Lisa LaFlamme Forced Out as Chief News Anchor
at Canada’s CTV Network:
“I Was Blindsided”
 |
| Omar Sachedina and Lisa LaFlamme |
LaFlamme announced on her Twitter account that Bell Media had made a "business decision" to replace her with Omar Sachedina as host of CTV National News.
Lisa LaFlamme, chief news anchor at Canadian broadcaster CTV, has taken to Twitter to announce she has been forced out as host of CTV National News, the country’s top-rated newscast.
“On June 29, I was informed that [CTV parent] Bell Media made a ‘business decision’ to end my contract, bringing to a sudden close my long career with CTV News. I was blindsided and I’m still shocked and saddened by Bell Media’s decision,” LaFlamme announced Monday.
Since 2011, LaFlamme anchored CTV National News, and before that she worked for 10 years as CTV News’ national affairs correspondent. Bell Media issued a statement Monday explaining the decision to replace LaFlamme with Omar Sachedina.
Wizard's Note: It appears she is being replaced due to changing opinions of viewers. (read ratings and perceptions that the quality of the news has been going down, and that LaFlamme is the cause).
In my opinion, Omar Saachedina is by far a better anchor for the CTV National News. He has subbed in many times for LaFlamme, and I think he is the better choice. Lisa LaFlamme is stiff and portrays herself as uncaring, even when covering seriously bad news stories. Omar is affected or at least is percieved as being affected and overall a more human face for the CTV National News. This is a geat change for the news program and to ell you the truth, he's certainly not hard on the eyes. In the past my partner and I truly enjoyed Sachedina's newscasts when he was subbing for LaFlamme.
Welcome to my living room, Omar, you deserve it and I wish you great success in taking over as Chief News Anchor of The CTV National News.
Background on Omar Sachedina: (Wikipedia)
Omar Sachedina (born August 21, 1982) is a Canadian television journalist. He is to assume the role of chief news anchor and senior editor of CTV National News, effective September 5, 2022.
Omar Sachedina was born and raised in greater Vancouver in an Ismaili Muslim household. His family emmigrated from Uganda, as Indians from there they traced their roots to Gujarat in India. He speaks Kutchi, Gujarati and French fluently. Sachedina once mentioned that he was first bitten by the journalism bug at the early age of 12 after writing a letter to the editor of a local newspaper.
Curious about his parents' East African homeland, Sachedina travelled there in 2005 to report and produce a PBS Frontline Fellowship feature documentary titled Uganda: The Return, exploring the return of Asians to Uganda after the 1972 expulsion. He has also reported on the HIV/AIDS crisis in Kenya for CBC.ca.
Sachedina completed the International Baccalaureate Program while attending Port Moody Secondary School in Port Moody, British Columbia. He has a degree in Political Science and Philosophy from McGill University in Montreal, a Master's in Journalism from Columbia University in New York, and is a graduate of The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Sachedina's work has appeared in the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, and CBC Radio. While a student, Sachedina was an intern at Global News in Vancouver and Montreal, as well as CNN International in London, England. He later worked as a reporter for CTV Northern Ontario. He joined Citytv in July 2006, working on newscasts for both CityNews and CP24, where he remained until 2008.
While at CP24, Sachedina covered the 2009 Federal Budget from Ottawa, anchored the 2008 Canadian Federal Election night coverage, anchored the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election Night, and President Barack Obama's inauguration.
Omar Sachedina joined CTV National News as a correspondent in September, 2009, and has reported from the United States, Jordan, Israel, France, Mexico and South Africa. He also travelled to London, England to cover the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011. Later that year, Sachedina went to Oslo, Norway, to report on the murder of 77 people at a youth camp. In 2012, Sachedina reported breaking international news when he travelled to Newtown, Connecticut to cover the second deadliest school shooting in United States history, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
Sachedina announced on Twitter on March 22, 2013, that he would be moving to Ottawa to assume the role of Parliamentary Correspondent. Sachedina previously resided in Toronto, Ontario. He is now based in Ottawa, working at CTV National News ' Ottawa Bureau.
Sachedina is a frequent guest host on Canada AM, and contributes to CTVNews.ca and CTV's W5. In March 2012, Sachedina delivered an investigative documentary with CTV's W5, entitled, Cold Comfort. He also serves frequently as a substitute anchor on CTV National News for Lisa LaFlamme and Sandie Rinaldo.
In 2020, Omar was nominated for Best National Reporter in the Canadian Screen Awards, but he was not the winner. In 2011, The National Post listed Sachedina on their Worthy 30 list, honouring the top successful men in Toronto.
Sachedina is the recipient of the 2010 RTNDA Canada President's Fellowship.
In 2020, Omar was nominated for Best National Reporter in the Canadian Screen Awards, but he was not the winner. In 2011, The National Post listed Sachedina on their Worthy 30 list, honouring the top successful men in Toronto.
Sachedina is the recipient of the 2010 RTNDA Canada President's Fellowship.
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