There's a rumor going around that London-import Shahnaz Hussain, who until recently worked at the Fox Business Network, was axed from the network after complaining about being sexually and racially harassed.
So the story goes, Scott Bleier, the network's business analyst and contributor, allegedly made inappropriate comments/advances toward Hussain, which she complained about to HR and Fox's legal head, Diane Brandi, who "did nothing." A few days later, operations SVP Brian Jones showed her the door.
Other details include colleagues being told not to associate with Hussain, having their email and BlackBerrys rummaged through, and being told "to degrade her performance" and "to lie and vilify" her. FoxBusiness.com managing editor Ray Hennessey, FBN's Brian Jones, and FNC programming VP Kevin Magee spoke with Hussain's peers in recent weeks, the story goes, and told them not to have any contact with Hussain, inside or outside work.
Hussain is said to have retained an attorney for the matter, though we've also heard she's currently without counsel.
Oh, but then there's one other rumor going around: That Hussain was let go from FBN because she's simply a terrible on-air reporter, and none of those other conspiracy theories are true.
While perhaps Hussain will be the only one to know whether she suffered such treatment, we did find a couple of videos of Hussain's on-air performance when she was charged with doing local spots.
And, well, they might lend credence to the latter theory.
We wouldn't call Hussain the worst on-air talent we've ever seen, but clearly there's something not right.
Hussain was a Brian Jones hire, meanwhile, and he's acknowledged to colleagues that her hire was a mistake.
In this version of events, Hussain was responsible for doing a "limited number" of affiliate hits, but never made it on the FNC or FBN airwaves, courtesy complaining phone calls from a number of affiliates, including Detroit, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Instead, Hussain was installed at Fox Business' dot-com unit; web vids are the "lowest of the low" for talent. "She could not do live television," says one Fox insider. Even while there, her script writing was "awful."
And as for Hussain's complaints to HR and legal? False, says Fox: "Fox received no formal complaints from Hussain; she went to Brandi to discuss expense reports that had not been reimbursed but never raised any of the other issues."
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If she can prove she was fired because she wouldn't keep quite, she will have a nice payday coming. I don't watch Fox news and have never seen her reports. It wouldn't surprise me if its true considering the way Fox news conducts themselves.
Ah, anyone watching those clips knows she was fired because she stunk.In a big way, she was just awful.
She can't possibly be as bad as CN's Kristi Paul. No way.
This woman is just awful. Plain and simple and for anyone to start claiming sexual harassment is absurd.
The new catchall defense when a woman is just awful is to claim she was abused. Men just go and find another job.
if she were a veteran at the network, her job would probably be safe. they rarely let go of their vets even when they suck on tv.
as far as all that other crap, sounds like she wants to extort some money from FOX. dingbat aint hurt, she needs to go home and find a new job, because twice as good as lauren greene is still not good enough for live tv.
sorry lauren, but honestly…. stick to the taped segments they have you do.
She obviously lacked talent- but she was probably hired because the higher-ups thought she was attractive, and that was obviously the only reason they gave her a chance. Being that they liked the way she looked- it's highly likely they made advances toward her. Once she objected- they decided it wasn't worth the trouble. That's what I think happened.
based on the clips, she is terrible. reading her lines, stuttering, losing her train of thought. in the second clip, she had to glance down to remember her co-reporter's name. it looked like a high school AV club exercise. she appears either to be on drugs or have a psychological disorder. her shrill voice and laugh don't help. pathetic and not attractive.
This is unreal. I am not sure how much worse she has to be, but my 5 year old could do a better job. I think I smell a rat, a big british rat taht did not want to get booted to the curb for not being able to speak in complete sentences with out stuttering.
Does anyone have their facts??/
I did some digging… Scott Bleier was terminated a few weeks later as a direct result of his conduct towards her. Shahnaz did take her case to an attorney. C'mon…anyone who believes they have a case would not go as far as that!!! And…if anyone bothered reading the papers…Shanaz was killed in a car accident a day after Thanksgiving.
Michael, do you have any info on her death? I can find any news on that.
Although nearly Five Days after Shahnaz Hussain fired, E.D . Hill's Show "America's Pulse" Was Cancelled on Fox News Channel . because of Family of Barack Obama's Terrorist Fist jab. unlike Hussain. Hill's show was replaced by a two hour "The Live Desk" when Trace Gallagher became Martha MacCallum's Co-host now airs 1-3 P.M which Intelligent other half of the Studio D when MacCallum Interviews every day.On that when FNC not renew a contract for E.D. Hill. Be like Silly not Ruin Murdochian Network.While Weekday and Weekend edition of "Fox News Live" was Discontinued .to continued as a Seguments for Every show.
I doubt Michael's statement that Shahnaz is dead is true, other forums indicate that she is alive and well. Could have been another Shahnaz perhaps, Michael?