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Artwork for WBEZ News

WBEZ News

WBEZ Chicago
Chicago
Chicago Bears
Chicago, United States
Illinois
Chicago Public Schools
Immigration
Trump Administration
Immigration Enforcement
Donald Trump
Operation Midway Blitz
Jesse Jackson
Deportation
ICE
Green Bay Packers
Florence Price
Reverend Jesse Jackson
Northwestern University
Little Village
WBEZ
Venezuela

The latest news and featured stories from WBEZ Chicago.

PublishesDailyEpisodes2782Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Daily NewsNews

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Artwork for WBEZ News

Latest Episodes

Four beluga whales have been transported to the Shedd Aquarium from Canada in an effort aquarium staff called “unprecedented” and “urgent.” But animal rights advocates have questions about how the Shedd will be handling the belugas. HOST: MELBA

Brothers and restaurateurs Teddy and Alexis Vejar spent their childhood surrounded by great cooks both in Mexico and the US. Now, they run the restaurant Jarabe on the city’s Near West Side, where they serve cochinita pibil. The dish reminds them of ... more

School districts across the country are seeing a spike in students with autism. As it has in other places, the increase in students with special needs is putting a tremendous strain on Chicago Public Schools’ budget. It’s a key reason why, despite de... more

It’s been more than three months since West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park suddenly closed. Now patients nearby on Chicago’s West Side are traveling farther for care and ending up in crowded emergency departments at other hospitals. These are th... more

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Recent Guests

Shantis Johnson
West Side resident and expectant mother
West Suburban area resident
Episode: ‘Where do they go?’ What West Side patients face after their hospital closes.
Megan Nolan
Director of reproductive services with a large group of clinics
West Suburban affiliation
Episode: ‘Where do they go?’ What West Side patients face after their hospital closes.
Dr. George Naratadum
Kidney specialist
West Suburban
Episode: ‘Where do they go?’ What West Side patients face after their hospital closes.
Margaret Polico
ER nurse at Community First Medical Center
Community First Medical Center in Portage Park
Episode: ‘Where do they go?’ What West Side patients face after their hospital closes.
Lucy Dacus
Indie musician making orchestral debut with Chicago Philharmonic
Self/Artist
Episode: Lucy Dacus is making her orchestral debut with the Chicago Philharmonic
Maxim Krupsky
Legal scholar at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Episode: A family fled Russia after their home was set on fire. The Trump administration wants to send them back
Juan Pablo Ramirez Franco
Climate and environment reporter for WBEZ
WBEZ
Episode: Why is it so expensive to replace lead pipes in Chicago?
Maggie Hennessey
WBEZ food contributor
WBEZ Chicago
Episode: Is Chicago suddenly a bagel town? The heated rivalry between indie shops and Big Bagel
Alzo Slade
New scorekeeper of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, former panelist
NPR/WBEZ Chicago
Episode: Alzo Slade makes his mark as “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me’s” new scorekeeper

Host

Courtney Kippers
Host of the interview

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#206
United States/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts
#218
Mexico/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts
#235
Ireland/News/Daily News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why is it so expensive to replace lead pipes in Chicago?
Q: Why is it so much more expensive to replace lead pipes in Chicago compared with other cities?
The costs appear higher due to a combination of factors the report investigated, including a complex permit system, early contracts that enabled overbidding, and a lack of transparent cost tracking by the city, all while there is a federal urgency to remove lead pipes within two decades.
This little-known anxiety disorder quieted my childhood. But it didn’t define me.
Q: Tell us what is selective mutism? How did it present in your life?
It's a disability where I would freeze and not speak in school despite being chatty at home; teachers noticed the lack of participation and it affected my grades and eye contact.
Mayor Brandon Johnson will meet with Pope Leo the 14th tomorrow, in Rome.
Q: Is Johnson going to give the pope a Cubs hat as a gift?
No; the mayor has decided not to give the Cubs hat, despite prior jokes about it.
Hear how a new program brings jazz to CTA Red Line stops all summer
Q: What is the purpose of bringing jazz to the Red Line stations this summer?
To showcase Chicago's diverse neighborhoods and how jazz has grown and adapted across cultures, giving riders a flavor of the city through public performances.
Hurray For The Riff Raff breaks down new live album recorded in Chicago
Q: How did your experiences with immigrant detention influence your songwriting, especially Precious Cargo?
Interacting with detainees and hearing their journeys gave me a direct, human perspective that I wanted to translate into a song, turning personal empathy into art with real-world stakes.

Audience Metrics

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Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About WBEZ News

What is WBEZ News about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show frequently covers local Chicago news with an emphasis on investigative reporting, civic issues, and culture. Episodes span from how campuses implement immigration laws and student advocacy to festival coverage, historical music projects, and the social implications of high-profile local events. The mix of policy-oriented segments, community organizing, and arts/culture interviews creates a broad, city-focused conversations ecosystem that helps listeners understand how national-level issues play out locally, as well as how individual stories intersect with larger systems. A notable pattern is the blend of hard journalism with human-centered storytelling, often featuring on-the-ground perspectives from educators, organizers, musicia... more

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How many listeners does WBEZ News get?

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Which podcasts are similar to WBEZ News?

These podcasts share a similar audience with WBEZ News:

1. City Cast Chicago
2. Curious City
3. The Rundown | Chicago News
4. Up First from NPR
5. Consider This from NPR

How many episodes of WBEZ News are there?

WBEZ News launched 3 years ago and published 2782 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact WBEZ News?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for WBEZ News?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for WBEZ News from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on WBEZ News?

Recent guests on WBEZ News include:

1. Shantis Johnson
2. Megan Nolan
3. Dr. George Naratadum
4. Margaret Polico
5. Lucy Dacus
6. Maxim Krupsky
7. Juan Pablo Ramirez Franco
8. Maggie Hennessey

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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