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Where are they now? As KCCI turns 70 years old, Cynthia Fodor & Steve Karlin come into the studio to take a walk down memory lane and discuss moments that defined them, and the station. The dynamic duo are known far beyond just their Iowa coverage, often leading national news cycles due to their Presidential access and finger on the USA pulse.
Karlin and Fodor discuss Democrat party pain leaving Iowa, the rise of citizen journalists, and career-defining moments that Iowans never saw on TV. They explain their favorite Iowa State Fair moments and answer the big question everyone asks: what are they doing with their time now?
A Backstage Pass to Iowa’s Broadcast History
Cynthia Fodor, who began her career in Albany, NY, recalls receiving an unexpected call from KCCI’s general manager asking if she’d consider relocating. “I literally could probably not have pointed it out on the map,” she laughs. But after a welcoming interview and the station’s family-first culture, she signed a three-year contract—which turned into a 31-year tenure.
Steve Karlin joined KCCI in 1989 after a stint at competitor WOI. He describes walking into a newsroom filled with broadcasting giants like Kevin Cooney and Connie McBurney. “It was like walking into the locker room of the 1927 Yankees,” he says. Despite early imposter syndrome, Karlin stayed for 34 years, never finding a reason to leave a station that dominated local ratings and nurtured career longevity.
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“You’re Only as Good as Your Team”
Both anchors credit their success to the culture of professionalism and mutual support at KCCI. They anchored together for over two decades, developing a “work spouse” rapport. “There were times the teleprompter would stop, and I always knew if I lost my place, Steve had my back,” said Fodor.
Karlin emphasized that trust extended to field reporting. “Journalism is an education every day,” he said, describing how reporters at KCCI covered everything from courtrooms to city hall with diligence and fairness. “We were fair, and people knew we were fair. That’s why we were trusted.”
9/11, Tornadoes, and the Mental Toll of News
Cynthia Fodor covered the 9/11 attacks as they broke, immediately called to the newsroom in fear and uncertainty. Karlin and his photographer stood at the Des Moines airport as planes landed, informing stunned passengers of what had happened. “Some people immediately started crying. Others fell to their knees,” he recalled.
Fodor also reflected on Iowa’s severe weather. “I ran into the bathroom and said, I can’t go on the air. My son was outside at camp, and my husband was on a golf course where a funnel cloud was spotted.” But the red light came on, and she delivered. “When that light goes on, she’s just stone cold great,” Karlin praised.
The Caucus Stage: A National Spotlight on Iowa
Over decades, both anchors interviewed nearly every presidential hopeful to pass through Iowa. Their access to candidates and everyday Iowans provided a unique bridge between political elites and the grassroots.
“We could get close to these candidates in a way no one else could,” said Fodor. “National reporters would be clamoring just to get near them, while they were riding bumper cars at the fair with us.” Karlin added that while the caucus system may be seen as flawed nationally, “it puts candidates on a hog farm, or in a factory—where they’re actually hearing from the people.”
The Rise of Citizen Journalism and a Shifting Media Landscape
With the proliferation of online voices and shrinking newsroom resources, Brady asked whether citizen journalism is a net positive. Fodor warned that while access is democratized, “opinion is very subtly interjected in with facts. It’s hard to know what’s true anymore.”
Karlin added: “We used to be the default news source. We lived here, we cared, and we were held to high standards. It wasn’t about being first—it was about being right.”
Retirement, Snakes at the Fair, and the KCCI Legacy
Both guests are now retired, though Fodor leads travel excursions for KCCI viewers, and Karlin enjoys yoga, biking, and cooking. They shared lighter moments too—like the infamous “snake-in-the-pants” segment at the State Fair that became a viral classic. “If you can’t see it, Curtis has a big snake in his pants,” Fodor said live on-air, earning a stern warning from her news director.
Their final message to current journalists? Maintain the legacy. “We had a backstage pass to life,” Karlin said. Fodor echoed: “We thought of our viewers constantly. We were their eyes and ears.”