Lisa LaFlamme, CTV News, and Bad Executive Decisions

Former CTV national anchor
Lisa LaFlamme

There will be no bittersweet on-air goodbye for (now former) CTV national information anchor Lisa LaFlamme, no ceremonial passing of the baton to the future technology, no broadcast retrospectives lionizing a journalist with a storied and award-profitable occupation. As LaFlamme declared yesterday, CTV’s father or mother organization, Bell Media, has determined to unilaterally close her agreement. (See also the CBC’s reporting of the story listed here.)

Whilst LaFlamme herself does not make this claim, there was of class immediate speculation that the network’s conclusion has some thing to do with the simple fact that LaFlamme is a lady of a particular age. LaFlamme is 58, which by Television set benchmarks is not particularly younger — besides when you assess it to the age at which well-liked adult males who proceeded her have left their respective anchor’s chairs: think about Peter Mansbridge (who was 69), and Lloyd Robertson (who was 77).

But an even more sinister concept is now afoot: alternatively than mere, shallow misogyny, evidence has arisen of not just sexism, but sexism conjoined with corporate interference in newscasting. Two evils for the price of just one! LaFlamme was fired, suggests journalist Jesse Brown, “because she pushed back from a person Bell Media govt.” Brown studies insiders as claiming that Michael Melling, vice president of information at Bell Media, has bumped heads with LaFlamme a selection of times, and has a background of interfering with news protection. Brown further reports that “Melling has continually shown a lack of regard for ladies in senior roles in the newsroom.”

Useless to say, even if a private grudge furthermore sexism clarify what is heading on, right here, it nonetheless will look to most as a “foolish final decision,” one particular guaranteed to cause the firm head aches. Now, I make it a policy not to question the small business savvy of professional executives in industries I never know nicely. And I recommend my students not to leap to the conclusion that “that was a dumb decision” just simply because it is one they do not have an understanding of. But continue to, in 2022, it is difficult to imagine that the corporation (or Melling more specifically) did not see that there would be blowback in this circumstance. It’s one issue to have disagreements, but it’s a different to unceremoniously dump a beloved and award-winning girl anchor. And it’s strange that a senior govt at a information organization would consider that the fact would not occur out, presented that, soon after all, he’s surrounded by persons whose career, and own determination, is to report the news.

And it’s hard not to suspect that this a less than pleased changeover for LaFlamme’s substitute, Omar Sachedina. Of program, I’m guaranteed he’s joyful to get the task. But though Bell Media’s push launch prices Sachedina declaring swish issues about LaFlamme, undoubtedly he didn’t want to presume the anchor chair amidst widespread criticism of the changeover. He’s having on the job beneath a shadow. Probably the prize is well worth the selling price, but it is also tricky not to visualize that Sachedina experienced (or now has) some pull, some means to affect that manner of the transition. I’m not indicating (as some absolutely will) that — as an insider who is familiar with the authentic story — he should have declined the job as ill-gotten gains. But at the incredibly least, it seems honest to argue that he should have utilized his influence to shape the transition. And if the now-senior anchor does not have that variety of influence, we really should be worried without a doubt about the independence of that role, and of that newsroom.

A closing, similar observe about authority and governance in intricate companies. In any fairly properly-governed organization, the choice to axe a major, general public-dealing with talent like LaFlamme would call for indicator-off — or at least tacit approval — from a lot more than 1 senior govt. This suggests that a single of two factors is legitimate. Both Bell Media isn’t that variety of properly-governed firm, or a large selection of men and women have been associated in, and culpable of, unceremoniously dumping an award-profitable journalist. Which is even worse?

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