Over his 11 years as anchor of the 6 p.m. news show Special Report, Bret Baier has cultivated an image as the consummate down-the-middle, straight-news anchor.
When the Fox News Channel touts its commitment to journalism, particularly amid criticism of the network's primetime opinion hosts, it points to Baier, along with Sunday morning host Chris Wallace and anchor Martha MacCallum.
But those who work with Baier at Fox News, have worked with the anchor in the past, and those who watch the channel increasingly question his impartiality in this polarized media landscape.The Hollywood Reporter spoke to more than a dozen cable news insiders and industry observers who see challenges for a network that depends, in part, on Baier for his.