Fred LaCosse

Elected to the National Television Academy Silver Circle, 1988

Fred LaCosse is well-known to San Francisco Bay Area television viewers as a veteran news anchor, reporter and talk show host.

Since the beginning of his broadcasting career in 1956, he has worked at six television stations: WTTW, Chicago; WLWC, Columbus, Ohio; KNTV, San Jose; KRON and KGO-TV, San Francisco; and KICU, San Jose.

Fred has held positions in almost every phase of the industry including floor director, announcer, director, production manager, promotion manager, news writer, news producer and news director. In front of the camera, LaCosse was news anchor at KNTV (ABC) in San Jose and anchor, reporter and talk show host at KRON-TV (NBC) in San Francisco from 1970 through 1980.

He co-hosted the daily morning talk show "A.M. San Francisco" on KGO-TV (ABC) from 1982 to 1987 with his wife, Terry Lowry. LaCosse also hosted the weekly syndicated program “Silicon Valley Business This Week” from 1995 to 2001.

In 1978, LaCosse received an Emmy from the Northern California Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for his news feature reporting and was honored by UPI for the best feature report in California. He has also received numerous awards for his community involvement.

During a four-year interim in the 1960s, LaCosse was a partner in a San Jose advertising agency, handling his own accounts and creating, producing and performing radio and television commercials.

Since 1981, Fred has been President of LaCosse Productions, Inc., which produces corporate videos; conducts communication seminars on handling the news media interview, making effective presentations, and performing on camera; and provides talent services. He has delivered more than 2,000 speeches and seminars to a wide variety of audiences during his more than four decades in California.

Fred is now focusing his public speaking efforts on his new presentation “Your American Freedoms: Protect Them or Lose Them.” In his presentation, Fred carries on conversations with many of America’s Founding Fathers. Together, they tell the amazing story of the founding of America. Fred delivers the presentation live at a variety of venues.

LaCosse has generously given of his time to community and charitable organizations such as the Salvation Army, Laguna Honda Hospital, Red Cross, Easter Seal Society, American Heart Association, Muscular Dystrophy Association, United Cerebral Palsy, YMCA, USO, San Francisco School Volunteers, French Foundation for Medical Research, Travelers Aid, Caring for Children, San Francisco Symphony, Recreation Center for the Handicapped, Raphael House, Hospital de la Familia, Friends for Youth, United Way, San Francisco Girls Chorus, Jaycees, Rotary and Little League.

A native of South Bend, Indiana, he received a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Wabash College and an M.A. in Broadcasting from Northwestern University. Fred has two grown sons and lives in San Francisco with his wife, television & radio personality Terry Lowry.

Photograph of Fred LaCosse by Mustacchi.