Our “Three Questions” series profiling KUT reporters continues this month with Senior Editor Ben Philpott.
Ben has been covering state politics – and many other topics – for the station since 2002. He’s been recognized for outstanding radio journalism by the Radio and Television News Directors Association, Public Radio News Directors Incorporated, the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters and has been named Radio Journalist of the Year by the Houston Press club four times.
Before moving to Texas, Ben worked in public radio in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, Ala., and at several television stations in Alabama and Tennessee. Philpott graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in broadcast journalism.
Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenPhilpottKUT
Three Questions with Ben Philpott, senior editor
What are you listening to these days?
I’m having fun hitting shuffle on my phone and listening to random songs. I tend to add several albums at a time and then forget about them. It’s been cool to press play and all of the sudden find a song I forgot I loved. Other than that, the band London Grammar recently released “Rooting for You,” their first new single since 2014. My kids and I really got into their first album a couple years back, so I’m looking forward to the release of the new album.
On the podcast front, I’m a big fan of “The West Wing Weekly” – a podcast co-hosted by one of the former actors on NBC’s “The West Wing.” They have some great guests on to talk about the behind-the-scenes action from the show, along with actual White House staffers to talk about how close to real life the show got.
I recently binge listened to Gimlet Media’s new radio drama “Homecoming” which is about a government funded re-entry program for soldiers coming back from war. It’s set just a few years in the future, and has several twists and turns along the way. Really good.
Read anything interesting lately?
I recently finished “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon. It’s a fictional tale of a 15-year-old boy with autism who is investigating the murder of his neighbor’s dog. It’s considered a “Young Adult” novel…but it’s a great read. The book also has been turned into a Tony award-winning play.
Next up on my reading list: “The Loved One” by Evelyn Waugh.
What are you loving about the ATX lately?
Absolutely nothing. I’m allergic to cedar and don’t do much outside from late December to late February.
But, to be nice, I’m enjoying taking trips to visit wineries in the Hill Country. My favorites are the William Chris and Lewis wineries. Both are doing a great job with Texas grapes.
