The 30th annual TFAS (The Fund for American Studies) journalism awards dinner was held Tuesday at the Metropolitan Club in New York, and Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall was honored with the organization’s Kenneth Y. Tomlinson Award for Courageous Journalism.
Kenneth Tomlinson, who died in 2014, was an editor at Reader’s Digest, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (appointed by President Ronald Reagan), and Chairman of the Board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (appointed by President George H.W. Bush).
Hall, who was catastrophically wounded in March of 2022 while covering the war in Ukraine, was presented with the award by his Fox News colleague and friend Lucas Tomlinson, son of the late editor and executive.
“One thing I know is that my father, Kenneth Tomlinson would be thrilled that Benjamin was the recipient of this award in his name,” said Lucas Tomlinson. “This is a recipient about integrity about outstanding journalism and most importantly about resilience. And I don’t think there’s anybody I know is more resilient than Benjamin Hall.”
Presenting the award, Tomlinson shared thoughts from fellow Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin, who played an integral role in saving Hall’s life, as well as Fox News foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, who is currently covering the ongoing Israel-Hamas war from the ground.
“I stand here not because I was injured, or because of my experiences, because I stand here just to tell you all that journalism is essential,” Hall remarked. “Supporting journalism is essential. It is the only way to encourage people to change the world. And there’s only one way of doing that as a journalist. And that is by going into the field, looking people in the eyes. Smelling what it’s like, feeling it. There is no other sense of journalism.”
Ceremony attendees included Fox News’ America Reports co-anchor Sandra Smith, vp of news/international desk chief Greg Headen, evp and managing editor of news Tom Lowell, news programming chief Kim Rosenberg, primetime programming chief Meade Cooper, Maryam Jimenez, who produced the 2022 documentary on Hall, as well as Dr. Janette Nesheiwat who accompanied Hall on his flight home to London from Texas’ Brooke Army Medical Center in August of 2022, which was the first time he saw his three girls after the attack.