Mike Stephen learns about the Smartphones On Hold initiative with co-founders Kelly Kribs and Gideon Bob, discusses the latest issues in local journalism with McKinley Park News publisher Justin Kerr, and discovers the Secret History of experimental jazz trombone player George E. Lewis. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

We dive into a new report on Chicagoans and local news. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen dives into a new report about how Chicagoans consume and perceive their local news with Tim Franklin, director of the Medill Local News Initiative at Northwestern University, learns about the option for plant-based school lunches in Illinois with Balanced founder Audrey Lawson-Sanchez, and discovers the Secret History of The Pearl Handle Band. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

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 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.