Yesterday the nation got some shocking news and I use the word shocking because when we all learned that CTV let go of its chief national anchor Lisa LaFlamme it sent shock waves across the country.
This news impacted not only loyal viewers, but also many in the journalism community were disheartened and disappointed by the way it all rolled out. There was much disapproval about how Lisa was treated in the end and she herself said in a video from what looked like a cabin, that she was blindsided. For many women Lisa was (and still is) a symbol of what women can achieve in journalism. She literally held the top job that only men had famously held before.
I had the privilege of shadowing Lisa when I was an intern in 1998 in the CTV newsroom. I was in my final year of high school and I secretly had dreams of being in front of the camera. The one thing I remember about my time with her was how smart and kind she was. Lisa took me through her morning routine which at the time meant heading into a small editing bay with a desk where she opened up all the newspapers to see what stood out. Her commitment to her craft had always been there and she literally dedicated her life to telling the stories of Canadians at home and abroad.
Her sudden and unexpected departure from CTV reminds me of how much further we as women have to go in the media. It is hard enough getting a seat at the table and sometimes even harder staying there. Truthfully while I worked in the media for over 15 years, I struggled to navigate the industry and eventually threw the towel in. I worked in some of the country's biggest newsrooms, but always felt lost in the shuffle and that my voice didn’t matter. And this is exactly why I do the work I do today to amplify the voices of women entrepreneurs. These women may not be journalists, but it’s my way of helping to diversify the voices in the mainstream media.
We will likely never know if Lisa was removed because of a business decision as suggested in the official press release, or if it was something else. At the end of the day the message is clear, women are still fighting to have their voices heard.
#ctv #womeninmedia #journalism #lisalaflamme
This news impacted not only loyal viewers, but also many in the journalism community were disheartened and disappointed by the way it all rolled out. There was much disapproval about how Lisa was treated in the end and she herself said in a video from what looked like a cabin, that she was blindsided. For many women Lisa was (and still is) a symbol of what women can achieve in journalism. She literally held the top job that only men had famously held before.
I had the privilege of shadowing Lisa when I was an intern in 1998 in the CTV newsroom. I was in my final year of high school and I secretly had dreams of being in front of the camera. The one thing I remember about my time with her was how smart and kind she was. Lisa took me through her morning routine which at the time meant heading into a small editing bay with a desk where she opened up all the newspapers to see what stood out. Her commitment to her craft had always been there and she literally dedicated her life to telling the stories of Canadians at home and abroad.
Her sudden and unexpected departure from CTV reminds me of how much further we as women have to go in the media. It is hard enough getting a seat at the table and sometimes even harder staying there. Truthfully while I worked in the media for over 15 years, I struggled to navigate the industry and eventually threw the towel in. I worked in some of the country's biggest newsrooms, but always felt lost in the shuffle and that my voice didn’t matter. And this is exactly why I do the work I do today to amplify the voices of women entrepreneurs. These women may not be journalists, but it’s my way of helping to diversify the voices in the mainstream media.
We will likely never know if Lisa was removed because of a business decision as suggested in the official press release, or if it was something else. At the end of the day the message is clear, women are still fighting to have their voices heard.
#ctv #womeninmedia #journalism #lisalaflamme
