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SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
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Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
Fueling those concerns: At least two of Yazdani’s stories about the Ford government have quietly vanished from CityNews’ website without explanation, including one on Education Minister Paul Calandra’s grad-related memo to school boards in late March. It included an on-camera moment in which Calandra, in a heated exchange, told Yazdani: “Don’t interrupt me. Let me finish and then I’ll get to you.”
The next day brought one final on-air appearance — Yazdani covering the Ford government’s budget — before she disappeared. The Calandra story was removed from the website, and her employment was terminated days later.
A message from Municipal Masterclass:
Municipal Masterclass is a one-day, in-person conference bringing together municipal leaders, candidates, and campaign professionals for practical insights on what actually works in local campaigns. Learn more.
CityNews acknowledged her departure late Sunday night, but wouldn’t say why she was let go — or why the stories were taken down. “Tina is no longer with CityNews, and we don’t share details on individual employee matters,” spokesperson Charmaine Khan said.
“Before any story is removed or a correction is made, the story is thoroughly and independently reviewed by our senior news editorial team to determine if it meets our editorial standards or if a correction is warranted,” she added. “A story is removed if it is determined through this process that it does not meet our editorial standards. Our news teams closely follow the company’s news policy, which ensures editorial independence is upheld in our newsrooms.”
Yet by Rogers’ own policy: Stories aren’t pulled if they’re factually accurate and legally sound. “If the original story was flawed and indefensible, it will be removed or a retraction posted… Otherwise, an updated version of the story will be published, as written by the news team. The updated version will replace the original.”
“It’s only once the removed stories went to air that they would’ve become a problem,” a source said, questioning what errors — if any — existed in Yazdani’s reporting before airing.
“Stories pass through multiple editors before they are published online. So the question is, what changed once these stories had aired that required them to suddenly be looked at again?”
It’s a question the company hasn’t answered. When contacted separately, Amar Sodhi, CityNews’ director, did not respond.
In two years on the beat, Yazdani, well-liked by her colleagues in the Press Gallery, had built a strong following on social media — even on TikTok — and was not the easiest reporter to ignore at a scrum.
For one former Queen’s Park reporter, what happened at City doesn’t stay at City. “What message does it send when a major newsroom appears to sideline a journalist for doing the very job they were hired to do — asking tough questions and holding power to account?”
Yazdani did not respond to a request for comment.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Are you Tina Yazdani, Amar Sodhi or Paul Calandra? I want to hear your side and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back in your inbox on Monday, April 27.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
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Publisher’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed a quote to Rogers; the comment was from a CityNews spokesperson.
SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
Fueling those concerns: At least two of Yazdani’s stories about the Ford government have quietly vanished from CityNews’ website without explanation, including one on Education Minister Paul Calandra’s grad-related memo to school boards in late March. It included an on-camera moment in which Calandra, in a heated exchange, told Yazdani: “Don’t interrupt me. Let me finish and then I’ll get to you.”
The next day brought one final on-air appearance — Yazdani covering the Ford government’s budget — before she disappeared. The Calandra story was removed from the website, and her employment was terminated days later.
A message from Municipal Masterclass:
Municipal Masterclass is a one-day, in-person conference bringing together municipal leaders, candidates, and campaign professionals for practical insights on what actually works in local campaigns. Learn more.
CityNews acknowledged her departure late Sunday night, but wouldn’t say why she was let go — or why the stories were taken down. “Tina is no longer with CityNews, and we don’t share details on individual employee matters,” spokesperson Charmaine Khan said.
“Before any story is removed or a correction is made, the story is thoroughly and independently reviewed by our senior news editorial team to determine if it meets our editorial standards or if a correction is warranted,” she added. “A story is removed if it is determined through this process that it does not meet our editorial standards. Our news teams closely follow the company’s news policy, which ensures editorial independence is upheld in our newsrooms.”
Yet by Rogers’ own policy: Stories aren’t pulled if they’re factually accurate and legally sound. “If the original story was flawed and indefensible, it will be removed or a retraction posted… Otherwise, an updated version of the story will be published, as written by the news team. The updated version will replace the original.”
“It’s only once the removed stories went to air that they would’ve become a problem,” a source said, questioning what errors — if any — existed in Yazdani’s reporting before airing.
“Stories pass through multiple editors before they are published online. So the question is, what changed once these stories had aired that required them to suddenly be looked at again?”
It’s a question the company hasn’t answered. When contacted separately, Amar Sodhi, CityNews’ director, did not respond.
In two years on the beat, Yazdani, well-liked by her colleagues in the Press Gallery, had built a strong following on social media — even on TikTok — and was not the easiest reporter to ignore at a scrum.
For one former Queen’s Park reporter, what happened at City doesn’t stay at City. “What message does it send when a major newsroom appears to sideline a journalist for doing the very job they were hired to do — asking tough questions and holding power to account?”
Yazdani did not respond to a request for comment.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Are you Tina Yazdani, Amar Sodhi or Paul Calandra? I want to hear your side and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back in your inbox on Monday, April 27.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
Publisher’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed a quote to Rogers; the comment was from a CityNews spokesperson.
SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
Fueling those concerns: At least two of Yazdani’s stories about the Ford government have quietly vanished from CityNews’ website without explanation, including one on Education Minister Paul Calandra’s grad-related memo to school boards in late March. It included an on-camera moment in which Calandra, in a heated exchange, told Yazdani: “Don’t interrupt me. Let me finish and then I’ll get to you.”
The next day brought one final on-air appearance — Yazdani covering the Ford government’s budget — before she disappeared. The Calandra story was removed from the website, and her employment was terminated days later.
A message from Municipal Masterclass:
Municipal Masterclass is a one-day, in-person conference bringing together municipal leaders, candidates, and campaign professionals for practical insights on what actually works in local campaigns. Learn more.
CityNews acknowledged her departure late Sunday night, but wouldn’t say why she was let go — or why the stories were taken down. “Tina is no longer with CityNews, and we don’t share details on individual employee matters,” spokesperson Charmaine Khan said.
“Before any story is removed or a correction is made, the story is thoroughly and independently reviewed by our senior news editorial team to determine if it meets our editorial standards or if a correction is warranted,” she added. “A story is removed if it is determined through this process that it does not meet our editorial standards. Our news teams closely follow the company’s news policy, which ensures editorial independence is upheld in our newsrooms.”
Yet by Rogers’ own policy: Stories aren’t pulled if they’re factually accurate and legally sound. “If the original story was flawed and indefensible, it will be removed or a retraction posted… Otherwise, an updated version of the story will be published, as written by the news team. The updated version will replace the original.”
“It’s only once the removed stories went to air that they would’ve become a problem,” a source said, questioning what errors — if any — existed in Yazdani’s reporting before airing.
“Stories pass through multiple editors before they are published online. So the question is, what changed once these stories had aired that required them to suddenly be looked at again?”
It’s a question the company hasn’t answered. When contacted separately, Amar Sodhi, CityNews’ director, did not respond.
In two years on the beat, Yazdani, well-liked by her colleagues in the Press Gallery, had built a strong following on social media — even on TikTok — and was not the easiest reporter to ignore at a scrum.
For one former Queen’s Park reporter, what happened at City doesn’t stay at City. “What message does it send when a major newsroom appears to sideline a journalist for doing the very job they were hired to do — asking tough questions and holding power to account?”
Yazdani did not respond to a request for comment.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Are you Tina Yazdani, Amar Sodhi or Paul Calandra? I want to hear your side and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back in your inbox on Monday, April 27.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
Publisher’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed a quote to Rogers; the comment was from a CityNews spokesperson.
SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
Fueling those concerns: At least two of Yazdani’s stories about the Ford government have quietly vanished from CityNews’ website without explanation, including one on Education Minister Paul Calandra’s grad-related memo to school boards in late March. It included an on-camera moment in which Calandra, in a heated exchange, told Yazdani: “Don’t interrupt me. Let me finish and then I’ll get to you.”
The next day brought one final on-air appearance — Yazdani covering the Ford government’s budget — before she disappeared. The Calandra story was removed from the website, and her employment was terminated days later.
A message from Municipal Masterclass:
Municipal Masterclass is a one-day, in-person conference bringing together municipal leaders, candidates, and campaign professionals for practical insights on what actually works in local campaigns. Learn more.
CityNews acknowledged her departure late Sunday night, but wouldn’t say why she was let go — or why the stories were taken down. “Tina is no longer with CityNews, and we don’t share details on individual employee matters,” spokesperson Charmaine Khan said.
“Before any story is removed or a correction is made, the story is thoroughly and independently reviewed by our senior news editorial team to determine if it meets our editorial standards or if a correction is warranted,” she added. “A story is removed if it is determined through this process that it does not meet our editorial standards. Our news teams closely follow the company’s news policy, which ensures editorial independence is upheld in our newsrooms.”
Yet by Rogers’ own policy: Stories aren’t pulled if they’re factually accurate and legally sound. “If the original story was flawed and indefensible, it will be removed or a retraction posted… Otherwise, an updated version of the story will be published, as written by the news team. The updated version will replace the original.”
“It’s only once the removed stories went to air that they would’ve become a problem,” a source said, questioning what errors — if any — existed in Yazdani’s reporting before airing.
“Stories pass through multiple editors before they are published online. So the question is, what changed once these stories had aired that required them to suddenly be looked at again?”
It’s a question the company hasn’t answered. When contacted separately, Amar Sodhi, CityNews’ director, did not respond.
In two years on the beat, Yazdani, well-liked by her colleagues in the Press Gallery, had built a strong following on social media — even on TikTok — and was not the easiest reporter to ignore at a scrum.
For one former Queen’s Park reporter, what happened at City doesn’t stay at City. “What message does it send when a major newsroom appears to sideline a journalist for doing the very job they were hired to do — asking tough questions and holding power to account?”
Yazdani did not respond to a request for comment.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Are you Tina Yazdani, Amar Sodhi or Paul Calandra? I want to hear your side and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back in your inbox on Monday, April 27.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
Publisher’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed a quote to Rogers; the comment was from a CityNews spokesperson.
SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
Fueling those concerns: At least two of Yazdani’s stories about the Ford government have quietly vanished from CityNews’ website without explanation, including one on Education Minister Paul Calandra’s grad-related memo to school boards in late March. It included an on-camera moment in which Calandra, in a heated exchange, told Yazdani: “Don’t interrupt me. Let me finish and then I’ll get to you.”
The next day brought one final on-air appearance — Yazdani covering the Ford government’s budget — before she disappeared. The Calandra story was removed from the website, and her employment was terminated days later.
A message from Municipal Masterclass:
Municipal Masterclass is a one-day, in-person conference bringing together municipal leaders, candidates, and campaign professionals for practical insights on what actually works in local campaigns. Learn more.
CityNews acknowledged her departure late Sunday night, but wouldn’t say why she was let go — or why the stories were taken down. “Tina is no longer with CityNews, and we don’t share details on individual employee matters,” spokesperson Charmaine Khan said.
“Before any story is removed or a correction is made, the story is thoroughly and independently reviewed by our senior news editorial team to determine if it meets our editorial standards or if a correction is warranted,” she added. “A story is removed if it is determined through this process that it does not meet our editorial standards. Our news teams closely follow the company’s news policy, which ensures editorial independence is upheld in our newsrooms.”
Yet by Rogers’ own policy: Stories aren’t pulled if they’re factually accurate and legally sound. “If the original story was flawed and indefensible, it will be removed or a retraction posted… Otherwise, an updated version of the story will be published, as written by the news team. The updated version will replace the original.”
“It’s only once the removed stories went to air that they would’ve become a problem,” a source said, questioning what errors — if any — existed in Yazdani’s reporting before airing.
“Stories pass through multiple editors before they are published online. So the question is, what changed once these stories had aired that required them to suddenly be looked at again?”
It’s a question the company hasn’t answered. When contacted separately, Amar Sodhi, CityNews’ director, did not respond.
In two years on the beat, Yazdani, well-liked by her colleagues in the Press Gallery, had built a strong following on social media — even on TikTok — and was not the easiest reporter to ignore at a scrum.
For one former Queen’s Park reporter, what happened at City doesn’t stay at City. “What message does it send when a major newsroom appears to sideline a journalist for doing the very job they were hired to do — asking tough questions and holding power to account?”
Yazdani did not respond to a request for comment.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Are you Tina Yazdani, Amar Sodhi or Paul Calandra? I want to hear your side and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back in your inbox on Monday, April 27.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
Publisher’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed a quote to Rogers; the comment was from a CityNews spokesperson.
SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
Fueling those concerns: At least two of Yazdani’s stories about the Ford government have quietly vanished from CityNews’ website without explanation, including one on Education Minister Paul Calandra’s grad-related memo to school boards in late March. It included an on-camera moment in which Calandra, in a heated exchange, told Yazdani: “Don’t interrupt me. Let me finish and then I’ll get to you.”
The next day brought one final on-air appearance — Yazdani covering the Ford government’s budget — before she disappeared. The Calandra story was removed from the website, and her employment was terminated days later.
A message from Municipal Masterclass:
Municipal Masterclass is a one-day, in-person conference bringing together municipal leaders, candidates, and campaign professionals for practical insights on what actually works in local campaigns. Learn more.
CityNews acknowledged her departure late Sunday night, but wouldn’t say why she was let go — or why the stories were taken down. “Tina is no longer with CityNews, and we don’t share details on individual employee matters,” spokesperson Charmaine Khan said.
“Before any story is removed or a correction is made, the story is thoroughly and independently reviewed by our senior news editorial team to determine if it meets our editorial standards or if a correction is warranted,” she added. “A story is removed if it is determined through this process that it does not meet our editorial standards. Our news teams closely follow the company’s news policy, which ensures editorial independence is upheld in our newsrooms.”
Yet by Rogers’ own policy: Stories aren’t pulled if they’re factually accurate and legally sound. “If the original story was flawed and indefensible, it will be removed or a retraction posted… Otherwise, an updated version of the story will be published, as written by the news team. The updated version will replace the original.”
“It’s only once the removed stories went to air that they would’ve become a problem,” a source said, questioning what errors — if any — existed in Yazdani’s reporting before airing.
“Stories pass through multiple editors before they are published online. So the question is, what changed once these stories had aired that required them to suddenly be looked at again?”
It’s a question the company hasn’t answered. When contacted separately, Amar Sodhi, CityNews’ director, did not respond.
In two years on the beat, Yazdani, well-liked by her colleagues in the Press Gallery, had built a strong following on social media — even on TikTok — and was not the easiest reporter to ignore at a scrum.
For one former Queen’s Park reporter, what happened at City doesn’t stay at City. “What message does it send when a major newsroom appears to sideline a journalist for doing the very job they were hired to do — asking tough questions and holding power to account?”
Yazdani did not respond to a request for comment.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Are you Tina Yazdani, Amar Sodhi or Paul Calandra? I want to hear your side and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back in your inbox on Monday, April 27.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
Publisher’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed a quote to Rogers; the comment was from a CityNews spokesperson.
SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
Fueling those concerns: At least two of Yazdani’s stories about the Ford government have quietly vanished from CityNews’ website without explanation, including one on Education Minister Paul Calandra’s grad-related memo to school boards in late March. It included an on-camera moment in which Calandra, in a heated exchange, told Yazdani: “Don’t interrupt me. Let me finish and then I’ll get to you.”
The next day brought one final on-air appearance — Yazdani covering the Ford government’s budget — before she disappeared. The Calandra story was removed from the website, and her employment was terminated days later.
A message from Municipal Masterclass:
Municipal Masterclass is a one-day, in-person conference bringing together municipal leaders, candidates, and campaign professionals for practical insights on what actually works in local campaigns. Learn more.
CityNews acknowledged her departure late Sunday night, but wouldn’t say why she was let go — or why the stories were taken down. “Tina is no longer with CityNews, and we don’t share details on individual employee matters,” spokesperson Charmaine Khan said.
“Before any story is removed or a correction is made, the story is thoroughly and independently reviewed by our senior news editorial team to determine if it meets our editorial standards or if a correction is warranted,” she added. “A story is removed if it is determined through this process that it does not meet our editorial standards. Our news teams closely follow the company’s news policy, which ensures editorial independence is upheld in our newsrooms.”
Yet by Rogers’ own policy: Stories aren’t pulled if they’re factually accurate and legally sound. “If the original story was flawed and indefensible, it will be removed or a retraction posted… Otherwise, an updated version of the story will be published, as written by the news team. The updated version will replace the original.”
“It’s only once the removed stories went to air that they would’ve become a problem,” a source said, questioning what errors — if any — existed in Yazdani’s reporting before airing.
“Stories pass through multiple editors before they are published online. So the question is, what changed once these stories had aired that required them to suddenly be looked at again?”
It’s a question the company hasn’t answered. When contacted separately, Amar Sodhi, CityNews’ director, did not respond.
In two years on the beat, Yazdani, well-liked by her colleagues in the Press Gallery, had built a strong following on social media — even on TikTok — and was not the easiest reporter to ignore at a scrum.
For one former Queen’s Park reporter, what happened at City doesn’t stay at City. “What message does it send when a major newsroom appears to sideline a journalist for doing the very job they were hired to do — asking tough questions and holding power to account?”
Yazdani did not respond to a request for comment.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Are you Tina Yazdani, Amar Sodhi or Paul Calandra? I want to hear your side and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back in your inbox on Monday, April 27.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
Publisher’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed a quote to Rogers; the comment was from a CityNews spokesperson.
SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
Fueling those concerns: At least two of Yazdani’s stories about the Ford government have quietly vanished from CityNews’ website without explanation, including one on Education Minister Paul Calandra’s grad-related memo to school boards in late March. It included an on-camera moment in which Calandra, in a heated exchange, told Yazdani: “Don’t interrupt me. Let me finish and then I’ll get to you.”
The next day brought one final on-air appearance — Yazdani covering the Ford government’s budget — before she disappeared. The Calandra story was removed from the website, and her employment was terminated days later.
A message from Municipal Masterclass:
Municipal Masterclass is a one-day, in-person conference bringing together municipal leaders, candidates, and campaign professionals for practical insights on what actually works in local campaigns. Learn more.
CityNews acknowledged her departure late Sunday night, but wouldn’t say why she was let go — or why the stories were taken down. “Tina is no longer with CityNews, and we don’t share details on individual employee matters,” spokesperson Charmaine Khan said.
“Before any story is removed or a correction is made, the story is thoroughly and independently reviewed by our senior news editorial team to determine if it meets our editorial standards or if a correction is warranted,” she added. “A story is removed if it is determined through this process that it does not meet our editorial standards. Our news teams closely follow the company’s news policy, which ensures editorial independence is upheld in our newsrooms.”
Yet by Rogers’ own policy: Stories aren’t pulled if they’re factually accurate and legally sound. “If the original story was flawed and indefensible, it will be removed or a retraction posted… Otherwise, an updated version of the story will be published, as written by the news team. The updated version will replace the original.”
“It’s only once the removed stories went to air that they would’ve become a problem,” a source said, questioning what errors — if any — existed in Yazdani’s reporting before airing.
“Stories pass through multiple editors before they are published online. So the question is, what changed once these stories had aired that required them to suddenly be looked at again?”
It’s a question the company hasn’t answered. When contacted separately, Amar Sodhi, CityNews’ director, did not respond.
In two years on the beat, Yazdani, well-liked by her colleagues in the Press Gallery, had built a strong following on social media — even on TikTok — and was not the easiest reporter to ignore at a scrum.
For one former Queen’s Park reporter, what happened at City doesn’t stay at City. “What message does it send when a major newsroom appears to sideline a journalist for doing the very job they were hired to do — asking tough questions and holding power to account?”
Yazdani did not respond to a request for comment.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Are you Tina Yazdani, Amar Sodhi or Paul Calandra? I want to hear your side and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back in your inbox on Monday, April 27.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
Publisher’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed a quote to Rogers; the comment was from a CityNews spokesperson.
SCOOP — CityNews has cut ties with Queen’s Park reporter Tina Yazdani.
Yazdani was dismissed by Rogers Sports and Media, Citytv’s parent company, earlier this month, sources say. Her bio has been removed from the site, and an auto-reply to a Sunday email to Yazdani said she was “no longer” with the company.
Behind the scenes, sources say Yazdani’s exit has sent ripples through City’s newsroom. “Her colleagues are shocked. They were informed of her departure, but not told why,” said one source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many are concerned about what it means for their own journalism.”
Fueling those concerns: At least two of Yazdani’s stories about the Ford government have quietly vanished from CityNews’ website without explanation, including one on Education Minister Paul Calandra’s grad-related memo to school boards in late March. It included an on-camera moment in which Calandra, in a heated exchange, told Yazdani: “Don’t interrupt me. Let me finish and then I’ll get to you.”
The next day brought one final on-air appearance — Yazdani covering the Ford government’s budget — before she disappeared. The Calandra story was removed from the website, and her employment was terminated days later.
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CityNews acknowledged her departure late Sunday night, but wouldn’t say why she was let go — or why the stories were taken down. “Tina is no longer with CityNews, and we don’t share details on individual employee matters,” spokesperson Charmaine Khan said.
“Before any story is removed or a correction is made, the story is thoroughly and independently reviewed by our senior news editorial team to determine if it meets our editorial standards or if a correction is warranted,” she added. “A story is removed if it is determined through this process that it does not meet our editorial standards. Our news teams closely follow the company’s news policy, which ensures editorial independence is upheld in our newsrooms.”
Yet by Rogers’ own policy: Stories aren’t pulled if they’re factually accurate and legally sound. “If the original story was flawed and indefensible, it will be removed or a retraction posted… Otherwise, an updated version of the story will be published, as written by the news team. The updated version will replace the original.”
“It’s only once the removed stories went to air that they would’ve become a problem,” a source said, questioning what errors — if any — existed in Yazdani’s reporting before airing.
“Stories pass through multiple editors before they are published online. So the question is, what changed once these stories had aired that required them to suddenly be looked at again?”
It’s a question the company hasn’t answered. When contacted separately, Amar Sodhi, CityNews’ director, did not respond.
In two years on the beat, Yazdani, well-liked by her colleagues in the Press Gallery, had built a strong following on social media — even on TikTok — and was not the easiest reporter to ignore at a scrum.
For one former Queen’s Park reporter, what happened at City doesn’t stay at City. “What message does it send when a major newsroom appears to sideline a journalist for doing the very job they were hired to do — asking tough questions and holding power to account?”
Yazdani did not respond to a request for comment.
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Publisher’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed a quote to Rogers; the comment was from a CityNews spokesperson.