Ben Hoover - wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |

Ben Hoover joined WIS in August, 2008, as anchor/reporter. He currently co-anchors WIS News 10 at 6 and WIS News 10 at 11 with Judi Gatson. He also anchors WIS News 10 at 7 with Dawndy Mercer Plank. He often contributes reports for WIS News 10 at 5, and hosts Newswatch, which airs Sundays at 10:30am.

Before joining WIS, Ben helped launch the 4-hour morning newscast at WHNS in Greenville, South Carolina. While working in the Upstate, Ben reported live from Columbia for the 2008 South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary. He also delivered live reports for President George W. Bush's commencement address at Furman University. Ben won an Associated Press award for investigative journalism during his time in Greenville.

Ben co-anchored the number one-rated morning news broadcast at WMAZ in Macon, Georgia. When a tornado spawned by Hurricane Katrina touched down in Central Georgia, Ben field anchored and reported from the disaster zone. He also contributed reports to the nightly news broadcasts.

After winning a scholarship in college as the top broadcast journalism student, he started an internship at CNN in Atlanta. He also worked on the assignment desk at WKRC in Cincinnati, OH.

Ben graduated from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati in 2001. (No, he can't play an instrument or carry a tune. The journalism department just so happened to be in that college.)  

He and his wife, Rachel, have a son, Anderson, a daughter, Hollis, and a 5 lb. shih-tzu named Buster.

AWARDS

• SC Associated Press, Best Health Report, 2011
• SC Associated Press, Best Newscast, 2010
• SC Associated Press, Best Environmental Report, 2009
• SC Associated Press, Best Investigative Report, 2008

Also…

• 2012 "First in the South" GOP Primary: Chosen to moderate presidential candidate forum covered live by CNN. Anchored 4 hours of election night coverage. Granted 1^st TV interview in SC w/ Gov. Rick Perry. Exclusive  interview with Newt Gingrich on campaign bus.
• Mark Sanford Scandal: Anchored live coverage of affair announcement. Filed live reports for MSNBC/CNBC.
• One-on-One: Interviewed US Rep. Joe Wilson following "You lie" outburst at Obama State of the Union.
• Hurricane Irene: Filed live reports for six Raycom Media stations from NC coast.
• Hope In Hard Times: Lived as a homeless man for a week in Feb. 2012. Recorded video diary for web. Hosted 30-minute special. Following reports, local hotel announced the hiring of shelter residents featured in my reports. "Hope-a-Thon" raised $70,000 for Oliver Gospel Mission.
• Honor Flight: Chosen to travel w/ local WWII veterans to Washington, DC monument.
• SEC Championship: Filed live reports from Georgia Dome during Carolina Gamecocks 2010 season.