Irving news group fires Miramichi editor
Last updated Oct 31 2005 08:44 AM AST
CBC News
Irving-owned Brunswick News has fired the award-winning editor of Miramichi's local newspaper.
The paper has not publicly disclosed its reasons for the firing, and that has prompted some members of Miramichi City Council to call for Cathy Carnahan's reinstatement and demand a meeting with Brunswick News managers.
Miramichi councillor Peter Manderson introduced a motion asking for those two things at a council meeting last week. "I just feel that they owed us an explanation, just to up and say nothing about firing the local editor."
Carnahan says the only reason she's been given for her dismissal is on her official record of employment from Brunswick News, which states she's not a proper fit at the paper.
"As an editor and as a journalist, I consider it a compliment because I certainly don't fit if I'm unable to do my job with integrity and I believe that that became an issue."
Carnahan wrote an editorial a month ago that said the line between news and advertising was blurring in the paper's newsroom. She also said the paper would be hurt by the loss of two graphic artists. She did not disclose in the editorial that one of the laid-off artists was her cousin.
The paper later printed a clarification. It said "the Leader is embarrassed by the omission and the lack of editorial integrity."
The company declined to talk about the reasons for Carnahan's dismissal. It says it won't comment on personnel issues.
Carnahan was editor of the Miramichi Leader for 18 months. During that time, the paper won six national and regional awards.
This is the second time Brunswick News has fired an editor in less than a month.
Three weeks ago, Brunswick News dismissed the editor of its free weekly magazine Here after a controversial cover photo of a breastfeeding baby hit news stands around the province. Brunswick News managers said the photo was not appropriate for some of the establishments that give away the paper, so replaced it with a cartoon drawing of a woman holding a baby.
4 comments:
I see the point about not mentioning one of the laid off employees is a cousin. That is relevant information for the reader to see where the editorial is coming from but once coming clean on that, Carnahan's comment is fair indeed. The lines are blurring between news and advertising and it's troubling. The newsroom of any media outlet has to be given autonomy or it can become suspect of bias. If the editorial is the only reason Carnahan got sacked, the readers of the Miramichi Leader should demand she be reinstated. She only told the truth. Now if there's other factors which led to her firing the Irvings should say there were other factors. It is a personnel issue so I understand them not wanting to broadcast the exact details but they owe an explanation to Carnahan and then she would be free to say what she wants (as long as she doesn't still work there apparently).
The Irvings made it very clear in front of the Senate that asvertissement dollars was more of importance than news......go read the transcript of the senate on the front blog.....
I understand that advertising is more important to the owner than news. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a media outlet where that isn't the case unless they have very deep pockets or have the outlet to purposely generate a loss or it's the CBC which doesn't solely depend on ad dollars. Even still the newsroom must have autonomy over the advertising. The media outlet must be able to do a story even if it leaves an advertiser in a bad light. No media outlet should be catering to advertisers on the news side of the house, although admittedley lots do as Carnahan's editorial put so well. Telling the truth seems to have costs her her job. If that's the reason she lost her job, we should all be outraged. The truth might hurt but it shouldn't cost someone their job.
you're right....I remove the comments......please lets stay on the issue in hand...merci....
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