Mike Stephen talks to Tracy Baim, the co-publisher of the Chicago Reader, about that publication’s 50th anniversary and what it means to the city. Then, we learn about a proposal to fight homelessness in Chicago from Edrika Fulford, a member of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless‘ Grassroots Leadership Team. And Mike tells the story of a high school prank that will help improve that school’s cybersecurity. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Posted 1 month ago Tagged

Media and democracy are important!

Mike Stephen discusses the future of media and democracy with Nikki Usher, associate professor of journalism at the University of Illinois and author of News for the Rich, White, and Blue: How Place and Power Distort American Journalism, and talks to civic educator and public defender Tom Tresser about the latest in the Chicago TIF saga. And in the OTL Wrap Party, Mike and Producer Collin give some love to media and democracy. Yay, democracy! To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Posted 3 months ago Tagged

Looking up at the Tribune Tower and pondering the future of media diversity. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen chats about diversity in local journalism with Brandon Pope, the new president of the Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, learns about a new bill that strengthens civics education for incarcerated youth from Ami Gandhi, senior counsel at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, and gets the lowdown on Tautologic‘s new album from singer & keyboardist Ethan Sellers. And in the OTL Wrap Party, Mike and Producer Collin recap the show and discuss the importance of mentorship and rickshaws. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Posted 6 months ago Tagged