Fox News’ Jon Scott will be honored at famed Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration

Fox News anchor Jon Scott will be part of an esteemed group of specially selected journalists who will help ring in 2019 during the famed New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square on Monday.

Scott and the other journalists will have the honor of pressing the button that lowers the Waterford Crystal ball and counting down the final 60 seconds of 2018 as the world watches.

The Fox News veteran and his peers were chosen to put an emphasis on the importance of a free press.

“It's humbling to be chosen to participate in the ball drop in Times Square, not just because of the venue or the size of the viewing audience, but because we're representing journalists all over the world whose voices have been stifled or completely silenced,” Scott said of the honor. “2018 was one of the deadliest years ever for journalists worldwide. Those of us who'll be onstage in Times Square enjoy the protections of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, but thousands of our colleagues across the globe do not.”

"Those of us who'll be onstage in Times Square enjoy the protections of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, but thousands of our colleagues across the globe do not.”

— Jon Scott

“The group of journalists who will join us onstage to inaugurate the countdown to 2019 are highly distinguished,” Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists Joel Simon said. “They are also representatives of all journalists in the United States, and around the world, who work hard every day to keep their communities informed and hold the powerful to account. It’s the freedom to do this critical work that we celebrate.”

Scott, who hosts “Fox Report” every Saturday and Sunday, was selected along with Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Matt Murray, CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota, NBC News’ Lester Holt, ABC News’ Martha Raddatz, TIME’s Edward Felsenthal, Washington Post editor Karen Attiah, CBS News’ Vladimir Duthiers, New York Times Deputy Managing Editor Rebecca Blumenstein, Bloomberg’s Karen Toulon and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa.

“I hope our presence in this spectacular event, seen in every nation, will give courage and hope for 2019 to those who must file their reports in fear for their own safety and that of their families."

— Jon Scott

“I hope our presence in this spectacular event, seen in every nation, will give courage and hope for 2019 to those who must file their reports in fear for their own safety and that of their families,” Scott said.

Scott is part of the original anchor team at Fox News Channel and has covered everything from the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to royal weddings and hurricanes.

Scott is no stranger to watching the ball drop, but is looking forward to checking it out in person for the first time.

“So it's a real thrill to finally be able to experience the electricity of a Times Square New Year's Eve,” he said. “I've covered a lot of interesting stories and met plenty of fascinating people during my career, but being part of the team that drops the ball will be a once-in-a lifetime experience… I think it's going to seem a little surreal.”

“I've covered a lot of interesting stories and met plenty of fascinating people during my career, but being part of the team that drops the ball will be a once-in-a lifetime experience."

— Jon Scott

Scott joked that he normally turns off the TV and goes to bed once we’re “safely into the new year,” but plans to stick around a little bit on Monday evening to soak everything in.

“I'm sure the atmosphere is amazing,” he said.

“We are honored to have such a respected group of media entities and journalists join us to #CelebratePressFreedom as we ring in the New Year,” President of the Times Square Alliance Tim Tompkins said. “In one of the world’s most famous public squares it is fitting to celebrate free press and free speech as we reflect on where we’ve been during the past year and what it is we value most as a society.”

Tompkins has asked for anyone looking to support the esteemed journalists to “express their support using the hashtag #CelebratePressFreedom or to go to cpj.org to learn more about CPJ.”

Scott expressed appreciation toward the groups responsible for giving him the opportunity to showcase the importance of unbiased journalism.

“I hope that, at a time when journalists are quite literally under fire worldwide, our presence at this most public event will remind Americans and people all over the world of the service of and need for a free and unfettered press."

— Jon Scott

“I hope that, at a time when journalists are quite literally under fire worldwide, our presence at this most public event will remind Americans and people all over the world of the service of and need for a free and unfettered press,” he said.

While journalists are being honored this year, everyone from world leaders to pop stars have pressed the crystal button in previous years to help ring in the new year.

Fox News’ Scott joins an impressive roster of previous special guests, including professional boxer Muhammad Ali, Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, pop superstar Lady Gaga, former President Bill Clinton and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and actor Christopher Reeve.

President of Countdown Entertainment Jeff Straus said in a statement, “We thank the news organizations and the journalists for helping us celebrate journalism and press freedom around the world.”