FOX News Channel Signs Bret Baier to New Multi-Year Contract

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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