Why did Bell Media oust Lisa LaFlamme? Here's what we know

Paul McKinnon/Shutterstock | Bell Media

In the aftermath of Bell Media ousting veteran anchor Lisa LaFlamme, new information about how it all transpired has slowly been coming to light.

Earlier this week, LaFlamme dropped a video on Twitter announcing that Bell Media had terminated her contract after 35 years at CTV.

“On June 29, I was informed that Bell Media made a quote, ‘business decision,’ to end my contract bringing to a sudden close my long career with CTV News,” the 58-year-old journalist said in the video. “I was blindsided. And I’m still shocked and saddened by Bell Media’s decision.”

Shortly after, Bell Media shared a statement of its own, saying that it made a “business decision” to move CTV National News and the role of chief news anchor in a “different direction.”

The media conglomerate also revealed that Omar Sachedina would replace LaFlamme at the national news desk on September 5.

Canadians were shocked and angered by LaFlamme’s unceremonious departure, and Sachedina’s promotion wasn’t received well by many viewers.

Since then numerous news reports have detailed the underlying reasons behind LaFlamme’s forced exit, and what went down behind the scenes.

From clashes with a Bell Media executive, to allegations of sexism and ageism, to a long-known “culture of fear” in the company, here’s what we know.

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The Bell Media executive at the centre of the story

Late Monday night after LaFlamme’s bombshell announcement, Canadaland published an article with the inside scoop on Bell Media’s vice president of news, Michael Melling.

Several sources close to the situation told Canadaland that LaFlamme was fired because she pushed back against Melling.

A high-level CTV National News source told the media watchdog that the veteran anchor butt heads with Melling on two key issues: a dispute about CTV News’ budget dedicated to covering Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the shuffling of LaFlamme’s executive producer Rosa Hwang to local Toronto newscast CP24.

The source told Canadaland that LaFlamme wanted more resources for Ukraine coverage than Melling was willing to provide.

LaFlamme also stood up for long-time CTV National News producer Hwang when Melling tried to move her to CP24.

“He’s a company man,” the high-level CTV source told Canadaland. “He does not stand up for the journalists… He doesn’t like it when women push back and he brags about how he’s destroyed careers of anyone who dares push back.”

Melling took over for former head of CTV News Wendy Freeman after she stepped down last December.

He got his start as an editorial assistant at BNN Bloomberg and climbed the corporate ladder. His LinkedIn shows that he went from being a CTV News reporter to news director for southwestern Ontario, and continued to rise through the ranks.

Prior to Melling’s current position, he was the general manager of CTV News Toronto, CP24, and BNN Bloomberg for one year.

Allegations of ageism and sexism

In another revealing detail, a senior CTV source told The Globe and Mail that Melling raised questions about LaFlamme’s grey hair.

I have some news… pic.twitter.com/lTe3Rs0kOA

— Lisa LaFlamme (@LisaLaFlamme_) August 15, 2022

The veteran anchor had chosen to let her hair go silver during the pandemic. She addressed it on-air, explaining that COVID-19 lockdowns kept her from visiting her hair colourist and that it was “liberating” to let her hair do its thing.

This was met with praise from women across Canada.

Melling, on the other hand, did not seem to be pleased.

The source told The Globe that Melling asked who approved the decision to “let Lisa’s hair go grey” during a meeting. The executive brought up the issue again on set when he noted it had a purple hue in the studio lighting.

Members of the media also emphasized the role that ageism may have played in this by comparing LaFlamme’s age to that of other legendary national news anchors.

Lloyd Robertson retired from CTV National News at age 77, and Peter Mansbridge retired from CBC National at 69. LaFlamme is decades away from her peers’ retirement ages.

Recent national anchor departures:

2011 – Lloyd Robertson retires as CTV anchor at age 77

2017- Peter Mansbridge retires as CBC anchor at age 69

2022- Lisa LaFlamme contract cancelled by CTV at age 58.

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) August 15, 2022

As for allegations of sexism, it’s important to note that Melling has appointed two women to managing positions at Bell: Ramneek Gill is the general manager of CP24 and CTV News Toronto and Sophia Skopelitis is the general manager of CTV News Channel and BNN Bloomberg.

However, a senior CTV source told the Toronto Star that Melling replaced key positions with more “compliant” staff who wouldn’t question his authority.

Sources also added that Melling would consult with senior men at CTV, but rarely with LaFlamme.

The “culture of fear” at Bell Media

Several sources told the Star that CTV News anchor Jennifer Burke was supposed to announce LaFlamme’s terminated contract to viewers live on Monday.

But Burke, who is a freelancer, refused.

“No, I won’t do it,” sources recalled her saying.

Those sources say that there could be detrimental repercussions for going against orders at CTV.

“She might not get any more shifts,” one high-level source told the Star.

Many more employees, who have asked to remain anonymous due to the possibility of career repercussions, told the Star of the “culture of fear” within the company.

Several CTV staff blame Melling for the toxic work environment. Others say the issues predate him, but have been “amplified” under his management.

Many also shared sadness about the loss of senior role models in the newsroom with LaFlamme and former head of news Freeman gone.