Friday, September 10, 2010

Why Tom Clark Left CTV

A week ago it was announced that Tom Clark, host of Power Play left the network.  Many were speculating about the reason why. This just may be it.
Tom Clark left CTV’s Power Play after the broadcaster cancelled plans to offer him an anchoring position on the national news, Howard Bernstein, a former television producer who has worked for most of the major English networks in Canada, wrote on his blog Wednesday.
“I understand that Tom was upset that he didn’t get Lloyd Robertson’s job. After more than three decades of hard work, it had to have come as a severe blow to see someone else get the job he had coveted and felt he had worked so hard for,” Bernstein, a broadcasting industry insider, wrote on his blog, Medium Close Up.
From Bernstein's blog:
I don’t know why Lisa Laflamme got the job. I do know that CTV’s original plans were for Lisa and Tom to co-host the news. Where that went awry I don’t know. I have heard some people speculate that with Katy Couric and Diane Sawyer taking over U.S. newscasts, CTV decided to make a splash by hiring a woman. I have also heard speculation that some considered Lisa’s age (she’s much younger than Tom) the deciding factor. I think Lisa was a great choice. I believe it is unfair to bring gender into the discussion. Lisa did everything the network asked and more. She is a fine journalist and a credit to CTV News. Would Tom have done just as well? We’ll never know. I do know that Tom would have worked just as hard and been a credit to the job. Would audiences have responded to Tom as they seem to be responding to Lisa? I’d like to think so.
It looks like this might be a case of affirmative action. Seems that Tom was ticked that Laflamme got the coveted anchor's job instead of him.  Did he not want to co-anchor with Laflamme? Did he leave on his accord or was he canned?  Who knows?  In my opinion the ratings are going to tank with Laflamme in that anchor chair.

It's not that I'll miss him, he was overly partisan anyway.  I'm just curious that's all.  Maybe it's about time some other Liberal shills on that network left too, like Craig Oliver. It's about time he retired anyway.   Bob Fife, Hanoi Giggles Jane Taber would be better for CTV too if they left.  Maybe they could move Giggles over to ETalk, she's more of a gossiper  anyway.  It would be a better fit for her over there. 

Who will be the permanent host for Power Play?  I don't know, but I bet whoever it is, they will be another Liberal shill.

14 comments:

  1. I can't stand Lisa LaFlamme!

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  2. I can't stand Lisa LaFlamme!

    Me neither,Fay!

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  3. They just announced that CTV is being sold to BCE. That means that the Toronto Star is selling its stake in the network, while the Globe and Mail is being bought by a seperate entity.

    The fewer media outlets owned by the Toronto Star, the better off our country will be.

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  4. I would like to see someone host power play that would ask questions like who, what, when, where, why, do you take that position on different subjects and not let the talking heads prattle on and on about how horrible the goverment is...give solutions to the so called problem if that is what they are there to spoute on about instead of put downs constantly. I know the reason they do that also...it is because the talking heads don't have to give a solution just insinuate something and some viewers will swallow it hook line and sinker.

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  5. They just announced that CTV is being sold to BCE. That means that the Toronto Star is selling its stake in the network, while the Globe and Mail is being bought by a seperate entity.

    That's a little bit of good news. It remains to be seen if they'll change their biased stripes and be a little more objective. I won't be holding my breath.

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  6. Can't stand Lisa!! I watched this jaw dropping 'interview'. Also turned to the panel of Lib cheerleaders on CBC last night...Hebert, Coyne, etc...wow, they are stale and past their due date. Our media needs shaking up!

    Basking in the blue skies and humid weather of a Canada Day in Ottawa, Alberta-bred country singer Paul Brandt was simply looking to entertain thousands of proud Canadians on Parliament Hill.

    By The Calgary Herald July 20, 2008 Be the first to post a comment

    Basking in the blue skies and humid weather of a Canada Day in Ottawa, Alberta-bred country singer Paul Brandt was simply looking to entertain thousands of proud Canadians on Parliament Hill.

    And with people clustering around the stage a few weeks ago for the summer party, Brandt was feeling the heat as a large audience looked on.

    But it wasn't from the glaring sun or the spotlight on stage.

    It was in front of the camera during an interview on CTV's 24-hour news channel.

    While entertainers from other parts of Canada were lobbed relatively softball questions, Brandt's friendly interview took a sudden twist.

    The "genuine Canadian man" -- as his hit single goes -- was forced to defend his home province after the news anchor queried Brandt about Alberta's environmental record.

    "You're from Alberta, right?" she asked.

    "There's a lot going on in Alberta these days. How do you feel about all that, particularly on the environment side of things?"

    Brandt's smile vanished.

    The award-winning singer, who had settled in after fielding initial questions on his music, sounded more like a politician.

    "It's such a heady topic and it's such a difficult thing to know what to think about it," Brandt responded, clad in a black cowboy hat and shirt.

    "There are a lot of issues at the forefront right now, with oil and the environment, the successes that are happening in Alberta, and how our leaders are working hard to try and be responsible with taking care of what we've been given."

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  7. Craig Oliver says 'this is the first time since being elected, the Harper govt is in trouble'....LOL anyone else remember Oliver predicting a Liberal minority for Dion and then again saying Iffy will win in the spring of 2009!!!

    Maybe the rumors about Martha and Tom are true and the new owners of CTV are not interested in a Liberal bias so vividly on display...??

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  8. Our media needs shaking up!

    Boy ain't that the truth! SunTV can't come soon enough as far as I'm concerned.

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  9. Craig Oliver says 'this is the first time since being elected, the Harper govt is in trouble'....LOL anyone else remember Oliver predicting a Liberal minority for Dion and then again saying Iffy will win in the spring of 2009!!!,

    That's nothing new,wilson. Craig Owliver has always been a hardcore Liberal cheerleader. He keeps pining for the good ole Trudeau days. His rant is only wishful thinking on his part. The time is way over due for him to announce his retirement. How old is he anyway,a hundred? I think he needs a Helen Thomas moment to force his departure.

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  10. "Will be another Liberal shill"?

    Please tell me that you are not that completely deluded. You might recall the previous "Liberal shill" host of the show, Senator Mike Duffy, was rewarded by his Harper friend for playing a major role in delivering the election to the Conservatives, and is now one of his most partisan defenders/attack dogs.

    If "Liberal shill" means someone who once in a blue moon strays from PMO talking points, then perhaps it will be in your view. I do remind, however, that "neutrality" does not equate to agreeing 100% with everything this current nightmare of a "no facts for me - I'm a Conservative" PM does.

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  11. "Will be another Liberal shill"?

    Please tell me that you are not that completely deluded.


    Anony, I'm referring to Tom Clark who was blatant in his Liberal bias. Then you have Jane Taber, Craig Oliver and Robert Fife who really don't hide their bias at all.

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  12. Confirming that, in fact, in your view, the only one who isn't a "Liberal shill" is the one who is in fact a partisan Conservative shill.

    Robert Fife?? Are you kidding? The guy is trying to follow Duffy to the Senate with his oh so gentle treatment of Con talking heads.

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  13. Lisa Laphlegm is a joke! Remember when the media were campaigning to get that retard Dijon and his dog "Kyoto" elected, and how Lisa laPhlegm suffered such personal trauma over the cartoon "pooping puffin" ad the Conservatives were running. I guess Lisa's personal trauma over "pooping puffins"has subsided. I believe Turdo's canoe buddy Craig Oliver is at least 150 years old. It's hilarious to watch Jane Taber and "knuckle dragger" Bob Fife campaigning for Turdo's kid who they describe as a "rising superstar".?.? Why? Because he's Turdo's kid I guess, which apparently is all that's required. As for Liberal Uncle Tom Clark, I guess he feels he was "entitled" to read the teleprompter liberal talking points, and when he didn't get it, he left in a huff. Typical liberal whiner.

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  14. Tom is gone because they definitely wanted a woman anchor for politically correct reasons as Bernstein confirms. It must suck to work hard and suck up for 30 years for a job and not get it at the end. I see CTV not wanting two anchors due to the cost which is really not justified. (real conservative)

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