Illinois Public Media

Politics

Photograph of Illinois lawmakers listen to debate on the House floor during a session at the Illinois State Capitol.

Rundown of new laws in Illinois as 2026 begins

 A new year means new laws are now in effect across Illinois from criminal justice and law enforcement, education and schools to gun control. This episode of “The 21st Show” highlights several new laws that Illinoisans might see play out in their daily life.
IPM Newsroom
New PBS Series: Bookish.
Atomic Age Cocktail Party
Atomic Age logo with an illustration of five piece jazz combo. Text reads

We Dig Mancini (153)
This week on The Atomic Age Cocktail Party, we dig Mancini! And hour featuring of artists of the hi-fi era putting their spin on classic tunes from Henry Mancini. We’ll hear…
Atomic Age Cocktail Party
Atomic Age logo with an illustration of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart at a piano. Text reads

Rodgers & Hart (152)
On this edition of The Atomic Age Cocktail Party, we feature the songwriting team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, the pair behind such classic songs as My Funny Valentine,…
Evening Concert

The Evening Concert on Illinois Classical
Music by de Falla, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Bruckner, and others
The 21st Show
Williams, wearing his helmet and the Bears' navy blue home jersey, extends his arm toward coach Ben Johnson as though seeking a fist bump; Johnson wears a long-sleeve navy shirt with the bear head logo on the left chest and a Bears baseball cap; he's also wearing a radio headset and holding a laminated document

Chicago Bears in the playoffs
The Chicago Bears are in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. We’ll talk about their post-season prospects, and how GM Ryan Poles, Head Coach Ben Johnson, and…
The 21st Show
Four women smile while wearing baseball caps and holding flags representing Venezuela.

What’s next for Venezuela?
Months of U.S. military pressure on Venezuela culminated in the capture of the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro. We’ll talk with about how we got here and what comes next.
The 217 Today Podcast
A man stands in front of a grain bin.

217 Today: What made 2025 a hard time to be a farmer and what’s ahead for some farmers in the central US
In today’s deep dive, some farmers ended 2025 unsure how they'll pay their bills. We'll hear from farmers around the central US about what made 2025 such a tough year and…
Prairie Fire

Prairie Fire: Season 3 - Episode 4 - December 2025
We introduce you to Bloomington artist Herb Eaton, learn the important role the “Illinois Country” played in the American Revolution, and get a special holiday performance…
Mid-American Gardener

A Visit to Prairie Fruits Farms for our December Shows
This week, Karen, Ella, and Jim come along to Prairie Fruits Farms in Urbana to wrap up the year in style!
State of Change

The state of the Illinois Prairie
State of Change 2025 looks at efforts to retain existing prairie in Illinois, as well as strategies to restore some areas to a more natural state.