Using a study in gray, lisa laflemme's dismissal from ctv news. answer the questions below:Q1. Why were so many people, both young and old, upset with the dismissal of Lisa LaFlamme? Q2. How should companies handle employee terminations to ensure that they take place smoothly? Q3. How could the senior leadership at Bell Media have addressed and recovered from the internal and external turmoil that resulted from the dismissal of Lisa LaFlamme? Page 2W34665LaFlamme's competence and passion did not go unnoticed: she received a steady stream of awards andhonours, including the Canadian Screen Awards Best News Anchor award, which she won two years in arow. She was also invested into the Order of Canada the country's highest civilian honour. The governorgeneral's office described LaFlamme as "an inspirational role model in news broadcasting," and anewscaster who reported with "clarity and fairness."10SEXISM AND AGEISM IN THE WORKPLACE: WAS LAFLAMME FIRED FOR GOING GREY?In the wake of LaFlamme's abrupt dismissal, rumours emerged that suggested one of the reasons Bell Mediamade this "business decision" was because LaFlamme had let her hair go grey.LaFlamme's hair had always appeared dark brown, even though she started going grey at age 18.Throughout her career, she coloured it faithfully even going so far as to dye it in a military bathroom inKandahar while covering the war in Afghanistan." It wasn't until the pandemic closed her salon thatLaFlamme made the decision, with the support of her boss Wendy Freeman, to let her hair go naturallygrey on air. "Honestly, if I had known the lockdown could be so liberating on that front," LaFlamme said,"I would have done it a lot sooner."¹2In January 2022, Michael Melling replaced Freeman as the new vice-president of CTV News. ¹³ According to asenior CTV official, Melling had only been in the job a short time before he began to take issue with his femaleanchor's appearance, asking at a meeting "who had approved the decision to 'let Lisa's hair go grey."¹4The double standard regarding what was acceptable in terms of physical appearance for men and for womenwas nothing new. Aging men with grey hair were seen as distinguished, while women were insteadrewarded for maintaining a youthful appearance. 15 CTV had certainly never taken issue when its maleanchors aged: Craig Oliver, the network's chief political adviser, didn't retire until he was 81.16 LaFlamme'spredecessor, Lloyd Robertson, retired at age 77. Both men, needless to say, had aged naturally grey hair,baldness, wrinkles, and all. Robertson even spoke in an interview about the sole time he did dye his hair,concluding, "The very idea of hair colouring for news people probably distracted from the image ofsteadiness of character and decorum that we were supposed present."3917This was true for men, perhaps. But for women, different story. A 2021 study found that womenwho aged authentically, including by letting their hair go grey, were seen as less competent and credible inthe workplace.¹8 Women who worked on air in media had been fighting this battle for decades: in 1981,news anchor Christine Craft filed a lawsuit after she was dismissed because she was "too old, toounattractive, and not deferential enough to men."¹⁹ In 2019, five female news anchors sued their networkfor age and gender discrimination. 20 As outrageous as it seemed for Bell Media to have fired an award-winning and beloved journalist because of her hair, it was clear that the rumours surrounding LaFlamme'sdismissal were by no means implausible. A STUDY IN GREY: LISA LAFLAMME'S DISMISSAL FROM CTV NEWS¹Gerard Seijts, Jana Seijts, and Lindsay Hobbs wrote this case solely to provide material for class discussion. The authors do notintend to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. The authors may have disguised certain namesand other identifying information to protect confidentiality.This publication may not be transmitted, photocopied, digitized, or otherwise reproduced in any form or by any means without thepermission of the copyright holder. Reproduction of this material is not covered under authorization by any reproduction rightsorganization. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, contact Ivey Publishing, Ivey Business School, WesternUniversity, London, Ontario, Canada, N6G ON1; (t) 519.661.3208; (e) cases@ivey.ca; www.iveypublishing.ca. Our goal is to publishmaterials of the highest quality; submit any errata to publishcases@ivey.ca.Copyright © 2023, Ivey Business School FoundationLisa LaFlamme was a highly respected journalist, senior editor, and foreign correspondent; the anchor ofCTV National News; and the trusted face of one of Canada's most-watched newscasts. In 2022, at age 58,LaFlamme was at the height of her career. It was therefore a shock to her colleagues and viewers when, onAugust 15, 2022, she posted a video on Twitter to announce that she had been abruptly ousted from CTVby its parent company, Bell Media Inc. (Bell Media). LaFlamme spoke with her trademark directness to thecamera: "I was blindsided," she said.³LOVersion: 2023-09-15JONThe sudden decision to terminate LaFlamme's contract two years early resulted in intense backlash. While BellMedia floundered and failed to provide a satisfactory reason, vaguely citing a "business decision," LaFlamme'sreplacement, Omar Sachedina, came up against viewer resentment and mistrust. LaFlamme herself, cut adriftafter thirty-five years with CTV, made no secret of her feelings: "I'm still shocked and saddened by Bell Media'sdecision," she said. "It is crushing to be leaving CTV News in a f anner not my choice."Bell Media was hit with seemingly never-ending waves of negative press, including speculation that sexismand ageism were the reasons behind LaFlamme's sting. The choice to get rid of LaFlamme, and themanner in which that action was taken, had lasting negative effects that Bell Media surely had notanticipated. Looking back, was replacing LaFlamme unequivocally the wrong choice? Or could it havebeen handled in a way that would have prevented such backlash?A CAREER CHARACTERIZED BY INTEGRITYLisa LaFlamme began her career in the late 1980s, working as a reporter for the television station CKCOin her hometown of Kitchener-Waterloo. In 1997, she made the move to Toronto's CTV Newsnet, whereshe worked as a parliamentary reporter, consumer reporter, and foreign affairs correspondent. In 2011,LaFlamme stepped into the role of CTV National News chief anchor and senior editor."During a career characterized by integrity and fearlessness, LaFlamme covered national and internationalstories, including wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine; Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters;federal elections; the 9/11 attacks; the Queen's Diamond Jubilee; the COVID-19 pandemic; and the papalapology to residential school Survivors. Her work often took her into dangerous situations, and viewerscame to trust and respect her dedication and courage.

"A Study in Grey: Lisa LaFlamme's Dismissal from CTV News" explores the abrupt termination of highly…

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Social Psychology (10th Edition)

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ISBN:9780134641287

Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers

Publisher:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers

Chapter1: Introducing Social Psychology

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Using a study in gray, lisa laflemme's dismissal from ctv news. answer the questions below:

Q1. Why were so many people, both young and old, upset with the dismissal of Lisa LaFlamme?

Q2. How should companies handle employee terminations to ensure that they take place smoothly?

Q3. How could the senior leadership at Bell Media have addressed and recovered from the internal and external turmoil that resulted from the dismissal of Lisa LaFlamme?

Page 2
W34665
LaFlamme's competence and passion did not go unnoticed: she received a steady stream of awards and
honours, including the Canadian Screen Awards Best News Anchor award, which she won two years in a
row. She was also invested into the Order of Canada the country's highest civilian honour. The governor
general's office described LaFlamme as "an inspirational role model in news broadcasting," and a
newscaster who reported with "clarity and fairness."10
SEXISM AND AGEISM IN THE WORKPLACE: WAS LAFLAMME FIRED FOR GOING GREY?
In the wake of LaFlamme's abrupt dismissal, rumours emerged that suggested one of the reasons Bell Media
made this "business decision" was because LaFlamme had let her hair go grey.
LaFlamme's hair had always appeared dark brown, even though she started going grey at age 18.
Throughout her career, she coloured it faithfully even going so far as to dye it in a military bathroom in
Kandahar while covering the war in Afghanistan." It wasn't until the pandemic closed her salon that
LaFlamme made the decision, with the support of her boss Wendy Freeman, to let her hair go naturally
grey on air. "Honestly, if I had known the lockdown could be so liberating on that front," LaFlamme said,
"I would have done it a lot sooner."¹2
In January 2022, Michael Melling replaced Freeman as the new vice-president of CTV News. ¹³ According to a
senior CTV official, Melling had only been in the job a short time before he began to take issue with his female
anchor's appearance, asking at a meeting "who had approved the decision to 'let Lisa's hair go grey."¹4
The double standard regarding what was acceptable in terms of physical appearance for men and for women
was nothing new. Aging men with grey hair were seen as distinguished, while women were instead
rewarded for maintaining a youthful appearance. 15 CTV had certainly never taken issue when its male
anchors aged: Craig Oliver, the network's chief political adviser, didn't retire until he was 81.16 LaFlamme's
predecessor, Lloyd Robertson, retired at age 77. Both men, needless to say, had aged naturally grey hair,
baldness, wrinkles, and all. Robertson even spoke in an interview about the sole time he did dye his hair,
concluding, "The very idea of hair colouring for news people probably distracted from the image of
steadiness of character and decorum that we were supposed present."
3917
This was true for men, perhaps. But for women, different story. A 2021 study found that women
who aged authentically, including by letting their hair go grey, were seen as less competent and credible in
the workplace.¹8 Women who worked on air in media had been fighting this battle for decades: in 1981,
news anchor Christine Craft filed a lawsuit after she was dismissed because she was "too old, too
unattractive, and not deferential enough to men."¹⁹ In 2019, five female news anchors sued their network
for age and gender discrimination. 20 As outrageous as it seemed for Bell Media to have fired an award-
winning and beloved journalist because of her hair, it was clear that the rumours surrounding LaFlamme's
dismissal were by no means implausible.

A STUDY IN GREY: LISA LAFLAMME'S DISMISSAL FROM CTV NEWS¹
Gerard Seijts, Jana Seijts, and Lindsay Hobbs wrote this case solely to provide material for class discussion. The authors do not
intend to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. The authors may have disguised certain names
and other identifying information to protect confidentiality.
This publication may not be transmitted, photocopied, digitized, or otherwise reproduced in any form or by any means without the
permission of the copyright holder. Reproduction of this material is not covered under authorization by any reproduction rights
organization. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, contact Ivey Publishing, Ivey Business School, Western
University, London, Ontario, Canada, N6G ON1; (t) 519.661.3208; (e) cases@ivey.ca; www.iveypublishing.ca. Our goal is to publish
materials of the highest quality; submit any errata to publishcases@ivey.ca.
Copyright © 2023, Ivey Business School Foundation
Lisa LaFlamme was a highly respected journalist, senior editor, and foreign correspondent; the anchor of
CTV National News; and the trusted face of one of Canada's most-watched newscasts. In 2022, at age 58,
LaFlamme was at the height of her career. It was therefore a shock to her colleagues and viewers when, on
August 15, 2022, she posted a video on Twitter to announce that she had been abruptly ousted from CTV
by its parent company, Bell Media Inc. (Bell Media). LaFlamme spoke with her trademark directness to the
camera: "I was blindsided," she said.³
LO
Version: 2023-09-15
JON
The sudden decision to terminate LaFlamme's contract two years early resulted in intense backlash. While Bell
Media floundered and failed to provide a satisfactory reason, vaguely citing a "business decision," LaFlamme's
replacement, Omar Sachedina, came up against viewer resentment and mistrust. LaFlamme herself, cut adrift
after thirty-five years with CTV, made no secret of her feelings: "I'm still shocked and saddened by Bell Media's
decision," she said. "It is crushing to be leaving CTV News in a f anner not my choice."
Bell Media was hit with seemingly never-ending waves of negative press, including speculation that sexism
and ageism were the reasons behind LaFlamme's sting. The choice to get rid of LaFlamme, and the
manner in which that action was taken, had lasting negative effects that Bell Media surely had not
anticipated. Looking back, was replacing LaFlamme unequivocally the wrong choice? Or could it have
been handled in a way that would have prevented such backlash?
A CAREER CHARACTERIZED BY INTEGRITY
Lisa LaFlamme began her career in the late 1980s, working as a reporter for the television station CKCO
in her hometown of Kitchener-Waterloo. In 1997, she made the move to Toronto's CTV Newsnet, where
she worked as a parliamentary reporter, consumer reporter, and foreign affairs correspondent. In 2011,
LaFlamme stepped into the role of CTV National News chief anchor and senior editor."
During a career characterized by integrity and fearlessness, LaFlamme covered national and international
stories, including wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine; Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters;
federal elections; the 9/11 attacks; the Queen's Diamond Jubilee; the COVID-19 pandemic; and the papal
apology to residential school Survivors. Her work often took her into dangerous situations, and viewers
came to trust and respect her dedication and courage.

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