Canada's
CBC television network has abruptly fired one of its best-known hosts, Evan
Solomon, after a newspaper investigation suggested he improperly profited from relationships
gained through his shows
The Toronto Star newspaper reported that Solomon was "taking secret commission payments related to art sales involving people he dealt with as a host."
The
Star cited documents that showed $300,000 worth of commissions for Solomon over
a two-year period.
The
CBC's "Journalistic Standards and Practices" policy specifically
addresses the issue of personal gains from professional assignments.
"Employees
must not use their positions to further their personal interests," the
policy states.
The
CBC indicated in a statement on Tuesday night that Solomon had run afoul of the
policy.
"We have
determined that some of Evan Solomon's activities were inconsistent with our
conflict of interest and ethics policy as well as our journalistic standards
and practices," the network said."Consequently,
we made the decision to terminate his employment with the CBC."
In
a statement sent to Canadian news outlets a few hours later, Solomon said
"I did not view the art business as a conflict with my political
journalism at the CBC and never intentionally used my position at the CBC to promote
the business."
He
also said, "I am deeply sorry for the damage that my activities have done
to the trust that the CBC and its viewers and listeners have put in me."
Up
until Tuesday, Solomon was a prominent personality on the CBC, a national
broadcaster partially funded by the government.
He
hosted a two-hour weekday CBC News TV show, "Power and Politics," a
Canadian analogue to "Meet the Press." He also hosted a radio show
called "The House."
"Among
the people to whom Solomon has brokered the sale of paintings are Jim
Balsillie, co-founder of Research In Motion (now BlackBerry) and Mark Carney,
the former Bank of Canada governor and current governor of the Bank of
England," the newspaper
reported Tuesday evening.
"Solomon,
as a journalist, has dealt with both men in his high-profile host jobs at the
CBC. Carney, who is also a friend, has been a guest on both of Solomon's shows."
The Star originally
contacted the CBC with information about the art sales on Monday.
According
to the Star, Solomon's initial comment when contacted by the newspaper was that
"I have never been involved in an art business."
He
later admitted he was involved, but said it was "all disclosed to
CBC."
CBC
spokesman Chuck Thompson initially told The Star that "Evan didn't trade
on his journalistic contacts."
That
comment no longer reflects the network's position, Thompson said Tuesday night.
That's
because an internal investigation took place after The Star presented its
evidence. Solomon was kept off the air in the meantime.
Early
Tuesday evening, Solomon was told he was being fired.
Staffers
were told this way, by CBC News editor in chief Jennifer McGuire: "I
regret to inform you that CBC News has ended its relationship with Evan Solomon
host of 'Power and Politics' and 'The House.'"
The
change was so sudden that the network did not immediately name new hosts for
the programs.
CBC
staffers expressed shock about the Star report and subsequent firing.
"Very
sad - he was one of our top people," host and reporter Dave Seglins
tweeted. He called the revelations "unbelievable, infuriating,
humiliating, distracting and devastating."
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