Illinois Public Media

Music

John Phillip Sousa with a small marching band behind him

Prairie Performances: Celebrating Sousa at Illinois

 Celebrate the birthday of John Philip Sousa with this week’s Prairie Performances. Explore Sousa’s musical legacy on the University of Illinois campus through performances by the University Bands, featuring some of his most beloved marches, along with insights from Sousa Archives Director and Archivist Scott Schwartz. Tune in Thursday at 7 pm on Illinois Classical 90.9, or stream now.
IPM Newsroom
Crime and Punishment in America, from Executive Producers Ken Burns and Sam Pollard and directed by Lynn Novick, premieres Monday, November 16 at 7:00 PM Central
Illinois Classical
Illinois Classical 90.9

Your home for Classical and more in Central Illinois.
Classic Mornings

In The Bio Sphere
I was hoping to discover something new.
Dialogue

Suicide is up among Black Americans. We need to talk about it.
Black suicide rates are climbing, increasing more than 50% over about the past 10 years according to CDC data. 
The 21st Show
two men stand in front of a hand-painted political map of the world; at left he's wearing an embroidered white robe and red hat, and has his hand on Niger; at right Eric Whitaker is wearing a dark gray suit and tie and has his hand at the United States

Former ambassador says the U.S. has ‘diplomatically disarmed’
A year after his first visit to The 21st Show, retired U.S. diplomat Eric Whitaker returned to talk about the world as it is now.The former ambassador to Niger grew up in…
The 21st Show
Celebrating a third term in Chicago: First Lady M.K. Pritzker, Gov. J. B Pritzker, Lt. Gov.-elect Christian Mitchell, and the governor's daughter, Teddi Pritzker.

The blue wave reaches Illinois. What do Democrats do with it?
Democrats won decisively across the country Tuesday, and Illinois was no exception. Gov. J.B. Pritzker won a third term, defeating Republican Darren Bailey for the second…
The 21st Show
a photo portrait of Lindsey Cormack, a white woman with brown hair wearing a back, V-neck top; and the cover of the book How to Raise a Citizen, which features a handful of small blue and yellow stars scattered across a beige background

Why it’s up to parents to raise informed citizens
Civic education is an essential part of democracy. But political scientist Lindsey Cormack argues American schools are not up to the task — which means parents have to take…
Prairie Fire

“Prairie Fire” wins two Mid-America Regional Emmy® Awards
Season three of WILL-TV's popular magazine show won two Mid-America Regional Emmy® Awards at the 2026 Mid-America EMMY Awards in Kansas City, MO.
Illinois Soul Blog

Illinois Soul, part of Illinois Public Media, Launches Dialogue: Next Gen, a New Video Podcast Made by Teens, for Teens
Eight local high school students co-host and help produce series on the issues shaping their lives.
State of Change

Small gestures to make a big difference in preserving our planet
We visit a zero-waste general store, a garden bringing a community together in a Chicago food desert, a program protecting pollinators, and advice to increase sustainability…