Albany Political Reporter Liz Benjamin

Liz Benjamin has two decades of experience reporting in Albany. Her expertise lies in understanding how downstate issues interact with upstate ones as well as understanding which levers of power shape them.

She joins us to discuss both the joys and difficulties associated with covering New York politics.

Early Life and Education

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Liz Benjamin, host of Capital Tonight on YNN and Daily News columnist, knows Albany inside out. Her closet-sized office is filled with political memorabilia while her Rolodex contains name cards arranged alphabetically.

She is an outspoken journalist who stands up for her sources. Her intense focus and commitment to downstate/upstate politics make her a force to reckon with.

Professional Career

Liz Benjamin has long been known as one of Albany’s premier political reporters and hosts “Capital Tonight”, a weeknight political show on Time Warner Cable News (now Spectrum). Additionally, she manages the companion blog State of Politics.

She has earned acclaim as an indispensable source for New York State political news since starting out at the Times Union and covering Albany City Hall and state Capitol for ten years.

She is known for her direct interviewing style, earning the respect of many guests she interviews. According to colleagues, she frequently surprises them with interesting facts from her memory that come back out unexpectedly during interviews or roundtable discussions; additionally her interviewing abilities have earned her accolades from other shows too!

Achievement and Honors

Benjamin became one of the few black women to receive U.S. Patent Number 386,289. She went on to become an accomplished composer; music historians believe she composed several march pieces for the United States Marine Band including popular pieces like Boston Elite Two Step and American Bugle Call.

She has worked on various television shows such as Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Crash, Bones, United States of Tara and Rizzoli & Isles. Additionally she has danced under various choreographers such as Molissa Fenley, David Parsons and Twyla Tharp.

In 2023, she received the Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science as well as the Global Honors award, which provides funding support for senior students studying or researching overseas.

Personal Life

Liz has always maintained a relatively private life. Therefore, no information exists as to whether she has married or had children.

Benjamin’s regular viewers note how she has become more comfortable in front of the camera as time progresses, as well as feeling her presence has grown stronger over time.

She reportedly boasts an extensive Rolodex of contacts and relationships, according to the show’s senior producer. He credited her for successfully securing Gov. Paterson as a guest.

Capital Tonight on Spectrum News is hosted by her and she also writes the State of Politics blog. Prior to that she worked at YNN and NY1. Now she serves as managing director at Marathon Strategies a New York communications and strategy firm.

Net Worth

She is an active fundraiser for Building Homes for Heroes, a non-profit that builds mortgage-free homes for injured soldiers. Additionally, she hosts the Fox Business Network show Countdown to the Closing Bell.

Jessica Shyba is a super mom balancing four children while expanding her blog & Instagram with amazing content from luxury brands such as Land Rover & Shangri La to keep her followers engaged and interested.

She served as a reporter for Fox Business Network and regularly appears as a media guest, covering topics ranging from politics and economics, as well as interviewing top political leaders. For her efforts she earned herself a nomination for a Peabody award; additionally she published several books. It is estimated that her net worth exceeds $1 Million.