Brian Loftus is an Emmy Award-Winning Anchor of the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts. He joined the 8 News Now team in 2009 as Morning Traffic Anchor before being promoted to Morning Anchor on “Good Day” in 2014, and Evening Anchor in early 2018.
Brian was born in Chicago. He graduated from Lyons Township High School, earned a B.A. in English from the University of Iowa, and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Loyola Marymount University.
A former teacher, his broadcasting career was launched in Los Angeles radio on weekends at KLSX (97.1 FM Talk) in 2002 as the Producer/Writer, and one of the on-air personalities of “The Film Freak Show.”
Brian made the leap from radio to TV broadcasting in 2007 as a Feature Reporter for KMPH-TV (FOX) in Fresno covering every live shot imaginable on the popular, five-hour morning show, “Great Day.”
On 8 News Now, Brian has carried two well-known franchises. From 2009-2014 he anchored a daily segment called “What’s Driving You Crazy,” where he helped solve traffic problems troubling viewers. Since 2014, he has brought viewers “What’s Cool at School,” a weekly segment which highlights positive programs in local schools. Brian won the NASB Media Award for Outstanding Education Reporting in 2017 for “What’s Cool at School.”
For the past four years, Brian has also hosted and anchored the highly rated New Year’s Eve Countdown Show from the Las Vegas Strip, which is seen live in 12 cities, and for which he won an Emmy in 2017 for Special Events Coverage.
Brian has interviewed everyone from local leaders like Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Sheriff Joe Lombardo, to performers and comedians from up and down the Strip, to musicians such as Carlos Santana, Rascal Flatts, and Guns N’ Roses, to covering the Golden Knights from Washington D.C. in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.
Brian is often out of the studio putting together creative, original segments – from training as a Gondolier at The Venetian – to drumming with the Blue Man Group – to singing and dancing with “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert.
Brian is a proud dad of two daughters. He enjoys swimming, biking, hiking and reading. He is an avid fan of Bruce Springsteen, the Chicago Cubs and Bears.
Send Brian an email at bloftus@8NewsNow.com.
