WILL Press Room

Best known for her portrayal as “Maria” on Sesame Street for 44 years, Illinois Public Media presents a morning with Sonia Manzano.

Thanks to the generosity of the Newman’s Own Foundation and Friends of WILL, Illinois Public Media is offering its largest match gift ever during the WILL Marathon.

After 25 years with the show, Dianne Noland is retiring from her Mid-American Gardener hosting duties. Her final night hosting the gardening how-to television show will be Thursday, August 31, 2017.

It has been an award-winning summer for Illinois Public Media, receiving a total of seven national awards for both radio and television, so far.

As The 21st celebrates this milestone, Illinois Public Media is excited to announce the addition of a fifth station, reaching an internal goal set by the team before the show even began broadcasting.  

The 21st—a production of Illinois Public Media airing on four public media stations across state—is excited to announce a partnership with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Beginning in May, Host and Executive Producer Niala Boodhoo will be hosting live broadcasts of the show from Medill’s downtown newsroom. 

NPR’s 1A, hosted by Joshua Johnson, will be joining the WILL-AM 580 lineup on May 1, airing from 9-11 am Monday-Friday. With a name inspired by the First Amendment, 1A explores important issues such as policy, politics, technology, and what connects us across the fissures that divide the country. 

Stranded by the State—a two-part documentary special presented by Illinois Public Media focusing on the long-term toll the Illinois budget crisis has had on everyday people across the state—will begin broadcasting on public television stations February 14, the day before Governor Bruce Rauner’s state budget address.

The new PBS KIDS 24/7 WILL-TV channel and live stream will support Illinois Public Media’s mission to reach all central Illinois children with high-quality educational content. Interactive games integration to follow initial launch.

This is a series of eight short films—produced by students of the College of Media at University of Illinois under the leadership of journalism professor Charles "Stretch" Ledford—examining the larger pervasive national issue of the severe underrepresentation of African-Americans in the sciences.