Veteran news anchor Lisa LaFlamme says she was “blindsided” by Bell Media ending its contract with CTV National News after 35 years, a “business decision” that he says will move the anchor news anchor role to “another direction’.
In a subsequent press release, CTV said the decision to terminate LaFlamme’s contract was due to “changing viewing habits” and that national affairs correspondent Omar Sachedina would take LaFlamme’s place as main anchor.
“I am honored to follow exemplary journalists like Lisa LaFlamme and Lloyd Robertson,” Sacchedina was quoted as saying in the release.
“The daily connections we’ve made with Canadians over the past six decades have been built on a foundation of trusted journalism, fairness, balance and integrity. I look forward to building on this and continuing to deliver the news Canadians rely on.”
LaFlamme has been the anchor of CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme since 2011. Prior to that, she spent more than a decade as CTV News’ national affairs correspondent.
I have some news… pic.twitter.com/lTe3Rs0kOA
—@LisaLaFlamme_
LaFlamme announced the change in a Twitter video posted Monday. In that video, LaFlamme said she was “shocked and saddened” by the decision, which she learned of on June 29.
“At 58 years old, I still thought I had a lot more time to tell more of the stories that affect our daily lives,” Laflamme said in the video. “Instead, I leave CTV humbled by the people who believed in me to tell their story.”
“While it is heartbreaking to leave CTV National News in a way that was 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,” she said .
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