establish the channel's direction, discusses anniversary recognition of staff in New York and praises Baier's Bezos interview as an example of expanded access. These are the participants' recollections and assessments. The archival montage does not independently substantiate new accounts of each historical event.

Special Report's October 7 broadcast marked Fox News Channel's thirtieth anniversary with a retrospective montage and a complete Baier–Hume discussion of the show's beginnings, audience growth, news priorities, staff and Baier's succession. Hume and Baier offer their own favorable recollections and assessments. Earlier in the same broadcast, the closing Bezos conversation connects Baier's 1998 John Glenn shuttle coverage with that day's Blue Origin interview and the channel anniversary. This is the aired anniversary installment, not a new occurrence of each historical story in its montage.