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May 3, 2008 8:27 am US/Central
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Good Question: What's Ben Tracy Been Up To?
(WCCO)
For nearly three years, Ben Tracy answered hundreds of good questions for WCCO-TV viewers.
Now, the viewers have a question of their own for Jason: "What happened to Ben Tracy?"
Since January 2008, Ben's been a correspondent for CBS News, based in Los Angeles.
"You have to fight to get on the air ... there's 40 correspondents around the world and everyone's pitching a story to get on the broadcast that night," said Tracy, back in the Twin Cities for his brother's wedding.
Tracy said he pitches dozens of story ideas each daily, covering a large region of the western part of the United States. Sometimes, though, the ideas come from the program's producers in New York.
"Do you have people?" asked WCCO reporter Jason DeRusha.
"I have some people. There is an entourage of folks. It's usually me, a producer, a camera guy and a sound guy," said Tracy.
Tracy said he has the help of producers in the Los Angeles bureau, and there isn't the expectation there is in local news to be on television with a story every night. Plus, being based on the West Coast, his deadline is 3:15 p.m. Pacific Time to feed his story to New York in time for the network broadcast.
No one tells him how to wear his hair or his clothing, except if a big-wig sees something he doesn't like.
"About three weeks into my stint with CBS I went on the evening news, without a tie. I was wearing a suit, a shirt, and not a tie because I was at a high school talking to kids," said Tracy. "Later that night I get an e-mail ... 'If you're ever thinking of not wearing a tie on the evening news, you should rethink that.'"
According to Tracy, the perks are not tremendous.
"I have a parking spot with my name on it. That kind of fun. And the best part is, if I get sent somewhere and I'm there longer than I should be, I can buy clothes. I got to buy some nice Calvin Klein boxer briefs courtesy of CBS. That's more information than anyone needs," he joked.
Being based in Los Angeles, Tracy says he hasn't totally gone "L.A." yet, although he has had a Hollywood moment.
"I met a very famous actor. Mario Lopez of 'Saved By The Bell.' I was like, 'It's A.C. Slater!'" laughed Tracy.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)