Joe Trahan is the main sports anchor at WFAA in Dallas, TX.
1) Who are you? Joe joined Channel 8 in June 2003 and has been a fixture on the local sports scene for more than half of his nearly 30-year career in local television news.
The native Houstonian began his career in 1989 while he was still in college. During his senior year at Loyola University, he worked the overnight shift as a news writer on WWL-TV’s highly successful morning show.
Joe’s on-air sports career began at WCBD-TV in Charleston, SC and included a return to New Orleans for a 9-year stint at WVUE-TV where he was named sports director.
Since joining WFAA, Joe’s covered title runs from the Rangers and Maverick including the Mavs magical run that ended with a championship in 2011. He’s still waiting on something similar from the Cowboys and Stars.
2) What are your interests? Joe covers the gamut of sports but readily admits following the NFL is his favorite. “It’s seemingly never a dull moment when you cover the Cowboys,” he says. Joe says they’re controversial and compelling and that’s “good for business.”
He also likes sharing stories that highlight the best in people. Finding examples in sports that illustrate the triumph of the human spirit are his favorite.
Joe and his wife Amy and their two daughters Sophia and Sydney live in Frisco. When not spending family time, you can find Joe on the links, working on his golf game.
3) What do you like about working at WFAA? It is an honor to work with so many talented and creative journalists. The work that is produced is truly incredible. There are stories and moments that make you realize we at WFAA can make a difference in our communities, and that is the foundation of what we do. That is where the magic happens.
Social media has allowed us to connect with viewers like never before. At the end of the day, local television news is a service industry. So, our ability to connect and engage has allowed us more than ever to fulfill our mission to serve our viewers in the best way possible.
4) What's one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? The father of two girls, Joe says he knows more about pop music that you could ever imagine.
While some of his favorites are Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Sting, Joe knows more about Taylor Swift than you would ever think.
“I’ve got to do my best to keep up to be involved and make connections with my girls,” he says.
When Joe was in New York City at Times Square for the station’s New Year’s Eve show 2015, Swift was a feature performer. He’s still not sure if his daughter Sophia has forgiven him for not taking her on that trip.
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