A special dinner honored a long-time Kentucky journalist and television host Thursday night.
The Bluegrass Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky established the Al Smith Award for Public Service Through Journalism.
The award is for current or former Kentuckians.
The first recipient was Al Smith himself.
He owned newspapers in Kentucky and Tennessee. He was also the founding host of KET's Comment On Kentucky.
Smith says he's proud the award will carry his name and carry on his belief in rural journalism.
