Network Parts Ways with Anchor of Canada’s #1 National Newscast

Lisa LaFlamme hadn’t anchored the CTV National News in more than two weeks, and viewers now know that it wasn’t a vacation: the network has decided to move in a different direction.

LaFlamme reported her departure in a video posted to Twitter on Monday, Aug. 15, saying that she had been informed of the “business decision” on June 29 but was asked to keep it quiet until the specifics of her departure were decided.

“I was blindsided and still shocked and saddened by Bell Media’s decision,” she said in the video.

I have some news… pic.twitter.com/lTe3Rs0kOA

— Lisa LaFlamme (@LisaLaFlamme_) August 15, 2022

LaFlamme continued to anchor of Canada’s top-rated national newscast for another month after learning of the decision. It appears she last anchored on Thursday, July 28, from Quebec City, wrapping up a week of coverage of Pope Francis’ apology for the abuse of Indigenous children in boarding schools.

LaFlamme wrapped up that night’s newscast by saying, “Goodbye everyone, and thank you for watching.”

The newscast continued to be identified as the “CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme” in subsequent weeks as other anchors filled in. The network announced Monday that one of those fill-ins, National Affairs Correspondent Omar Sachedina, will be the newscast’s new permanent anchor.

CTV confirmed LaFlamme’s categorization of the move as a “business decision” in a separate news release, saying it was in response to “changing viewer habits.”

The CTV National News airs at 11 p.m. in each time zone, competing with local newscasts from Global, CBC, City, and independent stations. Local CTV newscasts air at 11:30.

The move comes as CBC’s “The National,” which airs at 10 p.m., makes its own changes.

LaFlamme, 58, had been with CTV for 35 years and took the role of main anchor after the 2011 retirement of Lloyd Robertson.