Omar Sachedina
| Omar Sachedina | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 21, 1982 Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Alma mater | McGill University, Columbia University |
| Occupation | News Anchor, Reporter |
| Notable credit(s) | Citytv (2006–2008) CTV News (2008–present) |
Omar Sachedina (born August 21, 1982) is a Canadian television journalist, currently a news anchor and correspondent for the CTV Television Network, a Canadian English language television network owned by Bell Media, and Canada's largest privately owned network.
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Early life
Omar Sachedina was born and raised in greater Vancouver in an Ismaili Muslim household. His family immigrated from Uganda, tracing 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.[1]
Curious about his East African homeland,[2] Sachedina traveled there in 2005 to report and produce a PBS Frontline Fellowship feature documentary titled Uganda: The Return,[3] 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.[4]
Education
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. [5]
Career
Sachedina's work has appeared in the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail,[6] and CBC Radio. While a student, Sachedina was an intern at Global Television 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.
CTV National News
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 traveled 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 traveled to Newtown, Connecticut to cover the second deadliest school shooting in United States history,[7] the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting.[8]
Sachedina is a frequent guest host on Canada AM, and contributes to CTVNews.ca and CTV's W5.[9] In March 2012, Sachedina delivered an investigative documentary with CTV's W5, entitled, Cold Comfort.[10]
He also serves frequently as a substitute anchor on CTV National News for Lisa LaFlamme and Sandie Rinaldo.
Personal life
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.
Awards
In 2011, The National Post listed Sachedina on their Worthy 30 list, honoring the top successful men in Toronto.[11]
Sachedina is the recipient of the 2010 RTNDA Canada President’s Fellowship.[12]
