Just as Champaign-Urbana lies at the intersection of three major interstates, so too is Illinois Public Media uniquely positioned at the intersection of the University of Illinois, NPR, and PBS. We unite the missions of these three entities in executing our own mission: to enrich the lives of individuals in our community through the power of public media. In 2024, we worked to make our programming, events, and news an inclusive space for all to enjoy.
Coming off our centennial celebration, Illinois Public Media began to ask: what kind of public media organization do we want to be in this next century? And even more importantly, what kind of public media station should we be to continue to best serve our communities and meet our mission in an ever-evolving world? In many ways, 2023 was a year of intentional, foundation-building work to help all aspects of Illinois Public Media become our local public media station of the future.
2022 marked 100 years of WILL-AM, and throughout our celebrations we acknowledged the visionaries from the University of Illinois who saw the powerful potential of broadcast back in 1922 and honored the staff who came after who helped form the public media mission we still hold true to today. One hundred years later, the road ahead is just as exciting as the day we signed on. Digital technology gives us new ways to connect with people. Our local newsroom continues to grow, and we have award-winning local programs in production with more on the horizon.
2021 Illinois Public Media Annual Report
Illinois Public Media remains committed to independent, local, and regional journalism; to highlighting local storytelling through documentary film; to bringing you the very best in classical music and gardening advice; and to supporting those who support childhood education.
Illinois Public Media remains committed to independent, local, and regional journalism; to highlighting local storytelling through documentary film; to bringing you the very best in classical music and gardening advice; and to supporting those who support childhood education.
Much of the media landscape in 2018 was dominated by the midterm elections. Illinois Public Media remained steadfast throughout, delivering on our mission to provide unbiased and well-sourced reporting.
In 2017, we provided forums for localized conversations around the Vietnam War; produced award-winning programs, continued to expand our reach across Illinois, empowered young minds to interact with STEM activities on a global scale; and felt the power of Team WILL.
We gave power to the Illinois story through original films; delivered balanced, fair, and non-partisan election coverage as well as empowered local citizens through debates and voter guides; and equipped local schools and children with innovative tools to develop critical skills.
We expanded our coverage with Longer Listen and the formation of Illinois Newsroom; evolved with dynamic web series and an upgraded mobile app; updated our technology and equipment; and connected with our communities through Bump Up the Volume!
