I wrote about the Mad Men-style mess at the “progressive,” do-gooder Toronto Star (a.k.a., The Daily Scold) here, and while nowhere near as entertaining as Frank‘s four-part series on same, here’s the latest round up via the Financial Post:
Liane McLarty, general manager of the Ryerson University student newspaper, The Eyeopener, said the paper was aware of allegations of inappropriate workplace behaviour by Filson since 2008, and often warned women about internships at the Toronto Star.
McLarty, who has worked with students since the 1990s, said The Eyeopener received two complaints before telling women who were given internships at the Star to avoid Filson.
“It was a power game, the workplace is like it’s out of the 1970s,” she said. (…)
Another woman who interned at the Toronto Star alleges she was bullied by Filson. She also asked not to be named.
The woman said she was routinely made to “feel like crap,” her stories were mocked, she was given “impossible” assignments then laughed at when they didn’t work out. “He seemed to take particular pleasure in seeing me become less and less confident as I desperately tried to succeed,” she said.
The former intern said she felt her options for reporting his behaviour were limited. “I did mention to him that his words were pretty cutting and was told to suck it up or leave,” she said.
The woman said she was discouraged by her colleagues from going to the union. “It was the most toxic newsroom I’ve ever worked in and eventually led to my decision to leave journalism altogether.”
