Roughly twelve months ago at Vice-President at Fox News was charged with a novel idea. Mike Straka was given the task of figuring out how garner more web users to FoxNews.com in a way that would hold their attention, keep them interested, and keep them coming back for more.

The world of "live streaming" is enormous and there are bazillions of podcasts, online streams, and even some attempted "channels" that are trying to eek out a few more viewers each week.

The first real consistent performer in the daily streaming space as best I can tell is our good friend Ed Morrissey from HotAir.com. For it was at least a couple of years before Fox tried the strat room idea that "Captain Ed" was first doing an audio only stream and later morphing it into a full scale daily video show that you can see Monday through Friday at the same time.

Straka took the concept one level further. He figured a live show from 9am-6pm EST would give those online an opportunity to check in on the discussion about news, politics, religion, or entertainment pretty much anytime they wished, even if their offices didn't have a television.

He had no idea how right he was so in the fall of a busy election year, one that made history, the Strategy Room, went not on the air, but live on the web, and has never looked back.

For those not familiar with it, each hour is hosted by a recognizable face from Fox News Channel. Most of whom plan their own topics to hold discussion around and go from there to guests of every political stripe and cultural persuasion. Comics, politicians, nationally syndicated radio voices, and Fox News contributors discuss the pros/cons and in betweens of everything under the sun.

Most of my time as part of the Strategy Room has been spent with two different shows. "Breaking News w/ Heather Nauert" in the early days, where I'd sit alongside a panel of people like Thom Ruskin, K.T. McFarland, Father Jonathan Morris, etc.. Heather's friendly ability to take the conversation and weave it between all the different perspectives of the five people at the table kept the pace moving. (Most interesting moment of which was debating the merits of marriage with an MTV model who opposed marriage, but as a lesbian wanted the laws to be changed to allow her to redefine it.)

Most recently I was moved as a regular fixture to the "Morning Click" with the always enthused Harris Faulkner. I was paired with Dr. Marc Lamont Hill for a regular slot on "Friday Eve" as Harris loves to refer to Thursdays and though there is hardly anything in public policy I agree with Dr. Hill on, the three of us make for a dynamic discussion each week. And according to the Strategy Room producers, the move well loved, and one of the most watched segments of the week. And we sure generate a lot of that e-mail too...

Today the Strategy Room will be packed pillar to post. Every hour will be stuffed with your favorite contributors and Fox personalities and we will do our best to pay tribute to what can only be described as an amazing first year. FoxNews.com had 10,000,000 unique users in August of 2009. Of those, Strategy Room producers tell me that anywhere from 80,000-250,000 will be tuned in at any given time to an hour of the Strategy Room's streamcast.

That's MORE viewers than almost any radio station has listening at any given time in the country, upwards of 720,000 per day.

It's an amazing accomplishment! Mike Straka, Jordan Chariton, Kevin Tracey and the entire gang that keep it live and Wi-Fi friendly deserve an enormous "Congratulations!"

Today at 9am we will attempt just that! CLICK HERE to watch it LIVE.

It is one pat on the back that is without question well earned!