(Toronto) A Bell Media executive takes time off from work amid fallout from the dismissal of Lisa LaFlamme as the star anchor of the company’s newscast.
Posted at 11:07 p.m.
An internal memo from Bell Media says Michael Melling, vice president of news, is taking time off immediately to spend time with his family.
Bell Media, the parent company of CTV News, has come under fire after Mme LaFlamme announced last week in a video shared on social media that his contract had been terminated.
In the video, the longtime CTV National News anchor said she was “taken aback” by the company’s decision.
Bell Media said the termination of M’s contractme LaFlamme after 35 years was a business decision and that she wanted to steer the role of anchor in “another direction”.
The dismissal raised questions among media pundits about whether sexism and ageism played a role in the reshuffle.
Bell Media said in its statement that it takes allegations of discrimination “very seriously” and is taking steps to launch an internal third-party review of the newsroom in the coming weeks.
Friday’s internal memo said Mr Melling’s decision to take time off “reflects our desire to support the newsroom and do our best to help the team weather the current circumstances”.
Richard Gray, currently Regional General Manager of the Eastern Region, will take over as Acting Vice President of News, supported by Karine Moses, Senior Vice President of Content Development and News, the memo says. internal department.
Since his departure, the companies Wendy’s, Dove and Sports Illustrated showed their support on social media for Mme LaFlamme, who has been open about not dyeing her gray hair.
Wendy’s changed the hair of its redhead mascot to gray, while Dove announced it would donate $100,000 to Catalyst, a Canadian organization that helps create better workplaces for women.
Sports Illustrated changed its cover photo on Twitter to feature 74-year-old model Maye Musk.
Lisa LaFlamme’s departure and her replacement were both announced on August 15, frustrating viewers who thought she should have been given a proper departure and career review.
Bell Media said it “regrets” the way M’s departureme LaFlamme was managed because it “perhaps left viewers with the false impression” that his legendary career was not valued.
Lisa LaFlamme said in her video that she found out in June that Bell Media was ending her contract with CTV National News, but kept it under wraps until details were finalized. Omar Sachedina was appointed to replace her.
At a public meeting with staff last week, Karine Moses claimed that Ms.me LaFlamme had rejected the opportunity to bid farewell to the air.
In a recording of the meeting obtained by The Canadian Press, she told employees that Lisa LaFlamme wasn’t just fired from the company.
She “was offered a lot of options to come back and do a lot of things, which she refused, and I respect that,” Ms.me Moses, without giving details of other employment opportunities that Bell Media presented to Lisa LaFlamme.