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Penny For Your Thoughts

NewsTalk 1400 & 93.9-FM
Illinois Basketball
Illinois
Illinois Football
Basketball
Champaign-Urbana
Illinois Fighting Illini
Champaign Urbana
University Of Illinois
NCAA Tournament
Illinois Men's Basketball
Government Shutdown
Champaign
Big Ten Tournament
UCLA
Thanksgiving
NCAA Basketball
Homelessness
Venezuela
Final Four
Champaign County

A long-standing radio program unlike any other. Brian Barnhart hosts a two-hour program that gives the community a place to discuss about almost anything. Brian welcomes listener calls, texts and emails, often about current events, politics, culture or sports. He also chats with notable community members and journalists.

PublishesDailyEpisodes300Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentaryNews

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Latest Episodes

Brian Barnhart hosts a Penny open line and Martin O’Donnell talking about the new Busey Bank – University of Illinois partnership. The second hour is Flashback Friday, this month, talking about your favorite fair or amusement park rides.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Today, an open line and Athletic Director, Josh Whitman at Big Ten Media Days. Then Lynn Barnes and Cathy Emanuel from Advocates for Aging Care have big news about their skilled nursing facility coming to Savoy.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Local attorney Tom Bruno was Brian’s guest for the first hour. In the second hour, more from Big Ten Football media days a conversation with Illini Coach Bret Bielema and Rich Clark, Director of the College Football Playof... more

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny from Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. Loren Tate from The News-Gazette joined Brain and then Illinois football players Katin Houser QB, Matt Bailey DB, and Juice Clarke DB, all to look at the season ahead.

Brian Barnhart hosts an open line for both hours today and we are treated to members of the Champaign-Urbana Theater Company (Lara Brooks, Monica Samii-Porter and Jeff Horger) with a performance from "Ragtime: The Musical."

Brian Barnhart hosts a Penny open line in the first hour. Then Mike McCuskey, Illinois Legislative Inspector General and retired Federal Judge, joins Brian in the second hour.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Peter T. Tomaras, lifelong resident of Champaign and columnist for The News-Gazette, joins Brian in the first hour. Then open line in the second hour.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Today Tim Hall talks about The Raminator Monster Trucks at the Champaign County Fair. WDWS Farm Director Gale Cunningham discusses his summer fair travels and the Champaign County Fair that starts this Saturday. Rachael Da... more

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Recent Guests

Josh Whitman
Athletic Director, University of Illinois
University of Illinois
Episode: Penny for Your Thoughts 7-30-26
Lynn Barnes
Advocates for Aging Care spokesperson
Advocates for Aging Care
Episode: Penny for Your Thoughts 7-30-26
Dr. Tom Minogue
Physician, long-time community healthcare figure
Independent caller
Episode: Penny for Your Thoughts 7-30-26
Rich Clark
Executive Director of the College Football Playoff
College Football Playoff
Episode: Penny for Your Thoughts 7-29-26
Bret Bielema
Head football coach, University of Illinois
University of Illinois
Episode: Penny for Your Thoughts 7-29-26
Katin Houser
New quarterback for the University of Illinois, transferred from East Carolina
University of Illinois
Episode: Penny for Your Thoughts 7-28-26
Matt Bailey
Safety for the University of Illinois
University of Illinois
Episode: Penny for Your Thoughts 7-28-26
Juice Clarke
Cornerback for the University of Illinois
University of Illinois
Episode: Penny for Your Thoughts 7-28-26
Monica Samii-Porter
Cast member from Champaign-Urbana Theater Company, involved with Ragtime
Champaign-Urbana Theater Company
Episode: Penny For Your Thoughts | 7-27-26

Host

Brian Barnhart
Host of Penny For Your Thoughts, longtime local radio host known for guiding open-line discussions on current events, politics, culture, and sports; frequently interacts with listeners and conducts guest interviews.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Penny for Your Thoughts 7-30-26
Q: What is Advocates for Aging Care aiming to build in Savoy and why is it needed?
A 120-bed Green House Model skilled nursing facility designed to be more person-centered, with private rooms, small cottages, universal workers, and robust partnerships with local institutions to address a shortage of beds and provide higher-quality care.
Penny for Your Thoughts 7-29-26
Q: What kind of defense would you put up in this case?
You don't fabricate a defense; you cross-examine witnesses and argue reasonable doubt, recognizing the client is the boss in deciding trial strategy and focusing on whether the government proved its case.
Penny for Your Thoughts 7-29-26
Q: Is it too late for anybody else to get in that race?
Yes, it would be difficult; while a write-in could still happen, the practical chances are slim, and the deadline would limit options.
Penny for Your Thoughts 7-22-26
Q: Anything happening in DC that you're watching? Would you ever get a farm bill or do we?
Gale says the farm bill is still unsettled, with policy debates ongoing and many issues up in the air, especially food stamps and work requirements.
Penny for Your Thoughts 7-23-26
Q: What prompts you to write about something?
Just ideas come to me; I've got an idea for the next column already, and I write what interests me and what I think readers will find engaging.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Penny For Your Thoughts

What is Penny For Your Thoughts about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program is a long-running, open-format community radio show where the host facilitates a two-hour call-in style conversation touching on current events, politics, culture, and sports, with occasional interviews from local journalists and notable community members. Episodes feature a broad mix of topics—from local government and infrastructure updates to arts, history, and technology—seasoned with listener questions, live calls, and sponsor mentions. A standout pattern is hospitality toward diverse voices, including government officials, educators, healthcare professionals, nonprofit leaders, and local journalists, making it a strong fit for brands seeking broad community reach and local relevance. The show regularly spotlights civic is... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Penny For Your Thoughts?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Penny For Your Thoughts:

1. Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk
2. SportsTalk
3. Illini Inquirer Podcast: An Illinois Fighting Illini athletics podcast
4. Inside Illini Basketball
5. IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

How many episodes of Penny For Your Thoughts are there?

Penny For Your Thoughts launched 9 years ago and published 300 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Penny For Your Thoughts?

Recent guests on Penny For Your Thoughts include:

1. Josh Whitman
2. Lynn Barnes
3. Dr. Tom Minogue
4. Rich Clark
5. Bret Bielema
6. Katin Houser
7. Matt Bailey
8. Juice Clarke

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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