Opinion hosts on the conservative Fox News network frequently decry the "mainstream media" to the channel's millions of viewers, accusing journalists and media outlets of outright lying or being too careless with the truth to verify accounts before publishing a story.
One of these opinion hosts—far-right Fox News personality Sean Hannity—revealed his own negligence in this regard on the Monday night broadcast of his show.
Ironically enough, Hannity did so while chastising other members of the media.
Watch below.
Hannity: I don't vet the information on this program that I give out pic.twitter.com/xZPdHcR1Bh
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) December 1, 2020
In a segment labeled "Media Malpractice," Hannity said:
"This show, we, in this hour, I am not told what to say. I don't vet the information on this program that I give out. We have always been independent, follow our own path on the show. That's not going to change for me ever."
As even those outside of the journalism profession know, it's vital when publishing a big story or "scoop" to get more than one source on the record corroborating a sequence of events. It's also important to independently verify the assertions and details given by these sources to better ascertain their credibility.
Hannity's refusal to do this has steered Fox into hot water in the past, most recently regarding DNC staffer Seth Rich, who was tragically murdered in a robbery in 2016. Hannity, along with other Fox News personalities, floated bizarre conspiracy theories to millions of viewers alleging that 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton played a role in Rich's death.
Just last week, Fox News finalized a settlement with the family of Seth Rich, relieving Hannity of a deposition he was scheduled to undergo regarding the disinformation.
People weren't surprised that Hannity didn't vet the stories on his show, but it was startling to hear him admit it so outright.
This is as insane as if someone who hosted a tv program said they don't vet the information they give out. I didn't bother with a different analogy because that is just about as insane as it gets. https://t.co/cHcOpntKg9
— Brett Meiselas (@BMeiselas) December 1, 2020
So that we're clear, the guy whose entire identity is predicated on *his* show being real and every *other* show being fake... admitted on air that he doesn't actually vet anything he says. https://t.co/tN67yYni8z
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) December 1, 2020
The most honest thing that's ever been said in Fox News primetime. https://t.co/XA1x4aby8e
— Andrew Kirell (@AndrewKirell) December 1, 2020
Lol the guy who says the “mainstream media" is fake news now says his show doesn't vet information.
Classic Hannity. 👍🏻 https://t.co/ZPBq2TjNQB
— Shea Olcheski (@SheaOlcheski) December 1, 2020
This is an incredible admission https://t.co/1XH1chSLYC
— Jon Passantino (@passantino) December 1, 2020
Next to a graphic that says "media malpractice," no less. https://t.co/ZLeRh6Tu9J
— Philip Bump (@pbump) December 1, 2020
People hadn't forgotten Hannity's past presentations of fake news and their consequences.
Seth Rich's family can confirm. https://t.co/HZGYG3m4dc https://t.co/VwGljuVibR
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) December 1, 2020
The "no vetting" has REAL life consequences. Hannity PUSHED hydroxychloroquine as a magic bullet for #coronavirus this Spring. Leaving patients like me who depend on this medication daily, rationing the drug due to a shortage. https://t.co/wvCpxsQln2
— Peter Morley (@morethanmySLE) December 1, 2020
Which is why he's never apologized for his Seth Rich smear. https://t.co/jcdOUWwWeK
— Karoli 🇺🇸 (@Karoli) December 1, 2020
Ash Stanton/Facebook
Laura Sprinkle/Facebook
Akira Karasu/Facebook
Cevanna Gilbert/Facebook
Troy Adam/Facebook
@GovPressOffice/X
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social