‘HOST CULTURE’
Ghomeshi report faults CBC
The alleged wrongdoing by former CBC Radio host Jian Ghomeshi flourished because of an ingrained “host culture” at the public broadcaster, where major on-air talent often has “big personalities, big egos and big demands,” a report says.
The scathing assessment of the highly publicized demise of Ghomeshi’s tenure at CBC concluded that the host’s abusive behaviour — “yelling, belittling and humiliating” coworkers, giving “creepy” back massages, asking out colleagues, making “cruel jokes,” failing to credit others’ work and making demeaning comments about co-workers’ appearance — created a “dysfunctional” environment at CBC’s flagship arts and culture radio show.
And, yet, myriad complaints by colleagues throughout his broadcast career and other warning signs were muted, ignored or dismissed, partly because Ghomeshi was such a rising star that others felt “vulnerable” about complaining or disciplining him, says the report released on Thursday.
“The evidence shows that while Mr. Ghomeshi’s star was allowed to rise, his problematic behaviour was left unchecked,” says the report’s author, Toronto employment lawyer Janice Rubin.
“He took advantage of his powerful status and exploited those around him.
“We believe that management’s failure to effectively deal with Mr. Ghomeshi’s behaviour gave him licence to continue.” The failure “had the effect of condoning the behaviour.”
After the report’s release CBC president Hubert Lacroix apologized “to our employees and to Canadians who have a right to expect a higher standard from their public broadcaster.”
“The findings of this report are troubling, they’re disappointing and they point to lapses in our system and concerns about our culture,” Lacroix told a conference call. “We remain committed to creating a workplace in which safety and respect for one another is a fundamental attribute and is non-negotiable.”
CBC also announced it was “severing ties” with two top executives, Chris Boyce, executive director of CBC Radio, and Todd Spencer, the head of human resources and industrial relations for English services. The two had been on indefinite leave since January.
The CBC called in Rubin after it fired Ghomeshi in October, saying senior managers saw “graphic evidence” he had caused physical injury to a woman. He was then criminally charged with seven counts of sexual assault and one of overcoming resistance by choking; his lawyer said he will plead not guilty to all charges.
Ghomeshi, 47, did not participate in the review and did not respond to the comments of his co-workers in the report, which redacted portions that could identify employees.
Rubin’s investigation found that despite increased evidence of Ghomeshi breaching the standards and policies of the CBC — and public behaviour — his salary rose, his show grew bigger and he was given more staff, live shows in other cities, additional special appearances and higher-profile guests.
“There tends to be a belief that bad behaviour is excused by results,” a senior CBC manager told the investigators, according to the report.
Ghomeshi certainly produced results. He was the popular and acclaimed host of the nationally broadcast program Q. The show started in 2007 and built a wide and loyal fan base that expanded into the United States and internationally.
Ghomeshi was considered one of the broadcaster’s biggest stars.
The portrait of big stars getting special leeway emerged during the investigators’ interviews with 99 people who were involved with Ghomeshi or the allegations against him. The report says Ghomeshi “consistently breached the behavioural standard” of CBC’s policies. Almost any one of the breaches for most employees could have been catastrophic to their careers.
“Certain host behaviour was generally tolerated despite the feeling that their egos and behaviour were problematic as there is general fear to stand up to the talent,” the report says of its input from staff.
Some hosts are perceived to have the ear of senior management, giving them even greater influence over other employees.
“A number of witnesses observed that Mr. Ghomeshi’s behaviour and the response to it was consistent with Host Culture, though they said that Mr. Ghomeshi’s behaviour was on the extreme end of the spectrum.”
His influence, purported vindictiveness and power led employees to mute concerns, the report says.
The studio was heavily populated by younger, non-permanent employees eager to establish a career, leaving them with a fear of coming forward, it says.
“Mr. Ghomeshi gave a number of colleagues back and shoulder massages. Most of the witnesses did not find these massages sexual (although several did), but instead described them as ‘creepy’ and disrespectful of their personal boundaries,” the report says.
Ghomeshi asked women in the workplace out on dates and flirted with them — including interns and on-air guests, the report says. He also shared intimate and graphic details of his sex life with women and men in the studio that were described as “unsavoury.”
At least three times, CBS missed opportunities to investigate and intervene, the report says.