Geraldo Rivera, who has been a war correspondent and host of his own weekend show on Fox News Channel, said Tuesday he had signed a four-year contract to stay at the network.
Rivera gave few details, other than to say he “got a promotion.”
The network confirmed it had re-signed Rivera, naming him correspondent-at-large. Rivera will keep his Saturday evening show “At Large.”
Rivera had quit his CNBC legal affairs show and joined Fox News as a war correspondent shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, saying he didn’t want to be on the sidelines during a big story.
He caused some controversy as a war correspondent. The Pentagon asked that he be taken out of Iraq following a report during the war where he outlined planned troop movements in the sand. Rivera apologized and said it was inadvertent.
During a recent article in The Atlantic Monthly, Rivera was quoted as questioning whether he should stay at Fox or try to start a more high-profile show at another network.
“Fox has first dibs, but the problem with Fox and me is they’re wildly successful,” Rivera told the magazine. “Where are you going to put me? Who are you going to knock out? Every single slot is filled. From 3 o’clock to 11 o’clock they’ve got a hit show.”
He likened himself to a franchise ballplayer at the end of his career.
“I’m like Randy Johnson or Roger Clemens,” he told the magazine. “That’s who I identify with: old guys who still can throw 95-mile-an-hour fastballs.”
Rivera scored an exclusive interview for Fox News Channel with Michael Jackson before his trial. Rivera criticized the prosecutor in Jackson’s case and said he would shave his mustache if Jackson was found guilty.
With the innocent verdict, Rivera told The Associated Press he would probably speak to Jackson this week but wasn’t sure if he would seek an interview for Fox.
“I don’t know if I’m interested, really, in pursuing that,” he said. “I’ve made my point. My point wasn’t about Michael, it was about the Constitution of the United States, and fundamental fairness.”