Head of CTV News Michael Melling reassigned after Lisa LaFlamme fallout

Famous Canadians sign open letter to Bell Media An open letter signed by a long list of Canadian luminaries is taking aim at Bell Media’s abrupt dismissal of Lisa LaFlamme as anchor of the company’s flagship newscast.

CTV News head Michael Melling, who became embroiled in the fallout of the departure of top anchor Lisa LaFlamme, is now being replaced in his role.

Several months after Melling took a leave of absence from the news division, a Bell Media statement confirms his job will be permanently filled by Richard Gray, who has been serving as interim vice-president of news.

The company says Melling has been reassigned to vice president of shared services.

The decision follows an independent third-party review of the CTV national newsroom that was sparked after the ousting of LaFlamme as anchor of the flagship newscast.

Her departure, announced in a video she posted on social media in August, rattled the newsroom and raised concerns over the workplace culture at the company.

Bell Media weathered weeks of blowback and at one point said it "regrets" the way in which LaFlamme's exit was handled, as it "may have left viewers with the wrong impression'' that her storied career wasn't valued.

Among the findings that emerged in the independent workplace review, conducted by employment lawyer Sarah Crossley and her associate Laura Freitag, is "a culture where people are sometimes afraid to raise concerns for fear of reprisal or inaction."

An internal memo obtained by The Canadian Press says the review also found "a need for greater civility and respect in the newsroom" and "a desire to improve working conditions."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2022.