FOX News Media Extends Bret Baier’s Multi-year Deal

Rhea-AI Summary

FOX News Media has extended Bret Baier’s multi-year deal, ensuring he remains anchor and executive editor of Special Report. Baier's tenure since 2009 has seen a 53% increase in total viewers and he continues to lead in ratings. Notable highlights include record-breaking viewership during the 2020 election and major political events. Baier has earned numerous journalism awards and is also a bestselling author. FOX News Media remains the top network in cable news, reaching 200 million people monthly.

Positive

• Extended Bret Baier’s contract, securing leadership of Special Report.
• Increased viewership on Special Report by 53% overall.
• Top-rated cable news program in its timeslot for over a decade.
• FOX News remains the number one network in all of cable, with 200 million monthly reach.

Negative

• None.

FOX News Media has extended Bret Baier’s current multi-year deal where he will remain as anchor and executive editor of Special Report (weekdays, 6-7 PM/ET) on FOX News Channel (FNC), announced Suzanne Scott, CEO of FOX News Media. Baier, who signed a new multi-year deal in 2019, will also continue as the network’s chief political anchor.

In making the announcement, Scott said, “Bret has masterfully covered some of the most consequential news stories of our time and we’re thrilled to have him continue his extraordinary journalism career at FOX News for many years to come.”

Baier added, “I am thrilled to continue working with FOX News Channel for the next five years. It has been my home away from home for almost a quarter century. Suzanne Scott, Jay Wallace, and the Murdoch’s have been terrific leaders and bosses. I look forward to working closely with my incredibly talented team to cover the Important stories of our time in the fair and honest way our viewers expect.”

Since taking over Special Report in January 2009, Baier has increased the show’s audience by double-digits, up 53% overall in total viewers and up 21% in the coveted 25-54 demographic. The show has ranked number one in cable news in its timeslot for more than a decade with Baier at its helm. Most recently, Special Report experienced a record-breaking year in 2020 as the top-rated 6 PM/ET program in all of cable, averaging 3.1 million viewers and 550,000 in the 25-54 demo, according to Nielsen Media Research. Additionally, in April 2020 the program ranked number one among all cable news offerings, providing full coverage of the White House Coronavirus Task Force press briefings.

Baier has played a critical role in every major political event and election since joining the network in 1998 as the first reporter in the Atlanta bureau. Most recently, he co-anchored FNC’s Democracy 2020 election coverage alongside Martha MacCallum, which garnered the highest ratings for election night in cable news history with 14.1 million viewers. Throughout the 2020 cycle, Baier co-anchored the network’s special coverage of the presidential debates as well as the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. He also co-moderated a series of presidential election town halls with then-candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Amy Klobuchar as well as former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former President Donald Trump. The network’s town hall with candidate Sen. Sanders continues to hold the record for the most-watched town hall featuring a 2020 candidate in the Democratic presidential primary race.

He also hosts a popular podcast Bret Baier's All-Star Panel on the FOX News Audio platform where he is joined by a rotating panel of experts to discuss the policies, practices, and solutions to the most significant issues of the day. Additionally, during the 2020 election cycle, he helmed a series for FOX Nation called The Campaign which focused on the effectiveness of how the candidates campaigned on the issues most critical to them.

Throughout his tenure, Baier has conducted dozens of news-making interviews with government officials, cabinet members and dignitaries, including former United States Presidents Donald Trump, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, former Vice Presidents Mike Pence and Dick Cheney, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among others. His historic sit-down special on recovery amid the coronavirus pandemic with former President Trump from the Lincoln Memorial in May 2020 drew nearly 4 million viewers and trounced the cable news competition combined in both total viewers and the key demo. Baier has also interviewed over 15 world leaders, heads of state and more, including King Abdullah II of Jordan, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Additionally, Baier has traveled the world with various administrations and military officials, reporting from 74 different countries over the course of his career.

Baier has been the recipient of numerous journalism honors including the Sol Taishoff Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism, the National Press Foundation’s highest honor for a broadcast journalist and the Kenneth Y. Tomlinson Award for Outstanding Journalism which recognizes excellence in reporting. Special Report was also notably acknowledged by TIME magazine’s Joe Klein as the only "straight newscast" in cable news at 6 PM/ET.

Prior to his anchor role, Baier served as FNC’s chief White House correspondent in 2006 and as national security correspondent covering military and national security affairs from the Pentagon. Before joining the network, Baier worked for WRAL-TV (CBS 5) in Raleigh, NC, WREX-TV (NBC 13) in Rockford, IL and WJWJ-TV (PBS 2) in Beaufort, SC. He is also the author of four New York Times best-sellers, including three history books, "Three Days in January: Dwight Eisenhower's Final Mission,” "Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire,” and his most recent “Three Days at the Brink: FDR’s Daring Gamble to Win World War II” which was released in October 2019. He also penned “Special Heart: A Journey of Faith, Hope, Courage and Love," chronicling the journey of his son Paul and the medical advances that have helped him overcome congenital heart defects since birth.

FOX News Media operates the FOX News Channel (FNC), FOX Business Network (FBN), FOX News Digital, FOX News Audio, FOX News Books, the direct-to-consumer digital streaming services FOX Nation and FOX News International, and the newly announced platform FOX Weather. Currently the number one network in all of cable, FNC has also been the most watched television news channel for 19 consecutive years, while FBN currently ranks among the top business channels on cable. Owned by FOX Corporation, FOX News Media reaches 200 million people each month.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210401005743/en/

FAQ

What is the significance of Bret Baier's extended contract for FOX News Media?

Bret Baier's extended contract ensures continued leadership and viewership growth for Special Report, which has dominated its timeslot for over a decade.

How has Bret Baier impacted viewership on FOX News Channel?

Bret Baier has increased viewership on Special Report by 53%, making it the top-rated program in its timeslot for years.

What recent achievements has <i>Special Report</i> accomplished under Bret Baier?

Special Report had a record-breaking year in 2020, averaging 3.1 million viewers and leading in the 25-54 demographic.

How does FOX News Media rank in the cable news industry?

FOX News Media has been the most watched television news channel for 19 consecutive years.

What role has Bret Baier played in major political events?

Bret Baier has covered every major political event since joining FOX News in 1998, co-anchoring high-profile election coverage.