The controversial axing of Times Colonist columnist Vivian Smith has prompted one of her colleagues to quit working for the newspaper, Public Eye has learned. University of Victoria journalism professor Lynne Van Luven, who freelances a regular column for the broadsheet's Sunday Monitor section, tendered her resignation in an email sent earlier today to features editor Bruce MacKenzie and books editor Liz Pogue. In that email, Prof. Van Luven explains she's resigning "as a sincere protest against the way TC Management has dealt with" Ms. Smith, whose contract was cut short after she wrote a column criticizing the high cost of Victoria's tourist attractions.
"Vivian Smith wrote an informative and reasonable column in the July 2/06 issue of the newspaper," continued Prof. Van Luven. "Smith's sole error about Buchart Garden's fees for children was minor and duly corrected. That she should be suspended so summarily seems greatly disproportionate to whatever complaints the column sparked within the Victoria business and tourism sector."
As we previously reported, Times Colonist publisher Bob McKenzie met with tourism representatives to discuss those complaints. And, according to one account of that meeting, Mr. McKenzie told those representatives he agreed Ms. Smith's column "should have never run" and that her contract would "probably" be cut short.
Prof. Van Luven's email goes onto note Ms. Smith's dismissal "also suggests a harsh 'one strike and you are out' mentality that does not bode well for staffers at the TC itself...as a senior journalist with a long-standing association with Canwest Global, I am dismayed by this blot upon the Times Colonist's integrity."
Times Colonist representatives have yet to comment on the reason for Ms. Smith's axing, except to confirm the former Globe and Mail editor was told the newspaper doesn't base editorial decisions on advertiser complaints. The following is a complete copy of Prof. Van Luven's email.
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ATTENTION: Bruce MacKenzie, Features Editor, and Liz Pogue, Books Editor
Hello Bruce and Liz:
I feel awkward sending this note to two people I so admire, at a time when newsroom morale may be somewhat shaky.
Nevertheless, I feel impelled to notify you that I have decided to resign from my position as freelance columnist for the Books and Ideas pages of the Monitor. Perhaps freelancers cannot really resign, in which case, I want to withdraw my column and cancel my contract with the TC. I do so after much serious thought. I do so as a sincere protest against the way TC Management has dealt with a respected fellow journalist.
Vivian Smith wrote an informative and reasonable column in the July 2/06 issue of the newspaper. Smith's sole error about Buchart Garden's fees for children was minor and duly corrected. That she should be suspended so summarily seems greatly disproportionate to whatever complaints the column sparked within the Victoria business and tourism sector...It also suggests a harsh "one strike and you are out" mentality that does not bode well for staffers at the TC itself.
As a teacher of future journalists, I would feel hypocritical if I were to continue my column under a publisher who appears to have so little respect for freelancers' autonomy and freedom of expression, and who appears to value only the business aspect of his newspaper's intimate and vital role within its community.
I would be happy to work for the TC again in the future, as I have been treated with nothing but respect and professional conduct in my own dealings with the TC. Furthermore, the paper's staff includes many hardworking professionals who do the best job possible and will surely also find these events distressing.
However, as a senior journalist with a long-standing association with Canwest Global, I am dismayed by this blot upon the Times Colonist's integrity. My most direct means of protest is to withdraw my column and byline from the newspaper.
Newspapers, reporters and journalists receive a lot of criticism... they are out there in the "public eye". Some slack is needed. Has either Vivian Smith or the paper directly said what this is all about?
BTW, I've read that Canwest's bond are under review, Global is merging, and the national post is in financial distress. So, a what is going on here?
I read Ms. Smith's article and found it to be well written, accurate and amusing. What she was thinking however by taking on community heavyweights in a city like Victoria one will never know. It is not just the TC, most local mainstream media pays homage to their advertisers.
Credit to Ms. Van Liven for taking a stand based on her principles, but she was working in the wrong industry if she felt ethics were part of the job description.
It's great to see the word "principle" used even loosely in connection with a CanWest newspaper.
E.g., Dave Basi was scheduled 3 days ago to appear in court room 101, right on Burdett Ave.
How far is that -- maybe 8 blocks? -- from the Times Colonist building?
But did we read about it in the Friday morning TC? No-o-o-o.
How great it would be if Ms Smith and Ms Van Liven, by their principled actions, had started a groundswell of interest in improving the quality of the TC and perhaps all CanWest news media.
I realize that this may come too late, but having just uncovered this treasure trove, I cannot resist.
Re the comment by 'Pie-in-the-sky' (22 July): I have recently (beginning in the Spring) attempted to "improve the quality" of the TC by complaining to Publisher and Editor-in-Chief about the utterly ludicrous depths to which 'serious' music criticism has been allowed (though now I would be more inclined to write 'made') to fall at that tabloid-in-broadsheet-form (I am a musicologist).
Following some acrimonious correspondence with the E-i-C, featuring a veritable cornucopia of logical fallacies, I have now conceded defeat. In this day and age (and especially so in the boondocks, as we are), people like McKenzie and Chodan are not paid to safeguard 'journalistic integrity' (and all that 'good'--but thoroughly passe--stuff); they are paid to safeguard--and fatten, at any 'cost'--the 'bottom line'. Is that deplorable, even sickening? You bet. Is it subject to remedy? Not before Hell freezes over.
Sincerely,
Zoltan Roman