Very famous and appreciated all over Canada, Lisa La Flame For 12 years she was the anchor of the main news program on CTV, Canada’s largest commercial television network. But suddenly his contract was terminated and Canada plunged into one of the hottest debates its journalistic world has ever seen. There is a strong suspicion that Lisa lost her seat at the helm of CTV National News because she stopped dying her hair: “Who approved the decision to go gray with Lisa’s hair?” was the remark made by newly appointed news director Michael Melling upon his arrival.
THE COMMENT
Her reaction had been overheard by all staff present during the news taping, and was accompanied by a new complaint a few weeks later when Melling pointed out that Lisa’s silver hair took on an “uncomfortable purple hue” under the direct studio light. But is the fact that 58-year-old LaFlamme decided to stop dying her hair reason enough to end a contract two years before it expires? In Canada, but now also in the United States, this is a hotly debated topic, with many women, including well-known leaders, denouncing the decision as sexist and bemoaning the existence of a double age norm, considering that the network, in the past, allowed it he Lisa’s colleagues to state their age and to continue working. Prominent presenters like Lloyd Robertson himself, whom Lisa replaced when he retired at 77, have enjoyed much longer careers and received heartfelt public goodbyes that were carefully produced, rather than the silence that accompanied the reporter’s departure.
Lisa LaFlamme dropped out as Canadian TV presenter after turning gray https://t.co/1FA6LhJj6C
– The Guardian (@Guardian) August 19, 2022
“I’m shocked and saddened,” said Lisa, who recently won the Best News Host award at the Canadian Screen Awards. At 58, I still thought I had enough time to tell stories that impact our daily lives.” . Additionally, the decision to grow out her hair without dying it was welcomed by the public. Lisa had explained her reasons during a year-end show saying she couldn’t go to the hairdresser during the pandemic and had to constantly touch up roots: “In the end I said: why worry about age? I turn grey. Honestly, if I had known it could be so liberating, I would have done it a lot sooner.
Various witnesses add that there was a difficult relationship between Lisa LaFlamme and the new news director. Gray hair may have been an excuse, albeit a bit unfortunate and reeking of sexist and ageism.
THE FIGHT
The new editor has gone on a collision course with the reporter over the cost of covering international stories. For example, he didn’t want to send a troupe to London for the Queen’s platinum jubilee, but LaFlamme protested: “Queen Elizabeth is also Queen of Canada!” Another conflict arose over sending a crew to Ukraine when LaFlamme, who was sent and covered wars, riots and disasters before becoming host, insisted that a room be booked in neighboring Poland as well, should the crew had to leave Ukraine quickly. Both CTV and Melling have argued that the break with LaFlamme was solely due to “corporate decisions” and are willing to offer the former host other forms of collaboration. However, Bell Media, CTV’s parent company, has announced that it will launch an independent investigation into allegations of discrimination.
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED