If You Think Fox Executives Are Fair to Brit Hume, Consider what Happened in 2003
            A highly publicized poll by TV Guide in 2003 found that the most trusted news anchor in America was Tom Brokaw.
            The name of Brit Hume was not mentioned in the TV Guide article even though it was his network and his show, Special Edition on Fox News, which had the most viewers for nightly news on cable.
            One has to wonder how Fox could have won the coveted 6 p.m. time-slot even though the article never mentioned Brit Hume. Somehow, someone had managed to get the name of Shepard Smith, a new person and the favorite of the unknown, never-seen Fox executives in New York City as a hero in the poll.
            In addition, the poll had discovered that when news would happen during the day when the anchors were not present, most listeners abandoned Fox because it didn’t have Hume and they went to CNN for their news coverage. 
            Afterwards, the unknown Fox executives published a Press Release which was full of distortions and falsehoods, congratulating Shepard Smith for his victory in the poll. Also the triumph of Smith was covered across the country in a special report on the front page of USA Today.

Hume Is Not Vindictive
            Even though Brit Hume obviously knows all the above and a lot more that we will never understand, he is genuinely friendly toward Shepard Smith. Anyone can see that when he greets Smith as they meet when Smith interrupts to report the latest news in the middle of the Hume show. It is obvious that Smith always reports much the same news that Hume just did and the New York City executives are planning to eliminate Hume and his Washington-based crew.
            Even when he is forced to deal with lightweights like Nina Easton and Juan Williams, Hume holds no personal grudges. However, he does correct them --- when they misrepresent the facts. He does that also with the conservative Fred Barnes but Hume is obviously not talking with a lightweight when talking with Barnes.
            Although he often disagrees with Maura Liasson as well, she represents a different point-of-view which is good for the show. She, a Brown graduate, is intelligent and able to defend herself. Although most of the conservative listeners would not agree with much of what she says, she is given the respect she deserves. It is a healthy debate.