You see her every afternoon. 3 PM sharp. Martha MacCallum with Fox News has become such a fixture of the mid-afternoon news cycle that it's easy to forget she wasn't always the face of "The Story." In fact, if you go back far enough, she wasn't even at Fox. She started out at Wall Street Journal Television and later NBC/CNBC. She's been around.
People often wonder if she’s just another talking head. Honestly? That’s probably the biggest misconception. She is actually the Executive Editor of her show. That means she isn't just reading a teleprompter; she's picking the segments, deciding the angles, and choosing which guests get grilled. She has been with the network since 2004, which is a lifetime in cable news years.
Why Martha MacCallum with Fox News Still Matters in 2026
The media landscape is messy right now. You’ve got TikTok "journalists" and deepfakes popping up everywhere. In this chaotic environment, MacCallum has stayed relevant by being the "straight news" bridge between the morning fluff and the heavy-hitting opinion shows that take over in prime time.
She hasn't just sat behind a desk in Manhattan, either.
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Last year, during the 2025 Inauguration of Donald Trump and JD Vance, she was right there co-anchoring with Bret Baier. That broadcast wasn't just another day at the office—it was the highest-rated non-primetime telecast in cable news history, pulling in 11.7 million viewers. Think about that for a second. More people were watching Martha and Bret than were watching most sitcoms or sports games that week.
- She joined Fox in 2004.
- She’s covered four presidential elections.
- She’s interviewed everyone from President Obama to the latest Papal election of Pope Leo XIV in 2025.
- She literally wrote the book on Iwo Jima (it's called Unknown Valor, check it out).
The woman is a workhorse. She handles the "hard" news, but she also has this weirdly deep obsession with World War II history. If you look at her Fox Nation specials like The Secret History of World War II, you can tell she’s a nerd for the details. It’s not just a job for her; it's a craft.
The Shift From Primetime to 3 PM
A lot of folks were confused when "The Story" moved from the 7 PM slot to 3 PM back in early 2021. People thought it was a demotion.
It wasn't.
Fox wanted to beef up their afternoon news blocks because that’s when the "breaking" stuff usually happens. Moving Martha MacCallum with Fox News to 3 PM allowed the network to transition from the opinion-heavy morning shows into a more rigorous news afternoon. It also cleared the way for Jesse Watters at 7 PM, which turned out to be a massive ratings move for the network as a whole.
Breaking Down the Ratings
The 3 PM hour used to be a bit of a dead zone for news. Not anymore. Since the move, she has consistently dominated the time slot. In post-election cycles, Fox often holds upwards of 70% to 80% of the cable news audience share during those hours.
While competitors like CNN and MSNBC have seen their afternoon numbers fluctuate wildly—sometimes dropping by 40% or more—Martha’s audience stays pretty loyal. Why? Probably because she’s predictable in a good way. You know you’re going to get a mix of DC politics, some human interest, and usually a fairly tough interview with someone who doesn’t want to be there.
More Than Just a News Anchor
You might have caught her podcast, The Untold Story. It’s where she gets to be a bit more conversational. On the main channel, she has to keep things tight. On the podcast, she’ll spend 30 minutes talking to a general or a historian about things that would never fit into a four-minute TV segment.
She also did that massive seven-episode series on the Murdaugh case. The Fall of the House of Murdaugh was everywhere on Fox Nation. She got the first sit-down with Buster Murdaugh, which was a huge get for the network. It showed that she can handle true crime just as well as she handles a Senate debate or a town hall in Iowa.
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- Journalistic Rigor: She doesn't usually let people off the hook. If you watch her 2024 town halls with Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis, she was digging into the policy weeds.
- Historical Perspective: Her books and documentaries give her a depth most anchors lack.
- Versatility: She can jump from a Papal Conclave to a war zone in Ukraine without missing a beat.
What Really Happened With the Kavanaugh Interview
If you want to see what made her a "superstar" at the network, you have to look back at 2018. She did the only sit-down interview with Brett Kavanaugh and his wife, Ashley, during the height of his confirmation battle.
It was a high-wire act.
If she was too soft, the critics would say she was a PR tool. If she was too mean, the Fox audience would revolt. She ended up getting praise from all over the place—even the Hollywood Reporter called it "near-universal praise"—for how she handled the tension. She asked the questions everyone wanted to hear without turning it into a shouting match. That is a rare skill in 2026.
Actionable Insights for Viewers
If you're trying to keep up with the news without getting overwhelmed by the 24-hour shouting matches, there are a few ways to follow Martha MacCallum with Fox News effectively.
First, catch the 3 PM ET broadcast of "The Story" for the day's big headlines. It’s usually the most "balanced" hour of the afternoon block. Second, if you're a history buff, skip the daily news and go straight to her Fox Nation specials. They are much higher quality than the standard "talking head" fare.
Lastly, check out her podcast if you want the "why" behind the news. TV is for the "what," but the podcast is where she actually explains how we got here. She’s been in the building for over two decades. She knows where the bodies are buried in DC, and she isn't afraid to hint at it.
Don't just take the snippets you see on X (formerly Twitter) as the whole story. To actually understand her impact, you have to watch a full week of her coverage. You'll see the pattern: she's the anchor the network trusts when things get complicated, whether it's an election night or a global crisis. She's not going anywhere anytime soon.
Check your local listings for "The Story" at 3 PM ET / 2 PM CT. If you miss the live show, the Fox News app usually carries the top segments for free shortly after they air.