Bret Baier has re-signed a multi-year deal with FOX News Channel (FNC) where he will continue as the anchor of Special Report and lead anchor of political news coverage through the 2016 election, announced Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO of FOX News.
In making the announcement, Ailes said, “Bret’s tough but fair approach to journalism has made him one of the most trusted news anchors in the industry and an integral part of FNC’s success. I’m proud to have him at the helm of this year’s election coverage and for years to come.”
Since January 2009, Baier has served as the anchor of Special Report (6-7 PM/ET), the number one political news program on cable, averaging nearly 2 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. For the month of April, Special Report ranked as the third highest rated program in cable news among total viewers. In addition to anchoring FNC’s coverage of the 2012 Republican primaries, Baier moderated five debates among the candidates, including the highest-rated cable news debate in Orlando, Florida. He will report live from both the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention in the fall, and lead the network’s election night coverage.
Baier added, “I am humbled by Roger’s trust and confidence and look forward to carrying out his vision for FNC — a commitment to breaking news, asking tough questions, and doing it in a fair and balanced way.”
As anchor of Special Report, Baier has secured numerous interviews with top newsmakers, including President Obama in the week leading up to the historic healthcare vote. Additionally, he has interviewed Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, former President George W. Bush, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, and General David Petraeus, among many others. He also sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in anticipation of key peace talks at the United Nations; Polish President Lech Kaczynski days after the U.S. decision to abort missile defense plans in Poland; and Georgian President Mikheul Saakashvili after the Russian invasion of Georgia.
Baier took over Special Report from veteran anchor Brit Hume, who now serves as a senior political analyst for FNC. Prior to that role, he was Chief White House Correspondent, where he covered President Bush from 2006-2009. He also served as National Security Correspondent reporting on military and national security affairs at the Pentagon from 2001-2006, which included the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. On September 11th, he notably traveled from Atlanta to report on the attacks from the Pentagon and has remained in Washington ever since.
FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service dedicated to delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. A top five cable network, FNC has been the most watched news channel in the country for ten years and according to Public Policy Polling, is the most trusted television news source in the country. Owned by News Corp., FNC is available in more than 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.
