LILLEY: Bell fight-back too late as most media easy on LaFlamme

Article content material

It’s most likely too late within the day for Bell to be saying, “Let’s Discuss” about Lisa LaFlamme. The corporate, one of many largest communications companies on the continent, has misplaced the narrative, which is simply too dangerous as a result of there’s extra to this story than age, gender and the color of 1’s hair.

Article content material

Belatedly, Bell executives have begun to talk out. First got here a put up by way of LinkedIn by Bell CEO Mirko Bibic, then an open letter from Bell Media President Wade Oosterman on Monday.

Article content material

Regardless of reporting right here within the Solar that checked out various components from claims of a poisonous work atmosphere, stories of a conflict of egos over a brand new path, the potential position the Patrick Brown lawsuit performed on this affair and extra, it has been diminished to the color of LaFlamme’s hair. Campaigns by Dove and Wendy’s together with a press release signed onto by many politicians are solely sealing the not-entirely-true narrative that that is about age and intercourse discrimination.

Now former CTV anchor Lloyd Robertson is weighing in, which is able to solely cement this imaginative and prescient, even when his phrases don’t again it up.

Article content material

“You don’t go shedding that individual the way in which you laid off Lisa LaFlamme,” Robertson stated whereas moderating a panel dialogue on the Stratford Competition.

True, you don’t and shouldn’t lay off somebody like LaFlamme the way in which that CTV did, and I’ve written about this already. Bell’s dealing with of this was a textbook instance of what to not do from starting to finish.

The corporate was caught off guard by LaFlamme’s video put up saying her departure Aug. 15 they usually’ve by no means recovered. Quite than ship out executives to talk clearly as to what occurred, they’ve been hiding within the shadows for many of this time whereas rank and file workers spoke out.

“Once I began studying the tales concerning the poisonous work atmosphere on The Ellen DeGeneres Present, it was like studying concerning the CTV newsroom,” stated one supply.

Article content material

Most LaFlamme detractors had been ladies

Whereas LaFlamme had her supporters who denied the claims of a poisonous office, there have been many detractors — principally ladies within the newsroom — who described a poisonous office. Yelling, belittling, undermining of stories professionals which most say was carried out by LaFlamme’s government producer Rosa Hwang, however was accepted with out protest by LaFlamme.

When the time period “imply women” was used to explain the pair, it was most frequently utilized by ladies within the newsroom whereas males had been extra prone to defend them.

Some say those that fell out of favour with one or each of those ladies can be shunned or banished. Names like Avis Favro, Janet Dirks or Laurie Graham have been raised as examples of journalists who’re stated to have incurred the wrath of LaFlamme and Hwang.

Article content material

Whereas LaFlamme is gone, Hwang continues to be a part of the CTV information operation. They’ve launched inside investigations however made it seem that it’s extra about VP of Information Michael Melling who has just lately taken a go away of absence.

The claims about LaFlamme and Hwang are what workers will discuss, not the corporate.

Quite than discuss these items, in open and even quietly, Bell Execs have been silent. LaFlamme’s group has used intermediaries to get their message out and she or he additionally has leveraged her in depth community of associates within the enterprise that anybody gathers after 35 years.

Article content material

But there’s one thing telling within the assertion of BCE CEO Bibic over the weekend.

“Whereas I want to say extra on the Bell Media choice, we’re sure by a mutual separation settlement negotiated with Lisa, which we’ll proceed to honour,” Bibic wrote.

If there’s a mutual separation settlement that implies that LaFlamme signed it. She has claimed to have been blindsided, but she and her legal professionals signed an settlement.

Secondly, if this was about her age, her intercourse or her hair color, one would suppose she would have filed swimsuit in courtroom moderately than log off on a “mutual separation settlement.” Nonetheless, for a lot of supporting LaFlamme, it appears they won’t let info get in the way in which of a very good narrative.

Bell has dealt with this entire affair horribly, somebody must be fired for this. That stated, there’s far more to this story than meets the attention, however most journalists have opted to not transcend the simple and lazy narrative.

It suits their worldview even when it doesn’t align with the reality.