383 replies to this topic

[AllseeingEye]

I’d never heard or known who she was until she was fired. Am I the only one?

 

Generational thing I think - short answer from me is "Yes. very much so" from the standpoint of oldsters like me; but then as a 62 year old boomer our generation's 'web' or mobile phone equivalent was television - I started watching CBC's "The National" newscast in 1972 at age 11 as a way of conning my parents into letting me stay up late . The rationale from my parent's standpoint in allowing me to stay up later being as long as the boy is watching the 11pm news with us and learning about the world in the process, he can stay up later. Good deal for me....plus mom would make tea and sandwiches and what boy verging on teenage-dom doesn't want to eat 24 hours a day??!

 

Consequently I was, from that age, well aware of who George Finstand, Knowlton Nash, Lloyd Robertson and Harvey Kierck among others were - I watched them every night for decades. Ditto for LaFlamme over the past ten years since Lloyd's departure mainly because over time I soured on CBC as they drifted - IMO - further and further to the Left.

 

Today of course young'uns tend to get their news from a plethora of sources in a veritable universe of web and digital platforms, TV probably being in very last place among those for anyone under ~ 40-45.

 

One argument put forth for LL's termination comes from my Vancouver media TV/radio jock mob which I subscribe to in part, and that simply is that she was making a very large salary, reputedly over $750k p/a, as the public face of a shrinking industry i.e. conventional TV network news. Audiences, and incidentally advertising revenues for the latter, have been declining for years, which is not - pardon the pun - 'news'. And she was doing so working for an org for which the almighty $$$$ trumps all else, anywhere, anytime in any of the various BCE divisions. In addition 35 years in the media biz/industry - working for the same employer no less - is one HELL of a good run and not remotely the norm. 

Edited by AllseeingEye, 28 August 2022 - 09:17 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

https://twitter.com/TristinHopper

[spanky123]

^ Add in that ratings were probably 3:1 in favour of Omar and bingo.

[todd]

Never watch CTV news room, sure the occasional online piece. CTV did a nice job on corner gas but that’s about it. Global is just way better


National Post is pretty awful as well

[Victoria Watcher]

This is so odd.  A Bell outlet (CTV) reporting on the controversy at Bell/CTV:

 

 

 

 

 

Bell Media is pushing back against accusations that CTV National News anchor Lisa LaFlamme was ousted because of her appearance and that it interfered in the network's coverage of the fallout.

 

Wade Oosterman, president of Bell Media, said in a letter out Monday that any allegations management breached its journalistic independence policy in covering the Lisa LaFlamme story are "outrageous."

 

"Just as the termination of Lisa LaFlamme's contract had nothing to do with age, gender or grey hair, I can categorically confirm that no actions were taken which violate journalistic independence policy."

 

_____________________

 

The journalists also said they lack confidence in Michael Melling, who was vice-president of CTV News before Bell Media placed him on leave pending a workplace review.

 

Since the letter was sent on Aug. 22, reports have also surfaced about concerns on how CTV News has covered the LaFlamme story.

 

Oosterman said Bell has a journalistic independence policy as a safeguard for unbiased news coverage, which leaves editorial decisions in the hands of the vice-president responsible for CTV News and keeps it outside the control of other executives at the Bell conglomerate.

 

He urged the unnamed CTV News journalists to raise their concerns directly with him, and to participate in the workplace review being conducted by a third party.

 

The journalists said in their letter that along with morale being low since Melling took on the role of vice-president of CTV News eight months ago, professional retaliation has also become a significant risk so it was necessary to shield their identities.

 

 

https://www.ctvnews....erage-1.6047444

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 August 2022 - 04:26 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

As Bell Media undergoes an independent workplace review following the dismissal of Lisa LaFlamme as CTV National News‘ chief anchor, one corporate governance expert cautions the move doesn’t guarantee change.

 

Richard Leblanc, professor of governance and law at York University, doesn’t believe this is a public relations stunt, but says it is possible that Bell Media or any company for that matter can “stifle the process,” in turn rendering the review pointless.

 

He also says that employees should be encouraged to participate in the confidential interviews and that the third party doing the review should make it easy for employees to come forward.

 

In a social media post Friday, the CEO of BCE Inc., the parent company of Bell Media, said an independent review involving “confidential interviews with all newsroom employees who choose to participate” is underway.

 

 

https://globalnews.c...rkplace-review/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 August 2022 - 04:29 AM.

[todd]

^^Also going across the ticker on the CTV morning show.

Edited by todd, 30 August 2022 - 04:50 AM.

[Mike K.]

The Canadian Association of Journalists didn’t have much to say when Steve Wallace died from a heart attack after it was erroneously reported by one of the association’s own members he had been charged with a crime.

[spanky123]

^ Of course not, Steve wasn't one of "their own" to protect.

 

Not surprisingly, it is being reported that the anonymous complainants at Bell don't want to participate in a 3rd party review. 

Edited by spanky123, 30 August 2022 - 06:32 AM.

[Mike K.]

Speaking of which, I just checked, and the editor I’m referencing above chose not to run for the CAJ board this year, with the newcomer being proclaimed.

[todd]

The Canadian Association of Journalists didn’t have much to say when Steve Wallace died from a heart attack after it was erroneously reported by one of the association’s own members he had been charged with a crime.

I don’t know. A close family member used to catch the bus from the same spot every day. Wallace would wave at her every time as he would drop off a student there often. They never talked.

Just nice I guess. I don’t know

Edited by todd, 30 August 2022 - 10:53 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Yet there’s something telling in the statement of BCE CEO Bibic over the weekend.

 

“While I would like to say more on the Bell Media decision, we are bound by a mutual separation agreement negotiated with Lisa, which we will continue to honour,” Bibic wrote.

 

If there’s a mutual separation agreement that means that LaFlamme signed it. She has claimed to have been blindsided, yet she and her lawyers signed an agreement.

 

Secondly, if this was about her age, her sex or her hair colour, one would think she would have filed suit in court rather than sign off on a “mutual separation agreement.” However, for many supporting LaFlamme, it seems they will not let facts get in the way of a good narrative.

 

Bell has handled this whole affair horribly, someone should be fired for this. That said, there is much more to this story than meets the eye, but most journalists have opted not to go beyond the easy and lazy narrative.

 

It fits their worldview even if it doesn’t align with the truth.

 

 

 

https://torontosun.c...ory-on-laflamme

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 01 September 2022 - 04:01 AM.

[lanforod]

A mutual separation could have been done after the fact I guess. Or even same day. And doesn’t have to involve lawyers on her side though at her salary level that would be short sighted.

[spanky123]

She had an employment contract with BCE. BCE wished (for whatever reason) to terminate that agreement. It is 100% normal to have a termination agreement. As part of that agreement it is 100% normal to have an NDA and non-disparagement agreement.  The agreement cuts both ways, it stops BCE from undermining future employment opportunities for the employee and it stops the employee from slinging mud about the company. Nobody is forced to sign any agreement, if either party wants they can fight out a settlement in court.

 

What has become vogue these days is for an employee/individual to sign an agreement, get paid and then immediately violate it based on some presumably higher purpose (such as racism, sexism, harassment, etc). The media and mob seem to reward this if it suits their financial and/or political goals. Now we could ban all sorts of confidentiality agreements and force everyone to fight their battles in the court of public opinion but the loser most of the time would be the individual who would wind up with a huge legal bill with little to show for it.

[Victoria Watcher]

Jamil Jivani sues Bell Media, alleging he was fired for not fitting 'Black stereotype'

 

'They really wanted him to espouse a certain liberal worldview they thought he should be espousing as a member of the Black community,' says the radio host's lawyer

 

https://nationalpost...lack-stereotype

[Victoria Watcher]

Jamil Jivani sues Bell Media, alleging he was fired for not fitting 'Black stereotype'

 

'They really wanted him to espouse a certain liberal worldview they thought he should be espousing as a member of the Black community,' says the radio host's lawyer

 

https://nationalpost...lack-stereotype

 

 

 

Jivani’s lawsuit alleges he was pressured by management to record a radio segment denouncing Canada as a racist country in the lead up to Canada Day. He declined.

 

“Bell was disappointed by his refusal to espouse a specific set of social and political views, and the company was disappointed that he did not fit the mold of a Black stereotype that they had expected him to,” his claim says.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

https://twitter.com/Sid_Seixeiro

 

 

 

 

Lisa LaFlamme to join CityNews as lead correspondent following Queen's death

 

https://toronto.city...ueen-elizabeth/

 

Acting as a special correspondent to CityNews, renowned Canadian journalist Lisa LaFlamme will be in London leading the CityNews coverage. She will provide daily reporting for all newscasts on television and radio as well as make regular appearances on Breakfast Television.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 09 September 2022 - 03:32 AM.

[spanky123]

^ I wonder if she has died her hair!

[Victoria Watcher]

^ I wonder if she has died her hair!

[vortoozo]

Sure, it's a big ol' middle finger to Bell, but have you ever watched City News? I don't think they'll find many people switch over because of Lisa's current assignment. Extremely different demographic ... no anchors in most of their markets and short news bites with a swoosh sound separating them. It's distracting and annoying.