Lisa LaFlamme, CTV News, and Bad Executive Decisions

There will be no bittersweet on-air goodbye for (now former) CTV nationwide news anchor Lisa LaFlamme, no ceremonial passing of the baton to the upcoming generation, no broadcast retrospectives lionizing a journalist with a storied and award-profitable profession. As LaFlamme declared yesterday, CTV’s father or mother corporation, Bell Media, has resolved to unilaterally conclusion her deal. (See also the CBC’s reporting of the story in this article.)

Whilst LaFlamme herself doesn’t make this declare, there was of program speedy speculation that the network’s selection has a thing to do with the truth that LaFlamme is a female of a particular age. LaFlamme is 58, which by Television set specifications is not precisely young — apart from when you review it to the age at which common adult males who proceeded her have left their respective anchor’s chairs: look at Peter Mansbridge (who was 69), and Lloyd Robertson (who was 77).

But an even a lot more sinister theory is now afoot: somewhat than mere, shallow misogyny, proof has arisen of not just sexism, but sexism conjoined with corporate interference in newscasting. Two evils for the price of a single! LaFlamme was fired, states journalist Jesse Brown, “because she pushed back again in opposition to 1 Bell Media government.” Brown stories insiders as claiming that Michael Melling, vice president of news at Bell Media, has bumped heads with LaFlamme a range of moments, and has a historical past of interfering with news protection. Brown additional reports that “Melling has persistently demonstrated a deficiency of regard for girls in senior roles in the newsroom.”

Unnecessary to say, even if a own grudge as well as sexism clarify what’s heading on, here, it however will seem to be to most as a “foolish determination,” 1 certain to bring about the corporation head aches. Now, I make it a policy not to query the small business savvy of skilled executives in industries I never know well. And I suggest my students not to leap to the summary that “that was a dumb decision” just for the reason that it’s just one they do not comprehend. But even now, in 2022, it is really hard to think about that the firm (or Melling far more specially) did not see that there would be blowback in this case. It is just one factor to have disagreements, but it’s a different to unceremoniously dump a beloved and award-profitable lady anchor. And it is bizarre that a senior executive at a information business would consider that the truth would not appear out, given that, immediately after all, he’s surrounded by individuals whose work, and private dedication, is to report the news.

And it’s really hard not to suspect that this a considerably less than happy changeover for LaFlamme’s substitution, Omar Sachedina. Of class, I’m sure he’s satisfied to get the career. But even though Bell Media’s push launch prices Sachedina expressing swish factors about LaFlamme, certainly he did not want to assume the anchor chair amidst widespread criticism of the transition. He’s taking on the role below a shadow. Maybe the prize is worthy of the price, but it is also hard not to consider that Sachedina experienced (or now has) some pull, some skill to influence that way of the transition. I’m not expressing (as some undoubtedly will) that — as an insider who is familiar with the serious story — he should have declined the task as unwell-gotten gains. But at the really the very least, it appears to be honest to argue that he must have utilised his affect to shape the transition. And if the now-senior anchor does not have that kind of influence, we should really be concerned in fact about the independence of that function, and of that newsroom.

A final, connected note about authority and governance in intricate corporations. In any reasonably nicely-governed organization, the selection to axe a significant, community-going through talent like LaFlamme would involve signal-off — or at least tacit approval — from more than 1 senior govt. This indicates that one of two points is legitimate. Possibly Bell Media isn’t that variety of very well-governed firm, or a huge number of men and women ended up associated in, and culpable of, unceremoniously dumping an award-winning journalist. Which is worse?