The title slide of Mike Stephen’s presentation at the Northern Illinois Scholastic Press Association Conference. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the future of journalism at the Northern Illinois Scholastic Press Association conference with Jason Block, multimedia communications teacher at Prospect High School, and learns about the important work of the Chicago-based organization called Share Our Spare. This organization helps families in need and executive director Alex Goodfellow discusses their efforts. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

We learn about an incredible story of second chances. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns about the incredible story of Dr. Stanley Andrisse, endocrinologist and assistant professor at the Howard University College of Medicine, who was formerly incarcerated and is now a scientist and executive director of From Prison Cells to Ph.D and then discusses the challenges of local community media with Justin Kerr, publisher of the McKinley Park News. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

We are in a crisis in journalism and democracy. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the local journalism crisis with Illinois Local Journalism Task Force member Mark Jacob, learns about the lack of electric vehicle infrastructure in certain areas of Chicago with Little Village Environmental Justice Organization Transportation Justice Program Manager Jose Miguel Acosta Cordova, and discovers the Secret History of local blues bass virtuoso Bernard Reed. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

We explore Google’s impact on local journalism. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Justin Kerr, publisher of the McKinley Park News, and learns why that local news outlet severed ties with Google and then chats with local music historian Steve Krakow about his recent musical journey to Belfast. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.