Harris Faulkner was born on October 13, 1965, at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia. Because her father, United States Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Bobby R. Harris, served three tours in Vietnam and held assignments across various installations, her childhood involved moving between military communities, including a posting in Stuttgart, West Germany.
Her path to becoming a prominent face on Fox News spanned local newsrooms across North Carolina, Kansas, and Minnesota before landing a national platform. This background shaped a journalism career defined by hard news reporting, multiple Emmy Awards, and daytime broadcasting anchor roles.
Early Life, Military Roots, and Education
Growing up in a military household instilled discipline and an appreciation for clear communication early on. Faulkner has often spoken about her father's resonant speaking voice and her mother's background as a school teacher and social worker. Frequent relocations required her to adapt quickly to new environments, a skill that later served her well in the fast-paced television industry.
For higher education, Faulkner attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communications. Her academic foundation focused heavily on writing, media theory, and public presentation, preparing her for the early print and broadcast roles that followed graduation.
Early Journalism Career and Local News Stints
Before breaking into network television, Faulkner built her portfolio through local reporting and print assignments.
- LA Weekly: She started by contributing as a freelance business writer, sharpening her reporting skills on tight deadlines.
- KCOP-TV: She secured an internship at KCOP-TV in Los Angeles, handling production tasks and learning how a newsroom operated behind the scenes.
- WNCT-TV: Moving to Greenville, North Carolina, she landed her first official on-air reporting and anchoring job, covering regional stories and developing her live-broadcast presence.
- WDAF-TV: From 1992 to 2000, she served as an evening anchor in Kansas City, Missouri, establishing herself as a trusted fixture in Midwestern living rooms.
- KSTP-TV: Moving to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul market, she anchored the evening news for the ABC affiliate, earning multiple regional Emmy Awards during her tenure.
Rise at Fox News and Network Milestones
Faulkner joined the Fox News Channel in 2005, initially serving as a correspondent for the revival of A Current Affair. Over the next two decades, she expanded her footprint across daytime and weekend programming:
- Fox Report Weekend: She anchored the network's weekend newscast from 2011 to 2017, delivering breaking headlines to national audiences.
- Outnumbered: In 2014, she stepped in as a co-host on the popular daytime roundtable program, balancing panel discussions with current events analysis.
- Outnumbered Overtime: Launched in 2017, this hard-news hour gave her a dedicated platform to break down political developments and policy decisions.
- The Faulkner Focus: In early 2021, she debuted her self-titled morning news program, focusing on top headlines and interviews with key decision-makers.
Throughout her network tenure, she has also contributed as a substitute host for major programs like The Five and Special Report, solidifying her status as a primary anchor for the network.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Harris Faulkner go to college?
She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications.
How many Emmy Awards has she won?
Faulkner has won multiple regional Emmy Awards—including three consecutive wins for Best Anchor during her time at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis—alongside national recognition for her journalism.
When did she join Fox News?
She officially joined the network in 2005 as a correspondent before transitioning into prominent anchoring and hosting roles across daytime programming.
Is Harris Faulkner married?
Yes, she married former television reporter Tony Berlin in 2003, and the couple shares two daughters.
