Ben Rappaport, a 2021 graduate of the Hussman School of Journalism at the UNC-Chapel Hill who has covered news for radio stations in Chapel Hill and Cape Town, South Africa, has joined the staff of the News + Record, Publisher Bill Horner III has announced.
A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Rappaport, 21, will cover the education and county government beats for the newspaper.
“I’m thrilled to be part of this blossoming community in Chatham and I can’t wait to meet the people that make this place the vibrant county it is,” he said. “I know my previous experiences in the surrounding areas of Orange County will help me learn and understand the issues impacting here in Chatham. This is such a bright news team and it’s such an honor to be part of a team at the forefront of the conversations in Chatham County.”
Rappaport was a reporter at Chapelboro.com and WCHL in Chapel Hill, where he covered the community online and on-air. At UNC, he was assistant opinion editor at the Daily Tar Heel, where he wrote columns about development and transportation issues. Most recently he was a reporter and radio host at Bush Radio in Cape Town.
“Ben brings a unique set of story-telling skills to the position,” Horner said. “He’s familiar with Chatham County and his newspaper and radio experience will help us provide more depth and breadth in our news coverage. We’re so fortunate to have him, and I’m excited he’s chosen the News + Record’s newsroom on his career path.”
