FOX News Channel Signs Bret Baier to New Multi-Year Contract
09 January 2019 - 5:48AM
Business Wire
Bret Baier has signed a new multi-year deal with FOX News
Channel (FNC), where he will continue as anchor and executive
editor of Special Report (weeknights 6PM/ET) and chief political
anchor of the network, announced Jay Wallace, President &
Executive Editor, FOX News and FOX Business Network (FBN). Baier
will continue to co-anchor all 2020 election coverage.
In making the announcement, Wallace said, “Bret continues to be
the gold standard not only across FNC, but the entire news industry
and his reporting has played an integral role in the success and
growth of the network. From election nights to his nightly
broadcast Special Report, Baier brings unparalleled journalistic
expertise and political knowledge that our viewers continue to tune
in for and we are proud that he will be with us for many years to
come.”
Baier added, "Having just marked my 10 year anniversary of
anchoring Special Report and being at FOX News for more
than two decades, there is no group of people I would rather be
working with to bring complete, fair and balanced news to our
viewers. I am very honored to continue in this role and value the
trust that FNC has placed in me to do what I love every day.”
Since January 2009, Baier has served as the anchor of Special
Report, the number one news program on cable in its timeslot,
averaging 2.3 million total viewers in 2018, according to Nielsen
Media Research. From 2009 to date, Special
Report has grown its audience by double-digits – up
13% overall in total viewers and ranked as the highest rated
program in its timeslot in cable news for 10 consecutive years in
both total viewers and the 25-54 demo.
During the recent 2018 midterm elections, Baier led the network
in ratings domination, topping all of broadcast and cable news with
the highest-rated midterm coverage in cable news
history. Co-anchoring alongside The Story’s Martha
MacCallum, FNC averaged 7.8 million total viewers and 2.4 million
in the 25-54 demo from 8-11PM/ET beating NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and
MSNBC in viewership.
Throughout his tenure at the network, Baier has interviewed
President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, former President
Barack Obama, former President George W. Bush, former Vice
President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton.
In August 2015, Baier, co-moderated the first GOP presidential
debate of the 2016 election cycle. According to Nielsen, the debate
delivered 24 million total viewers and 7.9 million in the key 25-54
demo, making it the highest-rated non-sports cable telecast of all
time. Baier also co-moderated the network's second and third
debates of the 2016 election cycle, held on January 28th in Des
Moines, IA and March 3rd in Detroit, MI and co-anchored all of that
year’s election coverage.
In March 2016, Baier hosted FNC's only Democratic town hall with
former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders
(I-VT), which was held in Detroit, the night before the Michigan
primary. This marked Clinton's first appearance on FNC in two years
and Sanders' first interview with Baier.
He also developed “The Presidential Contenders: 2016,” a series
that profiled prospective 2016 candidates on Special Report where
he sat down with 19 presidential candidates. More recently, he has
interviewed more than 15 world leaders, including King Abdullah II
of Jordan, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korean
President Moon Jae-in and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. In
the current election cycle, Baier has already interviewed four
potential 2020 Democratic contenders, including Sen. Bernie Sanders
(I-VT), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and
Rep. John Delaney (D-MD).
Additionally, Baier has hosted more than 50 specials on FNC,
reported from Iraq 12 times and Afghanistan 13 times and traveled
the world with various administrations and military officials,
reporting from 74 different countries over the course of his
career. Special Report with Bret Baier was acknowledged by TIME
magazine as the only “straight newscast” in cable news at 6PM/ET
and Baier was also awarded the 2017 Sol Taishoff Award for
Excellence in Broadcast Journalism.
The author of three New York Times bestsellers, including
"Special Heart: A Journey of Faith, Hope, Courage and Love," Baier
took over Special Report from veteran anchor Hume, who is now a
senior political analyst. Prior to this, Baier was FNC’s chief
White House correspondent, covering President Bush from 2006-2009
and served as national security correspondent from
2001-2006. On September 11th, he notably traveled from
Atlanta, where he was based as a correspondent for FNC, to cover
the terrorist attacks from the Pentagon and has remained in
Washington ever since. He began his career at WJWJ-TV (PBS) in
Beaufort, SC.
FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news
service delivering breaking news as well as political and business
news. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most
watched television news channel for more than 16 years. According
to a Suffolk University/USA Today survey, Fox News is the most
trusted source for television news or commentary in the country and
a 2017 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey found that among Americans
who could name an objective news source, Fox News is the top-cited
outlet. Owned by 21st Century Fox, FNC is available in nearly 90
million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely
notching the top ten programs in the genre.
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FOX News Media Contact:Carly Shanahan 212-301-3851
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