Michael O’Byrne

Former News at Noon Anchor, CTV News
Journalism – Class of 1982

Michael O’Byrne was the anchor of CTV News at Noon, and has had a lifelong passion for journalism. During his first year in the Journalism program, Michael sold a story to the Ottawa Journal, and they liked it. One month later, they hired him.

In 1981, Michael moved from the Ottawa Journal to CTV until his retirement in late 2019. He has travelled the world and covered many breaking stories. He has also faced the challenges of a changing industry. Michael says it has been hard to lose people, and the very nature of the job has changed. Journalists today have to multitask and perform many roles at once, from print to television to radio to web. Despite the challenges, Michael has excelled. He has been honoured with awards including the Governor General’s Award and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal.

In addition to his career as a journalist, Michael devotes much of his time to volunteering and charity work. As a proud Ottawa native, Michael is heavily involved in the community. He has worked with the United Way, the Make A Wish Foundation, and even the Elvis Sighting Society. Over three decades, he has helped to raise tens of millions of dollars for a variety of causes.

Through everything, Michael’s spirit has never faltered. He says he counts himself as fortunate that he is always looking forward to work every day. He also credits his supportive wife, Suzanne, and their four decades of marriage, for his success.