News anchor Mutsumi Takahashi returns to former West Hill High

As part of a roster of presentations for the English Montreal School Board's Public School Education Month in January, board officials invited a number of EMSB graduates who've done well in life to return and address current students.

Mutsumi, who grew up on Westbourne Avenue in Côte St. Luc, has since become an icon of the Montreal media and is currently the city's longest serving television news anchor. Born in Shiroishi, Japan, she got her post-secondary education at Vanier College and Concordia University.

Besides volunteer work for AIDS organizations, Mutsumi is a voracious reader, loves to knit and do needlepoint. She apparently also plays the piano for her dogs. A little known fact about her: she studied the instrument at the Toronto Conservatory of Music at the age of six.

Mutsumi still believes strongly in the importance of education and communication. For some, it may come as no surprise — as both her parents are academics — that she continues to pursue her own learning and to pass it on to others. "Passing on information to those who are still learning is really important to me," she said.

Mutsumi's interest in the electronic media began at Concordia, where she started out as a reader on Radio Sir George (CRSG). By the time she graduated in 1979, she bad become news director. Never one to be satisfied with doing just one job, she looked for more challenges.

During her time at Concordia she was also a reporter for the student newspaper, the Georgian, and hosted a series of interview programs for Concordia University TV (CUTV), in conjunction with CTV Montreal, known then as CFCF. After a brief career in radio, first as an intern at CKGM, followed by a stint as a newsreader and interviewer at CJFM, she arrived at CFCF in 1982 as a news reporter.

Mutsumi's investigative talent and professional style of journalism quickly won her a place at the anchor desk of CFCF News after only four years. An interest in people and facts led her to become a regular contributor on Park Avenue Metro, a CFCF community-based program.

Mutsumi shared the 6 p.m. weeknight news anchor desk with veteran newscaster Bill Haugland from 1986 until his retirement 14 months ago. She now anchors the 6 p.m. weeknight news with Brian Britt and the noon newscast with Todd van der Heyden.