How Bullies Broke the Newsroom

Bad-Faith Actors Are Systematically Silencing Critical Voices.  We must fight back.

My week started with an unexpected trip to the ER—and believe it or not, that was the highlight. This week was one of those weeks that made me stop and question everything. The week quickly unraveled into something downright painful, a series of reminders of all the things that are wrong with the world, how bad-faith actors are constantly trying to silence critical voices, particularly in journalism, and how they succeed.

Rachel Gilmore, a respected political journalist, was pulled from a segment on CTV News after online trolls bombarded the network with complaints. I’m no Rachel, but I also was targeted earlier this week in an online character assassination attempt after posting our “Meet the Candidates” segment on the Cornwall Ontario facebook page. Despite claiming that “no personal attacks are tolerated”, as of press time, the absolutely vile and libelous comments, from a person hiding behind a pseudonym, are still standing. And then, our very own Louise Mignault, one of the bravest and most committed writers I know, handed out her resignation from The Seeker  today after years of serving on a board that increasingly viewed her political opinion pieces as a liability rather than an asset. That’s a lot in one week.

These things aren’t random. They are part of a broader playbook being executed with precision, designed to intimidate, wear out, silence, and push outspoken individuals, oftentimes women,  like Rachel, Louise, and myself out of public discourse.

The very first move in that playbook is always gaslighting. These bad-faith actors want to make us — and everyone watching — question our own reality. “You’re not being silenced — you’re just not a real journalist.” “This isn’t targeting — it’s just free speech.” “You’re not being attacked — you’re just too sensitive.”

When Rachel’s segment was pulled from CTV, the network tried to justify it by stating they wanted to avoid the “distraction” created by her online “troll base.” The truth is, they simply caved under the pressure of far-right keyboard warriors who had one goal: get Rachel off the air. It’s important to note that this was a “fact-checking” segment, and that Rachel was let go not for anything she did wrong, or because of the lack of quality in her work, but because they didn’t want to deal with the relentless harassment that came from the alt-right. The bullies didn’t win; their victory was HANDED OUT.  And what does that tell them? That their tactics work.

At The Seeker, Louise’s articles have been a constant topic of debate at the board level — a topic that was discussed and settled repeatedly, but wouldn’t die and kept resurfacing, like Michael Myers in Halloween H20, creating an environment that led to Louise’s resignation. Yes, like every other organization, we sometimes face disagreements.

Sidebar: there’s a troubling trend in the media where “neutrality” is often used to avoid uncomfortable topics. Some of us here want that. “Can you stick to ‘good news’ instead of focusing on politics?” “Maybe we should avoid these controversial topics for a while; it’s hurting the brand” are things I hear regularly, in a myriad of variations, and while I was all-in on that concept when we first started this paper 15 years ago, I no longer believe being neutral or avoiding taking sides is the right approach. I refuse to remain silent when the truth needs to be told.  I refuse to make life easier for those in power and those who profit off division. “Neutrality” has increasingly been used as an excuse to silence voices that challenge the status quo. I won’t stand for it. You know what the bible says about being lukewarm, right?

Louise’s writing was strong, it was challenging. It made us think. It confronted difficult truths, and that made some people uncomfortable. But in my eyes, that discomfort is necessary. Especially here. Especially now. It’s how we grow as a society, as a community, as a democracy. The Seeker is weaker without that voice.  And when a progressive media outlet is weakened, those bad-faith actors, the same ones who pushed Rachel out, they rejoice.

Let’s call a spade a spade.  All of this is about one thing, and one thing only: Money. Either about losing it, not getting it, or having to dish it.

When Rachel’s segment was pulled, it wasn’t just about appeasing online trolls—it was about ensuring that advertisers didn’t leave. Similarly, I suspect that for The Seeker, the fear of losing advertisers, or not landing them, drove the narrative.  And the same thing happens on platforms like Facebook every day. Outrage, anger, and controversy drive engagement, which means profit. Harassment gets ignored because it’s good for business. Hence why the personal attacks in that facebook group were not removed.

But then, who really has the voice? Journalists? Or the corporations who buy their salaries?

The Human Cost

Here’s the harsh truth we rarely talk about: this is not just a battle for content or clicks. It’s a war on our very well-being. The goal is to make life so unbearable for outspoken people, again, especially women, that we either self-censor, burn out and quit, or are pushed out.

For Louise, this week, option B became a reality. After years of fighting, she stepped away from The Seeker because the emotional cost was too high. For Rachel, it was C—forced out after her segment was pulled. And for me, I’ve been tested in ways I never imagined, facing the very real possibility that if I don’t choose silence, I might be next in line to burn out. Or pushed out.

The emotional toll this takes is unimaginable. The constant weight of defending your worth, your voice, your right to exist in this space—it wears you down. It exhausts you. And the more it happens, the more you begin to wonder: Is it worth it?

Newsrooms must stop kowtowing to trolls. If we want to maintain integrity, we must protect the journalists who speak truth to power, not silence them. Boards must back their writers and embrace the uncomfortable truths they bring, instead of playing it safe to protect profits. Platforms like Facebook must take responsibility for allowing harassment to run rampant. If we want online spaces to be safe, we have to demand it. And readers must step up. Support independent media. Call out harassment. Demand better.

To Louise: Thank you for your courage. Your resignation letter should be required reading for every journalist.
To Rachel: Your fight is our fight. I’m glad you found another home.
To the bullies: I see you. I’m documenting you. And your playbook can kiss my ass.