Nikki Usher

Nikki Usher: “News for the Rich, White, and Blue”

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. This segment originally aired October 27, 2021.

State Capitol in Springfield
Reginald Hardwick/Illinois Newsroom

Can a new taskforce save Illinois journalism?

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. This segment originally aired October 27, 2021.

State Capitol in Springfield
Reginald Hardwick/Illinois Newsroom

Can a new taskforce save Illinois journalism?

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.

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