Veteran news anchor Lisa LaFlamme says she was “blindsided” when Bell Media ended her contract at CTV National News after 35 years, a “business decision” she says will move the role of lead news anchor in “a direction different”.
In a later press release, CTV said the decision to end LaFlamme’s contract was due to “changing viewer habits” and that national affairs correspondent Omar Sachedina, who joined the network on 2009, will take LaFlamme’s place as lead anchor.
“I am honored to follow exemplary journalists, such as Lisa LaFlamme and Lloyd Robertson,” Sachedina said in the statement.
“The daily connections we’ve made with Canadians over the past six decades have been built on a foundation of journalism of trust, fairness, balance and integrity. I look forward to maintaining that and continuing to deliver news that Canadians trust.”
LaFlamme began his journalism career in his hometown of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario in 1989 at television station CKCO, which later changed its name to CTV Kitchener. She eventually spent nearly a decade as CTV News’ national affairs correspondent, before becoming the lead anchor of CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme in 2011. There, she won five times “Best National News Anchor ” at the Canadian Screen Awards. , including the years 2021 and 2022.
I have some news… pic.twitter.com/lTe3Rs0kOA
—@LisaLaFlamme_
LaFlamme announced the change in a Twitter video and a subsequent press release, both released Monday. In the video, LaFlamme said she was “shocked and saddened” by the decision, which she learned of on June 29.
“At 58, I still thought I had a lot more time to tell more of the stories that affect our everyday lives,” LaFlamme said in the video. “Instead, I leave CTV humbled by the people who trusted me to tell their story.”
“While it is overwhelming to leave CTV National News in a way that is not my choice, please know that reporting to you has truly been the greatest honor of my life and I thank you for always being there,” he to say.
Canadian journalists shared messages of compassion and confusion over LaFlamme’s departure.
“You have always been the best of teammates. And such a hard-working, passionate human being and we have all benefited from your rigor and dedication,” CBC News anchor Adrienne Arsenault wrote under LaFlamme’s video. “I am very, very sorry to hear this.”
“Wow. I didn’t see that coming at all,” added Global News anchor Sophie Lui. “Huge loss for CTV National News”.