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Matt O'Donnell

Most of my life, and my best times have been spent living in Philadelphia's western suburbs. That is where I grew up, went to elementary school, and took an early liking to Action News.

Matt first developed a yearning to work in the news industry during high school. There was this English instructor who had some atypical teaching techniques. He reminded me of Robin William's character in "Dead Poet's Society." Through him, I developed a love of writing, news reporting, and television. I wondered, why not combine all three, and go for a job in television news?

I majored in English at the University of Delaware, with a concentration in Journalism, plus a minor in Political Science. I held several positions at "The Review," the campus newspaper; I served as news director at the campus radio station WVUD-FM (which was then known as WXDR-FM); I wrote freelance stories for the Daily Local News in West Chester; and I spent two summers interning at two different television stations: WLYH-TV in Lebanon, and WPVI-TV in Philadelphia. Little did I know I'd be back, very soon...

My first career stop, after college, would be WICZ-TV in Binghamton, New York. I was a general assignment reporter, an assignment editor, a photographer, a videotape editor, a TelePrompTer operator, and a studio cameraman. I learned more about television news in two days, than I had learned my entire life.

Just over a year later, it was off to Syracuse, which happened to be 72 miles north on I-81 (at this rate, I figured my next job would be in Montreal). WSTM-TV hired me, and gave me a photographer to bring along, which made the news gathering process 100 percent easier. They also gave me opportunities to anchor the evening newscasts, and I even filled in for our main sports anchor. My time in the Salt City was short, but once again, I soaked in as much knowledge of the industry as possible.

Finally, in 1996, I got the call to head back to Philadelphia, and Channel 6. My first assignment was street reporter. Since my starting date, I have probably covered a news story in more than 90 percent of the dozens of cities, towns, villages, and boroughs in the tri-state area. Eventually, my coverage responsibilities grew outside of the region, and even abroad: the arrest of Michael Jackson in California; the death of John F. Kennedy Jr.; the Eagles road to the Super Bowl (the Chicago Bears game in 2002 was nice); accompanying Air Force reservists to England on their way to the fighting the war in Afghanistan; the D.C. Area Sniper case of 2002; the 2003 blackout in New York City; and my personal favorite, joining staffers from the Philadelphia Zoo to observe the Golden Lion Tamarins in the Brazilian rain forest.

I have also had the chance to be a part of numerous televised events on Channel 6, including our Live 8 special, Best of the Class, and our annual What's New at the Philadelphia Zoo program.

However, you probably know me by now as the morning anchor on Channel 6. That all started in February of 2005, when the morning team of myself, Tamala Edwards, David Murphy, and Karen Rogers, made its debut. The rest, as they say, is history.

Feel free to check in with the morning team at any time: Action News Mornings.