Celebrate Fox News’ Bar Mitzvah Today

It’s time for Fox News Channel to become a man today (or something), as the top-rated cable news network turns 13-years-old.

The hosts have been mentioning the birthday on air today, beginning with the very first minute of Fox & Friends. Here’s how co-host Steve Doocy introduced it:

Said Doocy:

It’s hard to believe we’re kicking off, this morning, our 14th year. It seems like it was just yesterday that Roger Ailes came up with this idea, ‘Hey you know what? somebody’s got to balance all the other media out there,’ and Fox News was born. And a salute especially to Chet Collier today he was one of the broadcasting pioneers and a longtime member of Roger’s team. He helped establish us. He passed away this year, so we’re remembering Chet fondly on this anniversary of the start of Fox News Channel.

(Here’s more on Chet Collier.)

The network launched in 1996 to just 17 million cable subscribers. Now, of course, it has grown to become the long-time number one cable news network, and has expanded the lead in recent months. In fact, last week it ranked third in total day on all of cable, for the first time in 2009. It also finished 3rd in prime time (behind ESPN and USA in prime and NICK and Nick At Nite in total day).

Here’s the full ranker from last week.

Bill O’Reilly also had four of the top 25 programs on all of cable last week.

Look for more shout-outs to FNC’s 13th birthday on the network today.

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