Veteran Canadian broadcaster Lloyd Robertson dies at 92

Longtime CTV News chief anchor and Canadian broadcasting icon Lloyd Robertson has died.

The media veteran known for his countless contributions to the craft passed away Tuesday evening at the age of 92.

Robertson was a fixture of the Canadian news business for more than six decades, and his work affected many people.

“Lloyd Robertson really was Canada, I mean there was an element of decency, a warmness, a common sense,” said Kevin Newman, a former CTV and Global News anchor.

“His impact…I mean it spans generations of reporters,” said Scott Laurie, a former CTV News anchor.

“He raised the bar for all of us,” said Lis Travers, a former CTV executive.

“He was a real model for how journalism should be conducted,” said Jeffrey Dvorkin, the former director of the University of Toronto’s journalism program.

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The Stratford, Ont. native got his start in the industry in 1952 at a local radio station before joining the CBC in 1956.

After making his national television debut, he eventually became the anchor of The National from 1970 to 1976.

He eventually took a job with CTV where he spent 35 years anchoring CTV National News — ending the show with his iconic sign-off in his baritone voice, “… And that’s the kind of day it’s been.”

“He in fact saved CBC television news,” said Dvorkin, who is also a journalism expert.

Dvorkin says Robertson’s departure to CTV helped reform CBC News’ old-fashioned union regulations, which Robertson opposed, and that reformation allowed anchors to help write and choose stories — which Dvorkin says better serves Canadian audiences.

“The CBC became a more efficient organization, less encumbered by obscure union regulations,” said Dvorkin.

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Robertson covered a variety of topics, everything from Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon, to Terry Fox’s run across Canada, and the September 11 terror attacks.

“He never really changed, no matter how big he got, how many important people he interviewed, he was always Lloyd from Stratford,” said Newman.

As a former CTV and Global News anchor and reporter, Newman knew Robertson well. He was hired by him as a young reporter, then competed against him as the anchor of Global’s national newscast, before finally working with Robertson again at CTV.

“And that’s where I felt his mentorship, his grace, his decency — for a competitive cut-throat business, somehow he stayed very Stratford,” said Newman. “He stayed very centred, he had a lot of humility, and he worked really, really hard.”

“He was just a genuinely warm, nice person,” said Laurie, who also felt mentorship from Robertson, as did countless journalists who worked with him. “He had a direct impact on their development and their careers, so his impact on journalism — it’s almost an immeasurable thing. The motto was, ‘trust and tradition’ and that’s what he embodied.”

News producers loved having Robertson contribute to their shows and projects, because of his excellence, including Travers.

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“He just told great stories — he was what we call ‘television gold’ and whatever story he told, he could go on as long as he wanted,” said Travers. “He pushed, but he got the story and he made us all better, and as Canadians we were lucky to have him.”

Robertson was named both a member of the Order of Canada and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1998.

He was also the first journalist to be inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2007.

Former CTV National News chief anchor Lisa LaFlamme, who took over after Robertson, posted on social media saying:

“A true giant. Canada has lost a broadcast legend. I have lost a teacher, a trusted friend, and someone who helped shape both my career and my life… This truly is the end of an era.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on social media on Tuesday about Robertson’s legacy:

“For more than six decades, Lloyd Robertson helped Canadians make sense of the world. For millions of us, he was a familiar face in our living rooms. A reassuring voice in moments of uncertainty. A calm and steady presence through the moments that shaped our nation. Tonight as we mourn his passing and celebrate a life well-lived, I’m thinking of his family, his colleagues, and all those whose lives he touched.”

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