Today's News: CTV News is losing its soul

The very definition of a professional news organization is one that reports news without fear or favour. 

Over the years, news organizations have fired reporters, editors, anchors, editors, publishers, for good reasons and bad, pleasing or angering their audiences. But when a news organization also lets its own corporate actions compromise its objective news judgements, and then starts slanting its news stories to justify or cover up its own unethical behaviour, it has lost its soul. 

That began to happen to CTV News today. 

For the last two weeks, CTV and Bell Media has been embarrassed by the burgeoning corporate Going Grey movement, because corporations across Canada have been reflecting Canadian anger with CTV's unwarranted firing of Lisa LaFlamme. 

Today CTV News finally "covered" this story, but in a threatening way - they picked up a Canadian Press story which had found a "retail analyst" and a marketing professor to provide contrarian "takes" about how companies endorsing Going Grey really needed to watch their steps.  Then Bell Media outlets and CTV stations across the country dutifully "tweeted" the story out, one after the other.

The thuggery couldn't have been clearer - "nice little brand you got here. Be too bad if something were to happen to it"

Tell me this doesn't read like CTV is doubling down on its sexism/ageism/misogyny w/ what amounts to veiled threats against corporations, etc. who side w/ Lisa LaFlamme... https://t.co/kRKlGKJE8s #cdnpoli

— somecanuckchick 🍁 (@somecanuckchick) August 26, 2022

Maybe brands like @BellMediaPR should be wary of supporting sexism, misogyny & ageism. Just sayin.

— Covid's Not Done With Us Yet 💉😷🐝 (@Jennymd1) August 26, 2022

So let me get this straight. A media outlet owned by Bell media puts out a piece essentially say that other brands should be wary of taking a position on what Bell has done. Congrats @CP24 your corporate overlords will be very pleased.

— CFLFan@sevendeucemgw (@fan_cfl) August 26, 2022

@tara_deschamps just gotta wonder how you were pressured into writing this article. In my opinion, it is absolutely mind-blowing 🤯 that any @CTVNews female employee would agree to write such bullshit. @BellMediaPR #FireMichaelMelling https://t.co/HVpLZDk2q2

— D♠️R (@Dale_Roth22) August 26, 2022

New headline: In wake of firing LaFlamme, the public should be wary of Bell Media trying to censor brands that speak out against its discriminatory practices #LisaLaFlamme #KeepTheGrey #LetsTalkAboutBell https://t.co/BAAXGhtxxf

— Priya Sam (@PriyaSam) August 26, 2022

This is beyond hilarious. It’s the op-ed version of three kids - stacked up in a raincoat - pretending to be a grownup to buy beer. https://t.co/o3qmpeB8vW

— Bob Mackowycz (@BobMackowycz) August 26, 2022

.⁦@CTV⁩ you really need to read the room. #Wendys #Dove 💪🏻 https://t.co/ZAyW9ZfvpL

— Jill Davis (@Jdavis_Halton) August 26, 2022

Behind the scenes, CTV News journalists across the country were profoundly angry.

“On Monday, journalists within the CTV newsroom…sent a letter to Bell Canada chief executive Mirko Bibic, Bell’s board of directors and Wade Oosterman, the president of Bell Media, expressing a lack of confidence in Mr. Melling’s leadership.” https://t.co/A5yqP5Nbiw

— Mark Medley (@itsmarkmedley) August 27, 2022

I'll bet today's news story was the final straw. It's not surprising that the next thing we heard was that Michael Melling, the CTV executive who has been blamed for firing Lisa LaFlamme, was suddently on leave -- "to spend more time with his family".

NEW: CTV News executive who fired Lisa LaFlamme taking leave "to spend time with his family." pic.twitter.com/i3wzhGySSl

— CANADALAND (@CANADALAND) August 26, 2022

This is probably the preliminary step while they work out his termination. There's no recovering from this own. He got nuked by a *soap brand* and now a *burger joint*. #DarkWendy got him in the end.

— Jackie Blue (@MsFuddleDuddle) August 26, 2022

"Taking leave", of course, being a euphemism for "had the riot act read to".

Especially in light of today's Wendy's story....https://t.co/Omfb7pwIlj

— Vee Terra🌈 (@vee_terra) August 26, 2022

Michael Melling I know you want to write an op-ed about cancel culture and how unfair people can be.

I know it's been running through your head for weeks.

You should go for it. I really think people would appreciate it.

— James McLeod (@jamespmcleod) August 26, 2022

BCE Top boss tries to dig the telecom giant out of the bumbling firing of @LisaLaFlamme_ CEO Is still unable to explain why Canada’s #1 anchor was abruptly fired. The debacle continues … https://t.co/r0H0FHg1Yl

— Robert Fife (@RobertFife) August 27, 2022

More Lisa LaFlamme support:

We're going grey with @Dove in support of women aging confidently on their own terms. We were so proud to feature @mayemusk on our May '22 swimsuit cover - living proof that beauty only gets better with age. #KeepTheGrey https://t.co/I2YHbonELn pic.twitter.com/oIcJ36JKkE

— Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) August 25, 2022

In other news the Trump Treason search affidavit was released today, with redactions. Lots of tweets about it but these ones struck me as interesting:

Great thread here on the #TrumpTreason affidavit released today 🧵👇 https://t.co/bwxCbIXp4H

— Cathie from Canada 🇨🇦 😷🏳️‍🌈 (@CathieCanada) August 26, 2022

Dept of Justice is being emphatic and unequivocal in its explanation for redactions of the Mar-a-Lago search warrant affidavit

Safety of civilian witnesses

— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) August 26, 2022

Kash Patel going to jail could be the silver lining of this entire fiasco https://t.co/5M3s9lWvSw

— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) August 26, 2022

The Trump legal team was arrogant enough to tell DOJ that even if Trump did have classified records there was nothing they were permitted to do about it.

— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) August 26, 2022

Really seems like a relevant story today. https://t.co/vw7tsEv5WI

— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) August 26, 2022

Kind of loving that the DOJ is calling Trump "FPOTUS"

Feels like more of a *grade* than I title. :)

— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) August 26, 2022

Flying drones around the border looking for transgendered prayer rugs. https://t.co/GcV8N1ogwY

— Jort-Michel Connard 🐘 (@torriangray) August 26, 2022

As the day has gone by, I'm seeing more tweets that are taking this much more seriously.

There’s no way Trump selected those Confidential, Secret, Top Secret and "HCS” documents on his own.

Who HELPED him commit espionage? 🤨

— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) August 26, 2022

People are putting it together:

The implication of this NYT story is that Trump may have sold classified information that later got informants killed. It's important to note that's exactly what Robert Hanssen did and the Justice Department called it "the worst intelligence disaster in U.S. history." https://t.co/LNxLRFx6tT

— Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) August 27, 2022

New York Times piece from 10/7/21:https://t.co/jGrX7Xrxp7

— Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) August 27, 2022

Mar-a-Lago was targeted by foreign spies … Trump stashed codeword, top secret information there … DOJ / Secret Service have real concerns about the facility’s security.

This isn’t about “documents.” It’s about Trump putting America in danger.

— Miles Taylor (@MilesTaylorUSA) August 26, 2022

Karl Rove says he believes the informant against Trump was a Secret Service Agent: “They are sworn Fed law enforcement officers, and they have a responsibility to report a crime.” pic.twitter.com/co7WkUkgJS

— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) August 27, 2022

People go to jail for this. https://t.co/nL3oaADXxN

— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) August 27, 2022

Yes definitely. I was estimating over 100 Trumpomobsters vs 47 Watergate, before Jan 6th. and Maralago espionage still adds more

— Tomi T Ahonen Stands With Ukraine (@tomiahonen) August 26, 2022

This photo was taken in 2021, while Trump had boxes full of stolen Classified secrets at Mar-a-Lago.

The FBI is investigating how 33-year-old Russian-speaker Inna Yashchyshyn infiltrated the club, gaining access to Trump and @LindseyGrahamSC while posing as "Anna de Rothschild." pic.twitter.com/XFHRtYawdD

— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) August 26, 2022

The Trump family is terrified. Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch:

Junior is one sick dude. pic.twitter.com/eFQRcaU9nL

— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) August 26, 2022

Every time a MAGA Republican Congress Member whines about something good that Biden did, an angel gets its wings. pic.twitter.com/pAxeF76JpA

— B. Janine Morison 🇺🇦😷🏴‍☠️ (@bjaninemorison) August 26, 2022

Dark Brandon has street-fighter instincts. Who knew? https://t.co/E4klRnbyDZ

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) August 25, 2022

Ha ha

pic.twitter.com/UXx3Yb640I

— 🇨🇦Sir Welling, Knight's David🇮🇱 (@ReeferKnight) August 26, 2022

Finally, today was International Dog Day so there were lots of great dog tweets:

“I know you think you’re being funny, but honestly Dave, it’s just hurtful.” pic.twitter.com/L2bDsMvLPA

— Uncle Duke (@UncleDuke1969) August 26, 2022

When your landlord has a strict 'No Dogs' policy.

📸: @sherry_gottlieb pic.twitter.com/is6apF2Hhu

— Paul Bronks (@SlenderSherbet) August 26, 2022

I don't want the ball...I just want to feel included
🐶🟡💖

credit: playnimals pic.twitter.com/FyEF0A5PkI

— Jess 🌻 (@its_jessi_grace) August 25, 2022

absolutely the best thing you'll see all day, month, year, century pic.twitter.com/lOT0cFdie6

— what kind of dog is this (@genius_dogs) August 22, 2022