Bret Buganski is a weekend anchor and reporter for WCPO.
Email address: bret.buganski@wcpo.com
Phone: 513-919-1283
When did you start working here? August 2022.
Where else have you worked? My career in television news sounds like a Johnny Cash song. Quincy, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Tucson, Arizona, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Wichita, Kansas and now Cincinnati, Ohio.
Where did you go to college? Columbia College Chicago
What are you most proud of when it comes to your work? Getting viewers results and helping them solve their problems. Many times people don’t know how to ask for help, or even the right person to call for help. That’s where I come in. I’m the guy who isn’t afraid to hold people accountable. I’m not afraid to do the dirty work. I do it because I want to make our community a better place. I want to make our community more transparent, accessible and make it easier for people to be comfortable to speak their minds.
What are you most proud of in your own life? Never giving up, especially when things get tough. There are so many times in our lives, and in journalism, where we hit so many roadblocks. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to overcome adversity, had doors slammed in my face, and failed repeatedly, but somehow, I manage to keep going and succeed. My parents have always supported me and encouraged me to follow my dreams. I’m proud of myself that I never gave up. Thank you, mom and dad, for always believing me. Without their support, I don’t think I’d be where I’m at now.
What do you love about living in the Tri-State? For one, living in a city again. For those who’ve never met me, I grew up in Chicago, Illinois, the actual city, not the suburbs. Living in a city is in my blood. It’s something that makes me tick, and it’s who I am. Cincinnati reminds me so much of where I grew up. It’s the culture, professional sports, the atmosphere, the food, and most importantly, it’s the people. I feel like we get one another. The feeling that I get here is something I haven’t felt in a long time. It can be difficult to describe. You just have to be here to understand it.
Apps I can't live without: Twitter and Instagram
All-Time favorites: Michael Jordan, athlete
Robert DeNiro, actor
Eddie Murphy, comedian/entertainer
Van Halen, band
Sports: Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox (I’m adopting the Cincinnati teams 😊)
TV Shows: Curb Your Enthusiasm, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League
Books: Wiseguy, The League: The Rise and Decline of the NFL, To Kill A Mockingbird
Movies: Goodfellas, Godfather I & II, The Blues Brothers, Step Brothers
