Omar Sachedina91裸聊视频檚 promotion to chief anchor at CTV National News should have been a win for representation in Canadian media, but observers say the controversy surrounding his predecessor Lisa LaFlamme91裸聊视频檚 departure overshadowed a momentous occasion.
It was 91裸聊视频渁 stolen moment91裸聊视频� in which both a decorated woman and an accomplished man of colour have been robbed of significant benchmarks in their careers, said Brent Jolly, president of the Canadian Association of Journalists.
91裸聊视频淭his should be something that was being celebrated,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淎nd yet, unfortunately, the synchronizing of the announcements doesn91裸聊视频檛 do him as much service as it could.91裸聊视频�
Bell Media issued a press release Monday saying that after 35 years LaFlamme was leaving the broadcaster. Less than half an hour later, Sachedina was named as her replacement.
The ousted lead anchor turned to social media where she said in a video she was first informed of the decision on June 29, adding she felt 91裸聊视频渂lindsided91裸聊视频� by what was described by executives as a 91裸聊视频渂usiness decision.91裸聊视频�
For LaFlamme, she lost a career milestone when she was pulled from the airwaves without an official sign-off on the CTV broadcast she led for more than a decade.
The gravity of Sachedina91裸聊视频檚 new position in the upper ranks of Canadian television was also diminished.
He is an experienced political reporter of Indian descent from Uganda taking the helm at Canada91裸聊视频檚 most-watched evening newscast, but that was largely buried in the controversy around LaFlamme91裸聊视频檚 sudden ousting from the network.
Sachedina marched through appearances on Bell Media-owned channels where the interviewers largely avoided the controversy around his appointment, while he spoke optimistically about the future of the newscast.
Neither LaFlamme nor Sachedina responded to requests for comment. Bell Media did not respond to questions about its handling of the announcement.
Nana aba Duncan, an associate professor and Carty Chair of Journalism, Diversity and Inclusion Studies at Carleton University, said the announcement was handled poorly and tossed Sachedina into a position where he91裸聊视频檇 face heightened scrutiny.
91裸聊视频淣ow there91裸聊视频檚 this added pressure that this person is maybe being put there for a diversity reason, and that91裸聊视频檚 unfair to him,91裸聊视频� she said.
LaFlamme also didn91裸聊视频檛 get the respect she deserves, Duncan said.
Usually, an outgoing anchor would have the chance to say goodbye to their viewers in a live sign-off, along with a retrospective on their work. It happened when Peter Mansbridge was afforded nearly a year of runway before he signed off at CBC while Lloyd Robertson was toasted for more than 40 years at CTV when he retired in 2011.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 usually time, and that time wasn91裸聊视频檛 taken here,91裸聊视频� Duncan said. 91裸聊视频淭o me, it shows a lack of care and fairness for both of them.91裸聊视频�
Leaders need to be aware that employees are becoming more conscious of how they91裸聊视频檙e being treated 91裸聊视频� or mistreated 91裸聊视频� in the workplace, Duncan said.
Employers need to recognize a younger generation of journalists are coming into the job more attuned to mental health in the workplace and less likely to accept 91裸聊视频渢hat91裸聊视频檚 just how it is91裸聊视频� reasoning, she added.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not just in journalism, but everywhere,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淧eople who are going into the workforce are looking for their employers to care 91裸聊视频� not just to say that they care, but to genuinely show it in some way. And this flies in the face of that.91裸聊视频�
However, Duncan said she remains hopeful that progress can be made in journalism.
91裸聊视频淲e have to change it systemically,91裸聊视频� she added.
91裸聊视频淎nd that means folks at the top have to start thinking about how people are brought on and how people leave.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频擠avid Friend, The Canadian Press
