Smith, who was now the presenter of the evening program “The News with Shepard Smith” on CNBC at 19:00 ET, told Amanpour that his presence on Fox had become untenable as opinions in the network spread lies that hosts knew it was lies.
“Think of everything you want, but if you are going to judge, start with the truth and think from it,” Smith said. ‘When people start with a false premise and people go astray, it’s detrimental to society, and it’s the opposite of what we should be doing: those of us who are so honored and grateful to have a platform of public influence, must use it for the public good. “
Smith, who joined Fox News in founding Fox News in 1996, said he was proud of the work he did for the network. He presented a daily program that was increasingly at odds with what was being broadcast in Fox’s opinion polls. Smith felt that by keeping him at Fox News, he could counter lies spread by Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham and other first-time hosts.
“I thought it was important that I stay there,” he said. “If you feel the Fox viewers are getting wrong or disinformation, I was there to make sure they get it right,” he said.
Smith thought of depriving viewers of news and replacing it with opinions “a little selfish,” he added.
At the end of September 2019, 20-hour ET host Tucker Carlson, for example, mocked Smith for standing up for his friend and colleague Judge Andrew Napolitano after the judge was called a ‘fool’ by one of Carlson’s guests . According to a person familiar with Smith’s lack of vocal defense for Smith after the incident, he took the entire episode into account.
Managers of the network relied on him to stay, but they did not succeed. Smith announced his departure on the air and left the building immediately.
“I held on to it for as long as I could,” Smith said. “At one point, I realized I had reached a point of declining returns, and I left.”
Smith told Amanpour that he was still disturbed by what was reported on Fox.