Head of CTV News Michael Melling reassigned after Lisa LaFlamme fallout

As CTV weathered criticism for the firing of national CTV anchor Lisa LaFlamme, Bell Media told staff in August that the then vice-president of news, Michael Melling, would take a leave from his job.

Melling has now been permanently replaced by Richard Gray, interim vice-president of news.

“Michael Melling has been reassigned to VP Shared Services, and will not be returning to CTV’s news operations,” according to an internal memo from Bell Media seen by the Star.

The move followed an independent third-party review of the CTV National newsroom initiated in late August and conducted by leading employment lawyer Sarah Crossley, according to the memo.

“The goal of this review was to gather information about the culture, environment and practices in the CTV National newsroom, with a view to identifying any issues, concerns or areas for improvement so that we could then work to address them,” according to the memo.

It highlighted several findings, including a need for greater civility and respect in the newsroom, and a desire to improve working conditions, as well as a culture where “people are sometimes afraid to raise concerns for fear of reprisal or inaction.”

LaFlamme’s termination, a move some laid at the feet of Melling, sparked outrage among viewers and initiated a nationwide conversation on sexism and ageism in workplaces.

The longtime TV journalist announced the news in a video posted to social media in which she said she’d been “blindsided” by the development.

“While it is crushing to be leaving CTV National News in a manner that is not my choice, please know reporting to you has truly been the greatest honour of my life,” LaFlamme said in the video.

She was 58 at the time. Commentators noted that CTV chief anchor Lloyd Robertson had retired at age 77 and CBC news anchor Peter Mansbridge at age 69.

Former employees told the Star that Melling’s time at CTV News was characterized by cuts, layoffs and moving from expensive broadcast equipment to using more mobile devices for reporting and photography. They added that it created an atmosphere of low morale and apathy in the newsroom.

Some other current or former CTV News employees said the culture of low morale existed well before Melling was promoted to vice-president of news.

Melling has not responded to requests for comment from the Star.

A senior journalist at CTV told the Star that Melling’s move to VP of Shared Services should not be seen as a demotion.

“Shared Services in the Bell empire is a huge division, way bigger than the news department,” the journalist said.

It is unclear what role Melling would play in the department, which involves diverse parts of the business, including customer relations and field operations, according to the senior source.

“I know for a fact that during the review, there were things employees said about Melling’s management style and his handling and the company’s handling of Lisa’s situation.”

A Bell Media spokesperson confirmed Melling’s reassignment.

They told the Star the company had “very high participation” from employees during the third-party review.

“We thank them for their willingness to participate and their candour. We are committed to the action plan shared with employees that seeks to address the issues raised, and look forward to working together on creating a better, more inclusive and positive work environment.”

Current employees told the Star on Monday that they continue to have many questions about the reasons for LaFlamme’s firing.

“What was Lisa booted for? For what? There was nothing stopping them from doing this review while she was there if they were so concerned about morale,” one employee said, who requested anonymity, citing fear of professional repercussions.

Another employee said, “Melling being out is not surprising. Trust was so fundamentally broken between him and the team, that they had to.”

“But none of this addressed why Lisa was fired. These were all issues that were happening with or without her,” the employee said, adding he thought the review’s findings about workplace issues were accurate.

In the memo, Bell Media pledged to take actions including reviewing the status of freelance staff, holding more team meetings and assigning a dedicated HR team to work with CTV News.

LaFlamme could not be reached for comment. Omar Sachedina has since assumed the role of chief news anchor and senior editor of CTV National News. Sachedina was previously a national affairs reporter for the network with 15 years of experience.

In September, LaFlamme worked as a special correspondent in London for CityNews and provided coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

With files from Omar Mosleh

Joanna Chiu is a B.C.-based staff reporter for the Star. She covers global and national affairs. Follow her on Twitter: @joannachiu

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