WILL-AM

The 217 Today Podcast

In today's deep dive, we'll learn more about the findings from the Illinois State Board of Education's annual report card for schools. 

The 21st Show

A handful of downstate communities in Illinois are considering Automated License Plate Recognition Programs. Opponents of these cameras say that they raise major concerns about privacy and surveillance and question how much they actually prevent crime. We were joined by a representative from the ACLU of Illinois and a postdoctoral research fellow in the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The 21st Show

The shooting of Jacob Blake by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, poured fuel on protests that had already been taking place that summer in memory of George Floyd. Kyle Rittenhouse went to Wisconsin with a high-powered, semi-automatic rifle in the style of the AR-15 ostensibly to protect property and businesses. The short version of what happened next is that two people were killed and one was wounded. Now, Rittenhouse is standing trial for murder and other charges. The 21st was joined by reporters from the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times Magazine to discuss the case. 

The 217 Today Podcast

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn how a mummy came to a high school in Naperville back in the 1940s.

The 217 Today Podcast

In today's deep dive, we'll hear from a professor and minister about how to counter COVID-19 misinformation among white evangelicals. 

The 21st Show

Journalism schools and newsrooms have released statements about their commitments to inclusiveness and diversity, and yet many news outlets remain predominantly white To talk about it, The 21st was joined by two journalism students and two professors.

The 21st Show

Before we end our special week of coverage about "Who's in charge of the news," we wanted to empower all of you with ways to distinguish credible journalism from social media posts that may be shared by your friends and family that are not based on fact.

The 217 Today Podcast

In today's deep dive, we'll learn about two people who are documenting the next generation of news outlets.

The 21st Show

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign journalism professor Nikki Usher talked about their book, News for the Rich, White and Blue, How Place And Power Distort American Journalism, which argues that news is increasingly geared toward people who are rich, white, and lean Democratic. 

The 21st Show

As we asked "Who is in charge of the news?" we looked at the new Local Journalism Task Force, signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker. To find out who’s on the task force, their goals, and whether it will save local, independent journalism, we were joined by the bill’s creator, the bill's co-sponsor, the news director at Northern Public Radio, and a journalism professor.