About Ben

Benjamin D. Peters is a former reporter and producer, with a passion for writing and the news.

Ben discovered his passion for journalism after transferring from Lincoln University to Missouri State in 2009, when he walked into an introduction to journalism course taught by Dr. Andrew R. Cline. Starting as an inexperienced reporter on the student newspaper, he quickly worked his way up to covering the top stories, including coverage of the Occupy Wall Street movement in Springfield, Mo.

He graduated from Missouri State University in December of 2011 with a bachelor’s in media studies.

He found his first job at the Lake Sun in Camdenton, working as the sports editor, where he shot photos, wrote stories and even wrote an Outdoors column, titled “Ben There, Done That”. While working at the Lake, Ben received a third place award from the Missouri Press Association for his watchdog piece on the safety issues of the Shootout, the annual high-speed boat race at the Lake of the Ozarks. He also received awards for his sports photography, all while working as a one-man team to produce a weekly 16-page high school football tab each season.

In May of 2014, he was offered a position as the morning show producer at KRCG 13, and quickly worked his way up the ladder in his short tenure. It only took Ben nine months to work his way up to produce the 5 p.m. newscast. He also took over the role of Interactive Managing Editor, focusing on KRCG 13’s social media and website. Ben worked both roles at the same time, while also playing a major role in transitioning the former website, connectmidmissouri.com, to the new site, krcgtv.com.

In October of 2016, Ben joined The Missouri Times, focusing his efforts on political coverage inside Missouri’s statehouse. Within two years, Ben had gained a massive amount of insight through his coverage of the state’s budget, the passage of bills, and topics such as utility issues, tort reform, and healthcare.  He also covered one of the most tumultuous years in Missouri history, which eventually led to the resignation of then-Governor Eric Greitens.

Ben then left the Times in October of 2018, where he began working in communications for the Missouri House of Representatives.

Ben is a homegrown Missouri boy, having lived in Mid-Missouri for nearly his entire life. Growing up in Osage County, Ben has a feel for the communities of Mid-Missouri, and is driven to use his skills and morals to deliver the very best he has to offer to the place he has called home for more than two decades. In his free time, he enjoys playing guitar, watching movies, fantasy football, cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs and spending time with his friends and family.