2024-05-19 08:18:37
Lisa LaFlamme firing stirs debate about sexism, ageism in Canada - Democratic Voice USA
Lisa LaFlamme firing stirs debate about sexism, ageism in Canada


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For years, till her unceremonious firing this week, Lisa LaFlamme was once a fixture in dwelling rooms throughout Canada.

The abrupt dismissal of probably the most nation’s maximum distinguished tv reporters — she has led Canada’s maximum watched nightly newscast since 2011, and this yr received the Canadian Screen Award for very best nationwide information anchor— has drawn each a backlash and a countrywide dialog about sexism and age discrimination within the media.

LaFlamme, who lined the most important tales of her time, together with elections, wars and herbal screw ups, posted a video to Twitter Monday saying that she were knowledgeable in overdue June that her profession with CTV News was once over after mother or father corporate Bell Media made up our minds to finish her contract. She had labored for the community for 35 years and had just below two years left on her contract, consistent with the Globe and Mail.

“I used to be blindsided and am nonetheless stunned and saddened by way of Bell Media’s determination,” LaFlamme stated, including that she were requested to stay her firing confidential for weeks.

“At 58, I nonetheless concept I’d have much more time to inform extra of the tales that affect our day by day lives,” she instructed fans. “While it’s crushing to be leaving CTV National News in a way that’s not my selection, please know reporting to you has in reality been the best honor of my lifestyles and I thanks for at all times being there.”

In a statement Monday, CTV stated it had made a “industry determination” to pursue a “other route” for the manager information anchor function, bringing up “converting viewer behavior.” The community announced the similar day that nationwide affairs correspondent Omar Sachedina, 39, would step into the function.

LaFlamme’s firing drew condemnation from audience, colleagues within the media business and distinguished figures in Canada, together with retired Grammy-winning singer Anne Murray.

The Canadian media have proceeding to hide the fallout, with stories prompt more than a few components in the back of LaFlamme’s firing, together with clashes between the anchor and CTV News head Michael Melling over sources for protection of the battle in Ukraine, amongst different problems.

But one street of hypothesis has touched a nerve amongst Canadian girls left questioning: Was it the hair?

LaFlamme made headlines when she stopped dyeing her hair in 2020. During a unique year-in-review broadcast, she instructed audience that the pandemic had averted her from visiting her hairstylist, and she or he was once uninterested in spraying her roots on a daily basis ahead of happening air, consistent with the Globe and Mail. “I in spite of everything stated, ‘Why hassle? I’m going grey,’ she stated. “Honestly, if I had identified the lockdown might be so freeing on that entrance I might have completed it so much faster.”

The transfer resonated with Canadian girls who’ve confronted societal force to dye their hair. But it it appears ruffled the feathers of best CTV News govt Michael Melling, the Globe and Mail reported.

A senior CTV legitimate instructed the newspaper that Melling had requested who had licensed the verdict to “let Lisa’s hair cross grey” and later commented at the pink hue of LaFlamme’s locks below studio lighting fixtures.

Canadian girls took to Twitter this week to rejoice the previous anchor for embracing her grey hair and proudly owning her age.

“Lisa LaFlamme allowed herself to age on digicam and in doing so gave me the boldness to polish in my herbal good looks as I age,” one Twitter consumer, Sarah M, wrote on Monday, calling CTV News’ determination “an enormous mistake.”

Others fearful that LaFlamme’s firing would send a message to middle-aged girls that they might face skilled penalties in the event that they opted for a extra herbal glance.

Many prompt sexism and ageism had performed a task in LaFlamme’s dismissal. Some media mavens pointed out that her predecessor, Lloyd Robertson, retired from the manager anchor function at 77 and was once given an on-air ship off.

Bell Media didn’t in an instant reply to a request for remark Friday.

LaFlamme “has made crucial contribution to Canadian tv information over the last 35 years,” learn a statement Bell Media posted to Twitter Monday, signed by way of corporate president Wade Oosterman and senior vice chairman Karine Moses. The corporate would start up an impartial, third-party “inner office evaluate of our newsroom,” the commentary endured.

LaFlamme’s dismissal led some to call for Melling’s ouster, and Canadian media reported that CTV News has been compelled to do injury keep an eye on with its personal workers.

Moses stated in an e mail to group of workers that LaFlamme was once given the chance to mention good-bye to audience ahead of she left the anchor’s chair, however that she had “opted to not say good-bye to the general public,” Canadian broadcaster Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. The anchor shake-up was once a part of a shift towards virtual content material advent on the information outlet, Moses wrote.

The backlash to LaFlamme’s firing has sparked its personal backlash. In right-wing circles, figures corresponding to Maxime Bernier, head of the far-right People’s Party of Canada, seizing the moment to divert consideration to the firing by way of Canadian corporations of hundreds of staff who declined coronavirus vaccines.

Some distinguished media figures, in the meantime, lamented that the debate round LaFlamme’s ouster obscured the importance of her alternative’s hiring. Sachedina, an award-winning reporter who has labored at CTV News since 2009, was once born in Canada to oldsters of Indian descent from Uganda — an underrepresented background in Canadian media.

“A Muslim guy helming the most important National information program — historical past,” Global News journalist Ahmar Khan tweeted. “But, range doesn’t duvet the gaps of mistreatment.”

Sammy Westfall and Amanda Coletta contributed to this file.

Source Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/08/19/lisa-laflamme-canada-ctv-debate-sexism-ageism/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_world

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