A Breath of Fresh Air–Shepard Smith

News – from time immemorial, it’s been one of those things that we, as humans, crave. For some of us it’s the local news that we seek; for others it’s national, or international or even extraterrestrial events that pique our interest.

Perhaps equally as important to us as GETTING the news is how we CHOOSE to get our news – sitting in an armchair with a newspaper or listening to the radio or glued to the television or as snippets on Reddit. I like to think of news as being offered to us in flavors, rather like ice cream—a double scoop or just a hastened sampling.

Remember when Howard Johnson’s advertised twenty-eight flavors? Then came Baskin Robbins with thirty-one. And who knows how many Ben and Jerry developed? With the advent of cable television and then social media, news sources proliferated much like ice cream flavors.

For a while, I enjoyed listening to news debates, but no more. I now like my news the way I like my ice cream – simple and deliberately uncomplicated. Strawberry for ice cream and Shepard Smith for news.

What is it about Shepard Smith that makes him my go-to source for news? How do I count the ways?

For a start, there’s his delivery. Smith doesn’t beat around the bush – he tells it as it is, living up to the slogan of “The News by Shepard Smith”: The Facts, The Truth, The News. In some ways, he reminds me of Dragnet’s Sergeant Friday, whose persona was epitomized by his blunt, “Just the facts, ma’am,” when grilling a suspect.

Smith’s “just the facts” approach belies his deliberately and delightfully engaging rapport with his audience and that’s his genius. He’s an actor on stage and draws in his audience with his stories as well as his droll smile. His intonation and his somewhat clipped speech are deft – allowing him to accentuate the words he wants you to remember. He is a great speaker like any great writer—the right emphasis where it makes the most difference.

That’s not to say that Smith’s news hour is about him – he’s far from self-absorbed. No newscaster is more of a team player. He showcases what seems like a battalion of young journalists – many of whom are new to me – and they are highly proficient. As proof of his team attitude, Smith signs off with each reporter by addressing him or her personally. “Thank you, Ali [Vitali],” or “Garrett [Haake],” or “Dasha [Burns],” or “Kayla [Tausche],” and on and on. They are real people to him, and he makes them the same to his viewers.

Another delight of Smith’s news hour is the absence of pundits, talking heads and gurus. The time freed up from that raucous banter has been replaced with a panoply of human-interest stories, both in this country and on a global scale. The segments, “Coast to Coast” and “Around the World in 80 Seconds”, are integral to his mission to educate his viewers. There is a meaningful compassion in balance with his intelligence.

An example of Smith’s humanity – he revisits important stories. Victims of a hurricane or other natural disaster are not a “one and done” story. He goes back weeks later and follows up on peoples’ plights. And then there’s his passion – the news hour can’t come to an end until Smith has brought us up to date on football, college or professional.

At the end of sixty minutes, when Shepard Smith signs off with his nightly final words, “And now you know the news for this Thursday, January 28,” I feel more educated, more enlightened and generally more upbeat.

There is a noble and meaningful tradition here to acknowledge: Cronkite’s “That’s the way it is” or Murrow’s “Good night and good luck”. TRULY balanced and fair—much needed in the days ahead.

Thank you, Shepard Smith.