Outside the Loop RADIO
Local Music
Outside the Loop RADIO is Chicago's Almost Above-Ground Audio Magazine. Founded as a podcast in September 2006 and picked up for broadcast by Chicago Sound Alliance WLUW 88.7-FM in March 2007, "OTL" now airs on Chicago's Very Own 50,000-watt heritage powerhouse station WGN Radio 720-AM. Storyteller and urbanologist Mike Stephen hosts this weekly program featuring fun segments and interviews with local newsmakers, artists, musicians, and others doing cool stuff around the greater Chicago area. The show covers topics stories that don't always get mainstream media attention... and it's all presented with a strong and independent Chicago slant. http://outsidetheloopradio.com
Location:
United States
Description:
Outside the Loop RADIO is Chicago's Almost Above-Ground Audio Magazine. Founded as a podcast in September 2006 and picked up for broadcast by Chicago Sound Alliance WLUW 88.7-FM in March 2007, "OTL" now airs on Chicago's Very Own 50,000-watt heritage powerhouse station WGN Radio 720-AM. Storyteller and urbanologist Mike Stephen hosts this weekly program featuring fun segments and interviews with local newsmakers, artists, musicians, and others doing cool stuff around the greater Chicago area. The show covers topics stories that don't always get mainstream media attention... and it's all presented with a strong and independent Chicago slant. http://outsidetheloopradio.com
Twitter:
@outsidetheloop
Language:
English
Contact:
Outside the Loop WGN Radio 435 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611
Episodes
OTL #949: The lack of Chicago environmental regulations enforcement, The Secret History of JD, Foster, and Eastman
12/21/2024
Mike Stephen talks to Neighbors for Environmental Justice board president Anthony Moser about how local politics and a lack of enforcement are impacting Chicago’s environmental policies and then discovers the Secret History of 1970s Chicago country rockers JD, Foster, and Eastman.
Duration:00:40:16
OTL #948: Re-mapping Chicago, The state of local food journalism, Quimby’s calls it quits
12/14/2024
Mike Stephen gets an update on the effort to re-map Chicago community areas from Emily Talen, director of The Urbanism Lab at the University of Chicago, discusses the state of local food journalism Mike Gebert, editor of Fooditor, and reflects on the good work of the soon-to-be-sold Quimby’s bookstore in Wicker Park.
Duration:00:38:58
OTL #947: Local housing assistance in 2025, What’s left behind after gun violence, The Secret History of Dee Clark
12/7/2024
Mike Stephen discusses proposed housing measures for Chicago in the new year from Alejandra Cancino, investigative reporter at Injustice Watch, learns about a new documentary that focuses on gun violence victims’ families and loved ones called What's Left Behind from director Dr. Janice Collins, and discovers the Secret History of 1960s soul and doo wop singer Dee Clark.
Duration:00:47:10
OTL #946: The proposed Chicago liquor tax increase, Protecting our genetic privacy
11/30/2024
Mike Stephen discusses the potential impact of the proposed Chicago liquor tax increase with Mr. Chicago Bars and then talks to Ericka Watson, principal and CEO of Data Strategy Advisors, about privacy issues stemming from private companies mapping our DNA.
Duration:00:36:33
OTL #945: Stories from a local Uber driver, Shawn Maxwell’s new music, The Secret History of Viewfinder
11/23/2024
Mike Stephen talks to Provy Taylor, a local Uber driver, about his new book of stories while on the job called Uber Me to Providence, gets the lowdown on local saxophonist Shawn Maxwell’s new music, and discovers the Secret History of 90s alt-rockers: Viewfinder.
Duration:00:42:11
OTL #944: The state of local journalism, Predatory lending’s impact
11/16/2024
Mike Stephen explores a new report on the state of local journalism with Tim Franklin, director of the Medill Local News Initiative, and discusses the impact of predatory lending in Illinois with Jane Doyle, senior regulatory policy associate at the Woodstock Institute.
Duration:00:40:09
OTL #943: Chicago hot dogs, Local pinball, The Secret History of Paulette McWilliams
11/9/2024
Mike Stephen eases us back into post-election life with a couple fun segments from 2015 and then discovers the Secret History of Chicago-born vocalist Paulette McWilliams.
Duration:00:37:47
OTL #942: Housing in Chicago, A crisis in Illinois Early Intervention, Black Panther Party history update
11/2/2024
Mike Stephen discusses the impact of the departure of the Chicago Housing Authority CEO with Block Club Chicago investigative editor Mick Dumke, learns about a crisis in Illinois’ Early Intervention Program from Start Early director of legislative affairs Jonathan Doster and speech pathologist Sarah Ziemba, and gives an update on the efforts to preserve the history of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party.
Duration:00:35:31
OTL #941: A crisis in Illinois prisons, Educational attainment of CPS students, The Secret History of Nick Gravenites
10/26/2024
Mike Stephen discusses the crisis of Illinois state prison staff levels and working conditions with John Howard Association executive director Jennifer Vollen-Katz, learns about a new report about the educational attainment of CPS students from Alexandra Usher, the director of data and research at the To&Through Project, and discovers the Secret History of local blues rocker Nick Gravenites.
Duration:00:42:43
OTL #940: CTA Surveillance, One year after the end of cash bail, McLuhan’s new music
10/19/2024
Mike Stephen learns about a new CTA surveillance pilot program from Justin Agrelo, community engagement reporter at The Trace, discusses the impact of ending cash bail in Illinois with State Senator Robert Peters (13th), and gets the lowdown on local prog rock band McLuhan from vocalist & bassist Neal Rosner.
Duration:00:34:37
OTL #939: The judicial election guide, Sideshow Villains’ deviant cabaret, and The Secret History of Jo Mapes
10/12/2024
Mike Stephen learns about Injustice Watch’s judicial election guide with managing editor Jonah Newman, previews the Sideshow Villains’ upcoming deviant cabaret with band leader Dante Ingram, and discovers the Secret History of local folk singer Jo Mapes.
Duration:00:38:58
OTL #938: The history of Black entrepreneurship in Chicago, Local education update
10/6/2024
Mike Stephen discusses the history of Black entrepreneurship in Chicago with Wichita State history professor Robert Weems Jr. and then gets an update on local education issues from Chalkbeat Chicago reporter Reema Amin.
Duration:00:34:41
OTL #937: An American Suburb’s Encounter with Evil
9/28/2024
Mike Stephen sits down with Lake Forest High School history teacher Michael Soffer to discuss his new book Our Nazi: An American Suburb’s Encounter with Evil, which tells the story of how a WWII Nazi ended up as a high school custodian in suburban Chicago.
Duration:00:43:11
OTL #936: The future of women comes to Chicago, The Transferable Skills Podcast, The Surabhi Ensemble’s world music thrives
9/21/2024
Mike Stephen talks to Dr. Jamila Taylor, president and CEO of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, about their upcoming Chicago conference, learns about the new Transferable Skills Podcast from its creator and host Noah Mishkin, and previews the Surabhi Ensemble’s gig at Navy Pier with guitarist Carlo Basile.
Duration:00:40:10
OTL #935: Smartphones On Hold, Local journalism drama, The Secret History of George E. Lewis
9/14/2024
Mike Stephen learns about the Smartphones On Hold initiative with co-founders Kelly Kribs and Gideon Bob, discusses the latest issues in local journalism with McKinley Park News publisher Justin Kerr, and discovers the Secret History of experimental jazz trombone player George E. Lewis.
Duration:00:42:59
OTL #934: The future of Chicago newsracks, Chicago Style celebrates local fashion history
9/7/2024
Mike Stephen learns about the disappearance of downtown newspaper racks from Brian Hieggelke, editor and publisher of Newcity and the chair of the Chicago Newsracks Task Force, and then talks to Illinois Humanities executive director Gabrielle Lyon and author Ayana Contreras to get a preview of an event that celebrates local fashion history called Chicago Style.
Duration:00:39:13
OTL #933: Illinois’ air pollution, Saxman Billy Harper’s story, Chicago Recovering Communities Coalition
8/31/2024
Mike Stephen discusses a new report about Illinois' air pollution with Julian Reif, professor at the University of Illinois, discovers saxman Billy Harper’s story, and learns about the good work of the Chicago Recovering Communities Coalition with executive director Dora Dantzler-Wright.
Duration:00:38:43
OTL #932: The Neighborhood Bridge, New music from Max McGathey, The legacy of the Uptown People’s Law Center
8/24/2024
Mike Stephen visits with Prentice Butler, executive director of a local organization that provides a bridge to success for Chicago families called The Neighborhood Bridge, gets the lowdown on local musician Maxx McGathey’s new music, and discusses the legacy of the Uptown People’s Law Center with retiring executive director Alan Mills.
Duration:00:37:57
OTL #931: The Tenant Trap, The Secret History of Fred Holstein
8/17/2024
Mike Stephen talks to Injustice Watch senior reporter Alejandra Cancino about how some Chicago renters are trapped in unsafe buildings while forced to pay rising rents and then dives into the Secret History of local folk legend Fred Holstein.
Duration:00:35:51
OTL #930: No Games Chicago, Inequities in mental health services for justice-involved youth
8/10/2024
Mike Stephen talks to community organizer Tom Tresser about his new book on the history of No Games Chicago and then talks to Maria Jose Luna, doctoral candidate in the clinical psychology program at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, about a new study that examines the inequities in mental health services for justice-involved youth.
Duration:00:38:38