Fox News anchor Shepard Smith says “history will poorly reflect” on journalists “who intentionally misinform” the public.
Smith, who serves as the network’s chief anchor, was honored with the Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award from the Radio Television Digital News Foundation in Washington, D.C.
“Being accurate and honest and thorough and fair is our primary mission. It’s our professional calling. And everyone on my team takes it extremely seriously,” said Smith, 55.
{mosads}”I am convinced that upon those who intentionally misinform, history will poorly reflect,” he added later.
“The times ahead will test all of us as finders and disseminators of accurate information,” Smith said. “My team and I, like you and yours, will strive to remain on task, trying our very best to ignore the Twitter trolls and others who relentlessly pursue us, daily, and to get the facts to the people. All of the people, in every place, in every corner where information is taken in.”
“Good night, and get it right,” Smith said in concluding his speech.
The remarks come as trust in media remains at historically low levels, but did tick up slightly in a Gallup poll when comparing 2016 results to the latest results in 2018.
The Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award has been previously awarded to icons in the industry including David Brinkley, John Chancellor, Mike Wallace and Walter Cronkite.
Smith joined Fox News upon its inception in 1996 and was previously a correspondent on the nationally syndicated entertainment news program “A Current Affair.”