Ben Swann

Ben Swann

Ben Swann speaking at the 2013 Liberty Political Action Conference (LPAC) in Chantilly, Virginia.

Photo by: Gage Skidmore
Born Benjamin Swann
(1978-07-17) July 17, 1978
El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Residence Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Alma mater Brigham Young University
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Occupation Journalist
Television KFOX-TV (1999–2007)
KTSM-TV (2008–2010)
WXIX-TV (2010–2013)
RT America (2014–2015)
WGCL-TV (2015–present)
Website Official website

Benjamin "Ben" Swann (born July 17, 1978) is an American journalist. He has worked in New Mexico, Texas and Ohio.[1] While at WXIX-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio, he produced a fact-checking series entitled Reality Check, which gave him national coverage for his reporting about controversial issues. Swann announced he was leaving WXIX-TV on May 31, 2013,[2] and on May 30, 2013, he said he would launch a crowd-source-funded "Truth In Media" to continue production of his show through a Chicago production team.[3] In June 2015, Swann joined WGCL-TV in Atlanta as chief evening news anchor.[4]

Education

Swann was home schooled and earned a Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts from Brigham Young University in 1993, at the age of 15, along with a Masters in History from California State University, Dominguez Hills[5] in 1994, at the age of 16.[6][7][8]

Career

Swann won an Edward R. Murrow Award in 2004 and a Lone Star Emmy Award in 2005, as well as a journalism award in New Mexico.[7][9][10][11]

Early in his career, he was bureau chief in Las Cruces, New Mexico.[6]

Swann worked for 11 years in the television market in El Paso, Texas. He first worked at KFOX-TV as an anchor, reporter, managing editor and photographer.[6][11][12] He then moved to KTSM-TV, the NBC affiliate, where he anchored the evening news for three years and became one of the top names in the market.[11][13]

He left El Paso to become a TV news presenter at Cincinnati's Fox 19 Evening News at Six and Fox 19 Ten O'Clock News with Tricia Macke,[14] During the 2 and one-half years Swann was part of the news team at Fox 19, it consistently placed second in ratings in the Cincinnati market.[2]

Swann served as a panel member on a 2012 3rd party candidates forum hosted by Larry King.[15]

He is currently one of the evening and late-night anchors for WGCL-TV CBS46 news in Atlanta, Georgia.[16]

Reality Check

In addition to anchoring, Swann acted as an investigative reporter and made a reputation for his Reality Check segment by covering controversial and undercovered stories. Swann's Reality Check segments were uploaded to Swann's YouTube channel and have netted 10,376,570 views and over 73,500 subscribers.[17] One theme of Swann's Reality Check segment was covering the lack of media attention given to Ron Paul's candidacy and aired a piece alleging bias in the media's coverage of Ron Paul's presidential campaign[18] and the Ron Paul newsletter controversy that had already drawn national attention.[19][20] Also writing for CBN News, he focused on Mexico's drug wars on the Texas border.[11][21]

On April 9, 2013, Swann announced he was leaving WXIX-TV on May 31, 2013.[2][22][23] Despite his departure, the Reality Check segment carried over to his new station in Atlanta.

Awards

Swann has won multiple awards for his journalism while working as a TV anchor and reporter for local television affiliates. In addition, he has won other awards where he placed second place or won local awards, which are not listed here:[1]

2002

2003

2004

2005

References

  1. 1 2 "Ben Swann: KFOX Morning News Anchor/Reporter". KFOX. January 24, 2006. Archived from the original on September 29, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
  2. 1 2 3 Kiesewetter, John (May 24, 2013). "A shakeup in exits by Swann, Janson?: Anchors' departures may reshape viewing habits". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
  3. "Ben Swann on his new venture, leaving Fox 19 and his favorite stories". Cincinnati.com. May 30, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
  4. Rodney Ho. "CBS46 Management Explains Radical Changes Including Five New Anchors June 15." http://radiotvtalk.blog.ajc.com/2015/06/15/cbs46-management-explains-radical-changes-including-five-new-anchors-june-15/
  5. "Ben Swann". LinkedIn. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 "Meet Ben Swann, New Fox19 Anchor". Cincinnati.com. December 13, 2010. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Ben Swann". Fox19. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  8. "Upcoming Events: Ben Swann". Liberty on the Rocks, Houston. Retrieved 1 June 2014. A 1993 undergraduate of Brigham Young University, Swann went on to receive his Masters in Humanities from California State University in 1994 at age 16.
  9. "Outstanding New Segment: Breaking News/Single Story". 2005 Lone Star Emmy Awardees. Lone Star Chapter of the NATAS. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  10. "News Special". 2009 Lone Star Emmy Nominations. Lone Star Chapter of the NATAS. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Seay, Roger. "FOX19 names Ben Swann as new co-anchor". FOX 19 News. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
  12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3Gtxkafvs0
  13. NPT Staff (February 8, 2008). "Media Watch: Swann Flies to a New Station". Newspaper Tree. El Paso, TX: EPmediagroup.com. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  14. Gauthier, Andrew (December 13, 2010). "In Cincinnati, Multi-Talented Anchor Prepares for WXIX Debut". TVSpy. WebMediaBrands. Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  15. Harper, Jennifer (19 October 2012). "Inside the Beltway: Third Party Goes Forth". The Washington Times. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  16. http://www.cbs46.com/story/29304911/ben-swann
  17. "Ben Swann". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  18. Blankenship, Mat (2013). Meet Ron Paul: a Biography. Xlibris. p. 44. ISBN 978-1-4797-9894-0.
  19. Wemple, Erik (January 19, 2012). "Cincinnati anchor does deep on Paul campaign". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 3, 2013. 'Reality Check' ’s probing of national political issues is working for Fox 19.... [The stories] consistently fill out four of the top five traffic-generators for the Fox 19 site.
  20. Gauthier, Andrew (January 20, 2012). "Cincinnati Anchor Gains National Following with Ron Paul 'Reality Check's". TVSpy. WebMediaBrands. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  21. Swann, Ben (July 30, 2010). "Pastors Take Godly Approach on Border Violence". CBN News: World. The Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  22. "Ben Swann Leaving Fox 19 Announcement". April 9, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
  23. Santilli, Pete (2013-04-12). "Episode #393: Ben Swann Poised To Dominate Alternative Media". The Pete Santilli Show. Retrieved 2013-05-06.

External links

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