About

About Brian Calfano

Brian Calfano is an award-winning journalist, professor, documentary director, and prolific author. He specializes in historical content on twentieth-century political and journalism issues.

He is also the first scholar-in-residence for the video management solutions software company Latakoo, which provides services for the news divisions at NBC Universal, Nexstar, and Charter Spectrum. Additionally, Brian holds a courtesy appointment at the University of North Texas (UNT) Department of Political Science.

An Esteemed Career in Journalism: Television & Radio

Brian worked as an anchor and political show host for KSNT 27 News, supporting Kansas political coverage in markets that include Topeka, Wichita, and Kansas City. KSNT 27 News is owned by Nexstar Media Group, the nation’s largest owner of local television stations. Calfano was a reporter and producer of several Spectrum News 1 Ohio series on political and social topics for four years. He was also a political analyst for Spectrum News 1 Ohio, responsible for studio commentary on breaking political news.

Brian was a producer and anchor for several shows for KOLR10, Springfield, Missouri, including a one-hour special of interviews and clips celebrating Missouri’s bicentennial on “Show Me Missouri;” “Ozarks Tonight;” “Courageous Conservations: We the People;” and “Courageous Conversations: Our Constitution Made Easy,” a 16-part series he wrote on the U.S. Constitution.

Brian also hosted “Morningline,” a public affairs radio call-in show on News Talk 560AM KWTO, Springfield, for seven years. He conducted featured political interviews with several public officials.

He has been a media panelist in congressional debates among candidates for KOLR10 (CBS).

Recognized for His Documentary and Journalistic Work

Brian’s documentary, “Al Primo & His Eyewitness Revolution,” has received numerous awards. The documentary takes you back to the early days of television news to hear the behind-the-scenes stories of its revolution from the people there. The documentary was awarded the 2024 Best Documentary, Golden Nugget International Film Festival, London, England; the 2024 Special Achievement in Documentary, Cal Film Festival, Los Angeles, California; the 2024 Platinum Award, Best Documentary Feature, Mindfield Film Festival, Albuquerque, New Mexico; the 2024 Best Feature Documentary, BEA Festival of Media Arts; and the 2024 Best Documentary Director, Triloka International Filmfare Awards. The documentary was also selected for distribution to PBS stations around the United States.

Brian has also received accolades for his journalistic work, including First Place: Education Issues Reporting (Ohio Society of Professional Journalists—SPJ), Second Place: Government/Political Reporting (Ohio SPJ), EMMY nomination for Societal Concerns reporting (National Association of Television Arts & Sciences—Ohio Valley), EMMY nomination for News-Serious Feature reporting (National Association of Television Arts & Sciences—Great Lakes), Second Place: Best Enterprise Reporting (Ohio Associated Press Media Editors—AP), Excellence in Journalism Award, First Place: Human Rights/Minority Issues Reporting (Greater Cincinnati SPJ), Diamond Award, Finalist: Explanatory Reporting (Arkansas SPJ), First Place: Investigative Reporting (Missouri Broadcasters Association—MBA), and many others.

His work in journalism and the recognition he’s received has allowed Brian to complete his book, US Political Reporting, for Routledge, a publisher of professional and academic books. Brian is also working on a long-form piece about former New York news reporter/anchor John Johnson.

Academic Career

Brian has held several prestigious positions in academia. He served as the Head/Chair at the University of Cincinnati (UC) Department of Journalism for three years (2021-2024), where he was the catalyst for several new unit initiatives. These included creating the unit’s first TV news studio, the establishment of the Journomentary project to foster collaboration in long-form documentary work between faculty and students, the unit’s first TV producer course, a new student TV news operation that appears regularly on local Cincinnati cable, the successful completion of the unit’s first external review, and the creation of the unit’s “professional affiliates” program to enable closer contact between working journalists and students when adjunct funds are not available. In 2023, UC Journalism became the first education partner for Latakoo, enabling students to learn video file management and editing skills on a real-world platform as part of their course workflows.

From 2014 to 2015, Brian served as Interim Chair of California State University Dominguez Hills Department of Political Science, where he was responsible for approving course substitutions, conducting annual faculty evaluations, initiating discussion of department curricular revamp, conducting department curricular and resource reviews, planning approving semester teaching schedules, and more.

Brian has also taught media and/or political science at several universities, including the University of Cincinnati, Missouri State University, California State University, Dominguez Hills & Los Angeles, Chatham University, and Texas A&M University. In addition, he has extensive student academic advising experience.

He has served on numerous faculty advisory boards, departments, councils, and committees.

In addition, Brian has received various grants and participated in many experimental and survey research projects.

He’s a sought-after panelist and presenter from universities and other entities nationally and internationally.

Brian is a member of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the Broadcast Educators Association (BEA), the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA).

Author Brian Calfano

In addition to authoring several books, Brian has written dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles on topics ranging from media effects, religion and politics, and government response to marginalized groups. In addition to the book he is writing for Routledge, Brian is contracted to write TV Politics (Peter Lang), Rethinking & Saving Local TV News (Palgrave Macmillan), and several others.

On the Personal Side

Brian donates to the ASPCA and Doctors Without Borders. Born in New Jersey, he attended the University of North Texas and is an ordained deacon at the Presbyterian Church (USA).