Benjamin Purper
News Director 2021-2023Benjamin Purper was News Director of KCBX from May of 2021 to September of 2023. He came from California’s Inland Empire, where he spent three years as a reporter and Morning Edition host at KVCR in San Bernardino. Dozens of his stories have aired on KQED’s California Report, and his work has broadcast on NPR's news magazines, as well. In addition to radio, Ben has worked as a newspaper reporter and freelance writer.
He attended the University of Redlands, where he studied International Relations with minors in Instrumental Performance and Latin American Studies, and studied abroad in Mexico and Argentina.
Benjamin's journalism career started in college, when his university’s newspaper was abruptly shut down and defunded. He and the newspaper staff raised money and started a new, independent online newspaper, of which he became Editor-in-Chief for two years. After college, he completed an internship with NPR in their Culver City office, then worked as both a newspaper and public radio reporter.
Besides public radio, Benjamin enjoys music (he plays bass), writing and traveling.
You can reach the news department by email at news@kcbx.org.
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The Morro Bay National Estuary Program has received federal funding to support its work. They say that’s especially important amid recent storms which have shown the need to preserve the estuary.
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KCBX News has updates on the intense storm with information on flood watches, evacuation orders and more.
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The Central Coast is experiencing another massive storm along with evacuation orders, flash flood warnings, road closures and more.
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Today saw state approval of SLO County's groundwater sustainability plan for the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin, an exemption to keep Diablo Canyon operating past its license expiration and emergency declarations by Governor Gavin Newsom.
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The Select Committee on Offshore Wind Energy will focus on policies related to floating wind turbines off the coast of San Luis Obispo and Humboldt counties.
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The recent winter storms harmed local beaver populations. The nonprofit SLO Beaver Brigade says the animals will need to rebuild their dams in local ponds, streams and creeks.
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An international team of audio producers wants to tell the story of Ella Young, the "godmother of the Dunites."
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"The devil is always in the details": Nuclear watchdog urges public to attend Diablo Canyon meetingsThere are several upcoming opportunities for Central Coast residents to comment on the future of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. They come amid the ongoing debate over how, and if, the plant's life should be extended.
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Santa Barbara-based ShelterBox has been working in Turkey and Syria for more than a decade distributing humanitarian aid. They're now ramping up that presence after yesterday's deadly earthquakes in the region.
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40 Prado's Jack Lahey says the homeless services center urgently needs volunteers — especially regular, consistent volunteers who stay in the long-term.