Mark Thompson (newscaster)

American journalist

Mark Thompson is an American newscaster and a two time Emmy award winner for writing, hosting and producing specials for the Fox Broadcasting Company stations.

Thompson reported on science and environmental issues for KRON TV, then an NBC affiliate in San Francisco, before getting upped to the nightly weather anchor on the 5, 6 and 11:00 p. m. editions of NewsCenter 4, in addition to those duties. Mark Thompson pioneered Neighborhood Weather, where he would read letters from viewers who’d requested a live remote broadcast from their neighborhood in the Bay Area. This was known as “Neighborhood Weather”, a popular and enduring franchise. Thompson was the on air nightly weather anchor, science, and even occasional lifestyle reporter for KTTV's Fox 11 News Los Angeles. When he started appearing on KCOP TV Channel 13 (the Fox owned sister station of KTTV), Thompson became known for dancing during the weather reports on KCOP TV's 11 PM newscasts, which he originally did on a whim. However, when email reaction was so enormously positive, he kept it going, quickly gaining not only a local following but nationwide attention as well. He was featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on October 5, 2006, and on Brit Hume's program on Fox News Channel, among others. He left both stations as of June 3, 2011. He made no on air announcements of his future plans as a weather anchor. Thompson previously served as an on air weather anchor and science/environmental reporter at KMGH TV in Denver, Colorado, and also worked at WKBW TV in Buffalo, New York.

Thompson hosted a daily 10 AM to noon radio show on San Francisco talk station KGO until October 6, 2022; his show ended on that station due to a sudden change in format, and he, in fact, was the final host on the format, being notified immediately before his show of the change and being notified mid monologue to end the broadcast at approximately 10:16 AM that day. He would promptly give a final station identification before abruptly ending his show. It was later moved to YouTube and thru podcast. The show concentrated on politics and pop culture and featured calls from listeners across the Bay Area and California. Thompson had originally done fill in talk show hosting on KGO when he first worked in San Francisco as a news person. Thompson also regularly appears on The Tim Conway Jr. Show on KFI in Los Angeles. Thompson and CNN Latino anchor Elizabeth Espinosa hosted an early afternoon weekday talk program from early 2014 to late 2015.

Thompson was a regular hosting live television shows of high drama and even life and death. He has hosted high profile "event" shows like Celebrity Daredevils Live (FOX) with Dennis Rodman and Angie Everhart, all the Robbie Knievel jumps since 1990 (building to building in Las Vegas, over a portion of the Grand Canyon, and over an oncoming train). Mark Thompson hosted a live Knievel jump during which the weather prevented the jump and Thompson was asked by the network to "fill" for the entire hour. Building drama about the dangerous weather conditions but without saying that Knievel would jump or would not jump, the show still registered a 25 share. Thompson has been a regular New Year's Eve host for FOX Television as well. In these shows, he has presided over everything from building implosions to musical acts. Thompson hosted the red carpet arrival show for the Emmy Awards on Fox Television (Sept. 2011). It was his second time hosting an Emmy red carpet show. Thompson also hosted Hole in the Wall along with Brooke Burns for Fremantle Television. The show aired on Fox during 2008 2009. For three successful seasons, Thompson hosted Guinness World Records Primetime on the Fox network, and those familiar with the genre will remember him as the host of When Good Pets Go Bad and the voice of many of the edgy Fox primetime reality shows at the time. Thompson was the host of the weekly entertainment program That's So Hollywood, and was one of the primary fill in hosts on Good Day L. A., Fox's highest rated Los Angeles morning show.

Thompson was formerly a creative partner in NEXT entertainment with Mike Fleiss. Together they were responsible for a number of successful specials for Fox, and Thompson was the first person to pitch The Bachelor to ABC, though he credits Fleiss with the idea itself.

A native of Washington, D. C., Thompson graduated from Colgate University. He also studied at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. A regular on the charity and fundraising circuit, Thompson is an active supporter of many philanthropic enterprises with a concentration in the areas of veganism and advocacy for animals, education, and environmental charities.