Fair and Balanced
Fox News Anchor Martha MacCallum
Written by Bruce A. Percelay
Photography by Brian Sager
Martha MacCallum has been one of the most prominent voices on Fox News fortwo decades. MacCallum has interviewed world leaders and Supreme Court justices on her show, The Story, and has covered six presidential administrations. MacCallum views her approach to journalism as being fair and accurate reporting, even on a network with a reputation for conservative commentary. MacCallum is a frequent visitor to Nantucket during the summer from her home in Chatham, and took time to speak with N Magazine about her career, and both the state of the country and journalism today.
N Magazine: What has your experience been on Nantucket?
MacCallum: I’ve spent a ton of time on Nantucket over the last several decades. I grew up going to the Cape every summer, and my husband and I have owned a home in Chatham for a long time. We have family on Nantucket, so we go back and forth. You can’t help but love Nantucket. It’s one of my favorite places.
N Magazine: You’ve been on Fox News for over two decades. How have you seen the evolution of journalism in that time?
MacCallum: I worked at The Wall Street Journal and at NBC before I came to Fox, so I’ve seen a number of different journalistic organizations throughout my time. They’re all great brands, and they all embraced a very strong philosophy about news and storytelling, which is my home base. My show is called The Story, and the aim has always been to create journalism, good reporting on the ground, and to do a show that is very straightforward. We’ve all seen evolution in the news. I think that it has become more siloed, especially with the growth of social media. People tend to go to the place where they feel comfortable and they like what they’re hearing. One of the things that has been the most striking tome over these last years at Fox is that we have a very strong growth with viewers across the [political] spectrum. Our viewership is roughly split into thirds between people who call themselves Republicans, Democrats and independents. Every network has its strong opinions in the evening, and I think there’s a place for that, but I think that we all have our own perspective with our programs, and with mine, I diversify politics and foreign policy and national events.
N Magazine: The general thinking is that Fox leans to the right and CNN leans to the left, which is not a recipe for objective journalism on either side. Do you feel that the orientation of a network conflicts with true objective journalism?
MacCallum: I look at success as what draws people, and I think people are drawn to quality products. People are smart, and I know that they’re drawn to us for a reason. If people spend a few days actually watching Fox, they usually end up watching it for a long time. People understand what they’re getting when they go to different channels. We’re successful because we have a lot of street features and a lot of good news coverage.
N Magazine: Trust in journalism is at an all-time low, according to major polling organizations. What does that say to you, and how does that get turned around?
MacCallum: I look at that and I think about the deterioration of mainstream news organizations. I think it’s very sad having worked at NBC, as well. I remember Bush derangement syndrome, and now you hear about Trump derangement syndrome. I think that people at a lot of these outlets let their emotions get the better of them, and they get spun up on stories. I’m not surprised that there’s a lack of trust in news organizations.
N Magazine: You moderated several debates last year. Were you surprised by Biden’s inability to function then?
MacCallum: Absolutely. I thought it was sad. When you’re watching ,you don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t knowhow the candidates are going to perform. But a few minutes in, it was clear to all of us, I think that this was a pivotal turning point.
N Magazine: Should presidential debates be mandated?
MacCallum: I prefer the old format where you had the Commission on Presidential Debates, with three debates. The commission chose the moderator, and did a pretty good job of it. There was always criticism of that format, but I think it’s a principled way to go. They’re some of the strongest nights for our organizations because those of us who moderate debates take them very seriously. Participating in the debates should be mandatory. Are they decisive? No. But they’re an important part of the process.
N Magazine: Trump has treated Fox News as a farm team for his administration. How hard is it to be seen as objective with a president whose role is so intertwined with the network?
MacCallum: He has seen a lot of good people in our network, and he’s invited them to be part of his White House team. I don’t think it’s that surprising. We’ve certainly seen it before with someone like George Stephanopoulos working in the Clinton campaign. There’s a history of people crossing over those lines at times. It doesn’t change the way I approach my job. Trump has also demonstrated a sensitivity to media criticism.
N Magazine: Does his reaction to challenging questions inhibit the process of grilling a president about issues?
MacCallum: He is actively answering questions all the time, which is refreshing. During the Biden administration, we never heard from him, and he too, very quickly, objected to questions he didn’t like. I look at Fox reporters like [Senior White House Correspondent] Jacqui Heinrich, who never shies away from asking [Trump]hard questions. I think the President respects those reporters. I think it’s also interesting [Trump] is doing interviews with networks that he has referred toas “fake news.” That makes it a very interesting administration to cover.
N Magazine: Is Trump’s public persona the same as his private one?
MacCallum: It’s exactly the same. He treats everyone the same—a waiter or a reporter or the president or leader of another country. I think that’s because he’s very authentic and down to Earth. No matter what you think of him, whether you like him or not, I think that is one of the reasons that he won the election, because people know that he’s saying what’s on his mind.
N Magazine: On the world stage, do you feel we are at an inflection point where our leadership could influence the future of the Middle East in away that is more aligned with the interests of the United States?
MacCallum: I have covered six presidencies, and every president is hopeful about the process of peace in the Middle East. I think we might be closer to it now than we have ever been. The Abraham Accords were a very positive start for a lot of people on both sides of the aisle. We’ll see what happens with Iran following the attack on their nuclear facilities, and whether or not they’ll come to the table and agree to inspections and to dismantling their nuclear weapons program, because they are beyond the levels of anything that you would need for an energy program. This is a moment of hope for the Middle East, and many Americans are hopeful that there’s a possibility for peace.
N Magazine: Are there any public figures who have surprised you when you interviewed them?
MacCallum: I got the call during the very contentious hearings for [Supreme Court Justice] Brett Kavanaugh, to go to Washington and do an interview with him about the allegations against him. I had watched him being questioned in the Senate. It was something I don’t think he anticipated. It was a moment when you sit down and you just see a human being who’s going through a very stressful moment, and you want to give the viewers an opportunity to look into his answers to the questions. You see the humanity of a difficult moment they’re trying to persevere through.
N Magazine: What’s something surprising about you?
MacCallum: I served a lot of clam chowder as a waitress on Cape Cod for a long time. I love to play tennis, though I don’t play as well as I would like to. I’m a New Jersey girl, but my mom’s side of the family was from New England, so we have roots on that side. My loyalties are a little torn between New England and New York.
N Magazine: The country is facing an incredible level of division. What are you most concerned about for the country? What are you most optimistic about?
MacCallum: I’m concerned about artificial intelligence and the impact that it might have. I’m concerned about the education level of kids across the country. I don’t understand why learning from home during COVID didn’t trigger a huge governmental effort to correct that learning loss. I’m also optimistic about the future of this country. I see a lot of young people who are paying attention to what’s going on. The dynamic of kids having different opinions is a healthy and very American thing. And I think we are incredibly resilient. I’ve always been optimistic about America. I think it’s the greatest country in the world.
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