Poll: Shepard Smith Least-Liked Personality on Fox News Among GOP Viewers
Fox News anchor Shepard Smith is the least-liked personality on the network among Republican viewers, while Tucker Carlson is the most popular, according to a newly released survey.
The Hollywood Reporter/Morning Consult poll found that Smith, anchor of the daytime show “Shepard Smith Reporting,” had a net favorability rating of just 2 percent: 23 percent hold a favorable view, 21 percent an unfavorable view.
By contrast, Carlson enjoyed a net favorability of 31 percent among Republican viewers, followed by Laura Ingraham at 26 percent, and Ainsley Earhardt with 25 percent.
Though Sean Hannity’s program “Hannity” is the most-watched program on cable news, averaging approximately 3.5 million viewers a night in October, he came in fifth among GOP viewers with a net favorability of 22 percent.
However, Hannity is the most trusted among Republicans, with 32 percent saying they trust him “a lot,” and 23 percent responding they trust him “some.”
Tucker Carlson Is Republicans’ Most-Loved News Host: https://t.co/wcuPuvtiIB pic.twitter.com/FGkQwxBsEr
— Michael Ramlet (@MichaelRamlet) November 13, 2018
Overall, Republicans’ 13 most-loved news personalities are on Fox News.
Democrats’ top figures are spread across multiple news outlets, including ABC News’ Robin Roberts scoring the highest net favorability rating at 61 percent, followed by CNN’s Anderson Cooper at 59 percent, and NBC News’ Lester Holt at 55 percent.
Holt scored the highest trustworthiness numbers among respondents overall: 32 percent said they trust him “a lot” and 30 percent said they trust him “some.”
New from @MorningConsult/@THR: @LesterHoltNBC is America’s most trusted news anchor. https://t.co/5r2lff18MV pic.twitter.com/JbkpDf3JmI
— Joanna Piacenza (@jpiacenza) November 13, 2018
Cooper was next on the list, with 29 percent saying they trust him “a lot,” followed by ABC’s David Muir and Robin Roberts, and FNC’s Harris Faulkner.
Smith’s low number among Republicans is in all likelihood tied to his somewhat regular attacks on President Donald Trump, including accusing him of being a liar and trading in racism.
Days before the midterm elections, Smith accused Trump of stoking anxieties regarding the Central American migrant caravan for political purposes.
“Tomorrow the migrants, according to Fox News reporting, are more than two months away, if any of them actually come here,” Smith said. “But tomorrow is one week before the midterm election, which is what all of this is about.”
Shep Smith on the migrant caravan: “There is no invasion. No one is coming to get you. There is nothing at all to worry about.” pic.twitter.com/4dLmPuZem0
— Jon Passantino (@passantino) October 29, 2018
“There is no invasion,” he added. “No one is coming to get you. There is nothing at all to worry about … We’re America, we can handle it.”
Contrary to Smith’s assertion, the migrant caravan was not months away at the time, rather just about two weeks. The first contingent of hundreds of migrants from the caravan arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana over the weekend.
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