CTV News’ parent company said Lisa LaFlamme, the longtime chief anchor at the network who was recently removed from her position, chose not to bid farewell to her audience despite being given the chance.
LaFlamme, who broke the news of her departure on Aug. 15, said she was “blindsided” as Bell Media made a “business decision” on June 29, bringing “a sudden close” to her career at CTV News after more than 30 years.
“I was blindsided and I’m still shocked and saddened by Bell Media’s decision,” she said.
“At 58, I still thought I’d have a lot more time to tell more of the stories that impact our daily lives. Instead, I leave CTV humbled by the people who put their faith in me to tell their story.”
LaFlamme said she was asked to keep the news confidential from her colleagues and the public until “the specifics of my exit was resolved,” which she said had happened as of the time she recorded the video.
In a subsequent news release, CTV said the decision to terminate LaFlamme’s contract was due to “changing viewer habits.”
Omar Sachedina, CTV’s national affairs correspondent who joined the network in 2009, will take over the position as chief anchor on Sept. 5.
LaFlamme embarked on her career in journalism in her hometown of Kitchener, Ontario, in the 1980s at CTV’s affiliated CKCO television station. She eventually became the network’s chief anchor in 2011 and held the position until recently. She has won “best national news anchor” at the Canadian Screen Awards multiple times, including the years 2021 and 2022.
