Podcast appearances and mentions of justin kaufmann

Summer in Chicago means more street festivals, more time by the water, and the return of 16-inch softball leagues across the city. Host Jacoby Cochran recently joined the KUP Media Softball League at Mozart Park. The City Cast team recently caught a game and learned more about this nearly 140-year-old Chicago pastime from Axios reporter and league member Justin Kaufmann. Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this June 23 episode: Babbel — Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Immigration agents detained at least 10 people in the South Loop after the government sent them instructions via text to show up for a routine appointment. The Chicago Fire's billionaire owner Joe Mansueto unveiled plans to build a $650 million stadium south of Roosevelt Road. Air quality in the city and suburbs was poor due to Canadian wildfires. Reset breaks down those stories and more with WBEZ midday anchor Lisa Labuz, Axios Chicago reporter Justin Kaufmann and Northwestern University's Natalie Moore. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Serious political junkies jump right into predicting the next ballot. Listen in as Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin trespass on 2026. We invited Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann back to debate the shifting tides for the 5th floor of Chicago's City Hall, the governor's mansion, and a very critical U.S. Senate seat. During this episode of the Crisis Cast, we examine what might be the tipping point for Mayor Brandon Johnson. Plus, what's the next move for Senator Dick Durbin, and who will step up to prioritize public safety?

Starting Tuesday, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan took the stand in his own corruption trial. Madigan is accused of bribery, racketeering, and various other charges. We ask Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann and the Tribune's Jake Sheridan what we've learned from Madigan's testimony so far. Plus, we discuss a growing rift between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker, South Side developments we're watching in 2025, and the Kennedy express lanes reopening next week.     Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

It's the busiest season of the year for advertisers and retailers. That means a lot of commercials, which is something we know a little something about in Chicago. Join us as we revisit a conversation from earlier this year with Axios reporter Justin Kaufmann about some of our city's most legendary commercials, jingles, and characters that have enticed us to buy stuff. Make sure you vote City Cast Chicago as Best Podcast and Hey Chicago as Best Email Newsletter in the Chicago Reader's Best of 2024  Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this December 23rd episode: Joffrey Ballet — save 10% with code SNOW10 for the December 26th and 27th performances! Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

On heals of the 2024 election, there's a lot stirring in our neighborhoods about the federal funding that may vanish. All of which collides with the City of Chicago's nearly $3 billion budget deficit.   Durning this episode, Justin Kaufmann of Axios Chicago joins Lissa & Thom to talk about our present day council chaos. Justin sees it as a hearkening back to the "council wars" of the 1980s. What's driving this dysfunction? Can Mayor Brandon Johnson actually be a collaborator in chief? These are just some of the answers we're chasing. Plus, is Governor J.B. Pritzker helping with his harsh tones for the incoming Trump administration?

Axios contributor Justin Kaufmann joins Bob Sirott to talk about which intersections Chicagoans think are the most annoying based on traffic and travel times. He also explains how the different intersections were chosen and how construction on the Kennedy Expressway impacted the results.

Former President Donald Trump spoke at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention in Chicago, and it went about as well (read: poorly) as you might expect. Freelance writer Britt Julious and Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann are here with executive producer Simone Alicea to talk about what we learned, if anything, from the Republican nominee's visit. They also offer tips for Lollapalooza weekend, reminisce about an iconic punk rock institution, and discuss the struggles of getting a rare medical diagnosis. Plus, we've got some good news about food influencer Keith Lee's visit to Chicago and the upcoming Bears “Hard Knocks” premiere. Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this Aug. 2 episode: West Town Chicago — Dancing in the Streets (8/2 - 8/4) Ravinia Wastenot — Use code citycastcompost to test the service with a free month. Bike the Drive — Use code Streets5 for $5 off. Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Axios contributor Justin Kaufmann joins Bob Sirott to talk about the best Italian ice Chicago has to offer, like Mario’s Italian Lemonade. Freelancer Samantha Nelson also joins Bob to share details about food festivals throughout the summer, including Taste of Chicago, Taste of Greektown, Vegandale, and so many more.

Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann joins the Steve Cochran Show to delve into the best grocery stores in Chicago, Memorial Day grocery prices, and he tests the show's street knowledge of name changes, nicknames, and Chicago slang.     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's be honest: Super Bowl Sunday is only partly about football. A lot of us are watching it just for the commercials. In the advertising world, it's the biggest and most expensive opportunity to create a legendary commercial that will have the whole country's attention. Chicago knows a thing or two about creating a classic commercial. From local jingles to iconic characters, host Jacoby Cochran and Axios reporter Justin Kaufmann remember some of Chicago's greatest ads. Good News: Axios Chicago team tonight at the Hideout Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a very busy week in City Council. Between a rare censure vote, advancing the “Bring Chicago Home'' referendum, and finalizing a Far South Side winterized migrant shelter location, there were plenty of debates, distractions, and deals. Host Jacoby Cochran sits down with The Daily Line's Erin Hegarty and Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann to make sense of it all. Plus, we are talking about next week's budget vote, Chi Christmas trees, and the Cubs spending $40 million on a new manager.  Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann joins Andrea Darlas and Nick Digilio on the Steve Cochran Show the greatest Chicago news anchors in history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Father's Day to all of our listeners! AXIOS Chicago's Justin Kaufmann joins John Howell to share his rundown of the seven best fictional fathers from Chicago. Listen as they both revisit some of their favorite television and movie memories of extraordinary dads.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

• AXIOS' Justin Kaufmann joins the show to review his picks for best fictional Chicagoan father of all time.  • Robert Channick from the Chicago Tribune has the details on the temporary casino Bally's will set up in the Medinah Temple starting this August.  • Thunder Rosa, former AEW Women's Champion, joins the show to promote the very first Collision event, tomorrow at the United Center and airing at 7 pm on TNT.  • Plus, Jason Nathanson has the details on the new Flash movie, and the show shares their favorite pieces of advice that their fathers ever gave them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Father's Day to all of our listeners! AXIOS Chicago's Justin Kaufmann joins John Howell to share his rundown of the seven best fictional fathers from Chicago. Listen as they both revisit some of their favorite television and movie memories of extraordinary dads.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

• AXIOS' Justin Kaufmann joins the show to review his picks for best fictional Chicagoan father of all time.  • Robert Channick from the Chicago Tribune has the details on the temporary casino Bally's will set up in the Medinah Temple starting this August.  • Thunder Rosa, former AEW Women's Champion, joins the show to promote the very first Collision event, tomorrow at the United Center and airing at 7 pm on TNT.  • Plus, Jason Nathanson has the details on the new Flash movie, and the show shares their favorite pieces of advice that their fathers ever gave them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin Kaufmann, Reporter, Axios, joins John Williams to recap last night’s James Beard Awards. Who were the big winners and who were the losers? Justin breaks it all down. Sign up for Justin’s daily newsletter here.

Justin Kaufmann, Reporter, Axios, joins John Williams to recap last night’s James Beard Awards. Who were the big winners and who were the losers? Justin breaks it all down. Sign up for Justin’s daily newsletter here.

Justin Kaufmann, Reporter, Axios, joins John Williams to recap last night’s James Beard Awards. Who were the big winners and who were the losers? Justin breaks it all down. Sign up for Justin’s daily newsletter here.

Summer is upon us and Chicago is buzzing like never before! Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann joins the Steve Cochran Show to share the top 10 Chicago festivals to go to this summer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's guests: - Justin Kaufmann, Reporter for Axios - Carmen Navarro-Gercone, Executive Clerk of the Circuit Court. - Anne's Have

Today's guests: Axios reporter Justin Kaufmann on the Chicago aldermanic election Benedictine University Political Science Professor Joel Ostrow on Ukraine, Russia and China Former 45th Ward Ald. John Arena on the Chicago mayoral and alder-manic elections

Post-pandemic Chicago in many ways is navigating a new crisis of division.  In this episode of the Crisis Cast, veteran journalist Justin Kaufmann from Axios brings his giant map of 50 wards and unpacks the next chapter of mayoral politics in his hometown. Lissa & Thom come loaded with questions about Chicago's two most powerful unions and their influence on City Hall.  Justin breaks down some truths about voter turnout, and why he believes the April runoff election for mayor is a referendum on the idealogy of the Second City. Plus, we saved some time for 16-inch softball trash talk.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election bid on Tuesday, becoming the first Chicago mayor to lose their re-election campaign in 40 years. Crime became the top issue for voters in this race, and as residents grappled with safety concerns due to rising crime rates in Chicago, the incumbent Mayor Lightfoot lost a great deal of confidence and support. But what led this progressive Democrat, who won the mayor's office by massive margins in 2019, to suffer a historic defeat in her re-election attempt? Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann joins the Rundown to discuss how the primary vote became a referendum on the city's violent crime and breaks down Lightfoot's fraught legacy and tenure. Later, Co-founder and President of RealClearPolitics Tom Bevan joins the podcast to explain how a very Democratic city came to prioritize crime on the ballot and the showdown to come between the two remaining candidates and their policies on policing and education. Many Americans celebrated when President Biden announced his plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debt for each borrower. As a result of the HEROES Act, the Biden administration was able to provide relief to student loan recipients during the national emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, others are challenging the President's promise by bringing the issue to the Supreme Court, arguing that the law does not give the President legal authority to cancel the debts. Chief Legal Officer at the Job Creators Network Foundation Karen Harned joins the Rundown to discuss how the two plaintiffs she's representing have been excluded from the President's debt relief program and why the plan would not solve the root cause of unaffordable tuition in higher education.   Plus, commentary by General Counsel for NetChoice, Carl Szabo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election bid on Tuesday, becoming the first Chicago mayor to lose their re-election campaign in 40 years. Crime became the top issue for voters in this race, and as residents grappled with safety concerns due to rising crime rates in Chicago, the incumbent Mayor Lightfoot lost a great deal of confidence and support. But what led this progressive Democrat, who won the mayor's office by massive margins in 2019, to suffer a historic defeat in her re-election attempt? Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann joins the Rundown to discuss how the primary vote became a referendum on the city's violent crime and breaks down Lightfoot's fraught legacy and tenure. Later, Co-founder and President of RealClearPolitics Tom Bevan joins the podcast to explain how a very Democratic city came to prioritize crime on the ballot and the showdown to come between the two remaining candidates and their policies on policing and education. Many Americans celebrated when President Biden announced his plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debt for each borrower. As a result of the HEROES Act, the Biden administration was able to provide relief to student loan recipients during the national emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, others are challenging the President's promise by bringing the issue to the Supreme Court, arguing that the law does not give the President legal authority to cancel the debts. Chief Legal Officer at the Job Creators Network Foundation Karen Harned joins the Rundown to discuss how the two plaintiffs she's representing have been excluded from the President's debt relief program and why the plan would not solve the root cause of unaffordable tuition in higher education.   Plus, commentary by General Counsel for NetChoice, Carl Szabo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election bid on Tuesday, becoming the first Chicago mayor to lose their re-election campaign in 40 years. Crime became the top issue for voters in this race, and as residents grappled with safety concerns due to rising crime rates in Chicago, the incumbent Mayor Lightfoot lost a great deal of confidence and support. But what led this progressive Democrat, who won the mayor's office by massive margins in 2019, to suffer a historic defeat in her re-election attempt? Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann joins the Rundown to discuss how the primary vote became a referendum on the city's violent crime and breaks down Lightfoot's fraught legacy and tenure. Later, Co-founder and President of RealClearPolitics Tom Bevan joins the podcast to explain how a very Democratic city came to prioritize crime on the ballot and the showdown to come between the two remaining candidates and their policies on policing and education. Many Americans celebrated when President Biden announced his plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debt for each borrower. As a result of the HEROES Act, the Biden administration was able to provide relief to student loan recipients during the national emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, others are challenging the President's promise by bringing the issue to the Supreme Court, arguing that the law does not give the President legal authority to cancel the debts. Chief Legal Officer at the Job Creators Network Foundation Karen Harned joins the Rundown to discuss how the two plaintiffs she's representing have been excluded from the President's debt relief program and why the plan would not solve the root cause of unaffordable tuition in higher education.   Plus, commentary by General Counsel for NetChoice, Carl Szabo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bad weather across much of the U.S. this week will mean a bumpy ride for many Americans traveling for the holidays. We talked to Axios local reporters about how they are preparing for treacherous travel conditions and the coldest temperatures in decades. Plus, the growth in anti-Semitic hate in the U.S. And, the public may soon see years of Trump's tax returns. Guests: Axios' Russell Contreras, Andrew Freedman, Justin Kaufmann, Linh Ta and Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi. Credits: Axios Today is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Alexandra Botti, Fonda Mwangi, Robin Linn and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893. Go Deeper: Antisemitic hate crimes rise in major cities "Life-threatening" cold, bomb cyclone blizzard to sweep U.S. this week Arctic blast and intense winter holiday storm to slam U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jacoby Cochran is back behind the mic for the latest edition of our weekly news rewind. Today, we've got some great friends of the show in the building: WTTW's politics reporter Amanda Vinicky, and Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann. They discuss everything from property taxes and weed dispensaries, to GOP leadership changes and constitutional amendments. Plus, the trio offers some advice for people new to Chicago.  Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She's worked for Chicago's biggest newspapers and he's worked for Chicago's most successful radio stations. And now … they do email.Joining Charlie Meyerson for this edition of the Chicago Public Square / Rivet360 podcast, Chicago Media Talks: Axios Chicago newsletter authors Justin Kaufmann and Monica Eng.Listen in your favorite podcast player, via Spotify and Pandora, on Amazon's Alexa-powered speakers or on Apple Podcasts.Or if you prefer to read your podcasts, check out the transcript below.And if you're a completist, check out the behind-the-scenes raw audio and video from the recording of this podcast via Zoom on YouTube—including deleted segments like Eng and Kaufmann's answers (at 34:50) to the question, “How did Charlie most annoy you?” ■ Enjoying these podcasts? Help keep them coming by joining The Legion of Chicago Public Squarians.■ And consider subscribing—free—to the daily Chicago Public Square email newsletter._____Now, here's a roughly edited transcript of the interview with Eng and Kaufmann. Corrections? Email Squerrors@ChicagoPublicSquare.com.Charlie Meyerson 0:00 She's worked for Chicago's biggest newspapers, and he's worked for Chicago's most successful radio stations. And now, they do email.Monica Eng 0:08 At WBEZ they kept saying, “Would you like to write our newsletter?” And I'm like, “Are you kidding me? I'm a reporter! Stop with the insulting questions.” And now, like, I love it.Meyerson 0:20 Monica Eng is a longtime Chicago reporter who's covered food, culture, health and the environment for the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Tribune and, yes, also at a radio station, WBEZ. Justin Kaufmann's a former talk show host and producer in Chicago at WBEZ and WGN Radio. They've teamed up to create the Axios Chicago newsletter, rounding up the day's biggest Chicago news plus coverage of their passions, including food and sports.Justin Kaufmann 0:44 Chicago is a different place. It is going to be a different newsletter than Denver. It should be a different newsletter than San Francisco.Meyerson 0:52 Coming to you despite a cough, congestion and a mild fever that a test assures me do not signify COVID-19, I am a well-medicated Charlie Meyerson with Rivet360 and Chicago Public Square, which, yes, is also an email newsletter. And this is Chicago Media Talks. Justin, what did you want to be when you grew up? And how did that lead you into Chicago radio?Kaufmann 1:14 You know, it's funny. My dad always reminds me that I was really into DePaul Blue Demon basketball when I was a kid and I would write up stories like sports stories of the games that they would show on Channel 9 at the time, like when DePaul would pay like Creighton, or Georgetown. And I would write—he showed me when I was older—like, these write-ups. So I think I wanted to be a sports writer in some form. But to be honest, I really wanted to be in radio. I love the idea I had my own— I did the announcements in high school and a lot of things to end up where I ended up to be a talk show host. So I think that that's what I wanted to be.Meyerson 1:53 High school announcements: You and I have that in common. Monica, what did you want to be when you grew up? And how has that shaped your career?Eng 2:01 I had no idea. But by the time I was 15, and my mom was dating Roger Ebert, he said, “Hey, so do one of your kids need a job this summer?” I said, “Well, I'm not going to be doing anything but watching TV. So maybe I'll go try this thing called being a copy clerk at the Chicago Sun-Times.” And from the first day I started working in the features department at the Chicago Sun-Times in 1985, I fell in love with it, and that's all I ever wanted to do—be a newspaper woman or a newswoman. I did not envision I would be an emailer, thanks for calling me that.Meyerson 2:35 It's an honorable profession. It's honorable. Eng 2:37 There was no email at the time, which was why I had a job. You know, putting the mail in the slots at the Chicago Sun-Times.Meyerson 2:45 How and when did you two first meet?Kaufmann 2:48 Ooh.Eng 2:49 Ooh.Kaufmann 2:49 That's a good question. Monica was world-renowned, you know, in Chicago media. And I think I booked her a couple times on talk shows on WBEZ. And then, you know, when Monica was looking to make a career change, she came over to WBEZ. So we worked together at WBEZ for a couple of years, working on talk shows and reporting.Eng 3:12 Yeah, well, yeah, I remember I remember. I used to hear you on the radio. And I was always a huge fan of WBEZ, and then you know, you, you'd say, “Hey, can you come on and talk about your Tribune stories?” And I thought, “Oh, this is fun.” So when you said, “Hey, there might be a spot here,” like, “You know what? I'm gettin' a little sick of the Tribune, maybe I'll think about that.” But as you recall, hiring at public radio sometimes takes a little time. So I think we were doing that dance for a couple of years.Kaufmann 3:39 Yeah, we had a lot of lunches at Fox & Obel, which is that high-end grocery store over on …Eng 3:44 … between Tribune Tower and WBEZ.Meyerson 3:47 How did you come to be a team on the Axios Chicago newsletter?Eng 3:51 Justin had already been working with the Axios daily podcast. So he kind of knew about that world. And we both had worked with Niala Boodhoo at WBEZ. And she was already there. She was quite an evangelist for the place. And I thought, “Whatever, I've never really even heard of this thing.” And so when she told us both about it, I think we're like, “Well, let's take a look at this.” I don't think either of us were like super-sure we wanted to do a newsletter because obviously we had different skills. We didn't like who has newsletter skills? Do people like graduate college knowing how to do this?Kaufmann 4:25 Yeah, I will say, Charlie, that the one thing that grabbed our attention, I think, was looking at what Axios was doing with newsletters—not just in the local markets, but what they were doing with Mike Allen and others who do the national newsletters—is they really did feel like a written talk show. And if you look at Mike's Axios AM, that's what it is. Mike is hosting a talk show—he's doing articles instead of segments—but it really had this vibe, this energy to it. He's connecting to his readers. He's engaging, he's going back and forth. It reminded me a lot of what I was doing at WGN Radio when I was doing a WBEZ with Reset. So it was an easy opportunity when they said they wanted to do it for Chicago, you know, it was a, it was a no-brainer to say, “OK, well, you know, could you do a talk show in an email format?” And that's what we've been, that's really our ethos, our mission statement, our philosophy, Monica and I, that this is a talk show in an email format, and it seems to be working.Eng 5:19 In fact, when we are when we're over length on these newsletters, Justin's like, “Oh, we gotta cut it for time.” I'm like, “Justin, we're not doing radio.”Kaufmann 5:28 It's hard to lose the little radio things like “cut for time.” “Listeners,” I always— Our readers are listeners, I always say that.Meyerson 5:37 It's easy to get those mixed up. You know, sharing some of that same professional DNA with you guys, I know that one of the hardest things I find in creating an email newsletter is deciding what not to put in. Because, as Monica has said, there's no time restriction, there's no length restriction, and deciding what doesn't go in is harder than deciding what does go in. How do you wrestle with that?Eng 6:00 Well, we do have a length: Nothing over 950 words. But that does make it harder. I mean, Chicago is full of, you know, a million stories in the naked city. And so how do you choose, you know, four or five a day? It's a terrible Sophie's choice to make.Kaufmann 6:16 That has been an issue where I think a lot of the editors and everyone were like, “You know, you're gonna have to do this every day, you're gonna watch out— Finding content will be an issue.” For Monica and I—because we've covered the city for years, and you know, this, Charlie; I read your newsletters and same idea—you could do 50 stories, you could do 100 stories. I mean, there's— time is nothing, so you're just like, yeah, every night at 10 o'clock, after we put the thing to bed, I'm like, “Darn it, we didn't talk about this, or we didn't do this.” And that reminds me of when I worked at 'BEZ and 'GN as well, where you would be down on yourself because you missed the topic that you think Chicago wanted to talk about.Meyerson 6:52 As we record this August 22, 2022, you've been with Axios just a bit more than a year. What's been a high point of that year or so with Axios?Kaufmann 7:00 I think, to me, the highlight has been just connecting with Chicago readers. I would have never thought this would be this successful. I mean, at the time we tape this, we're over 80,000 people who are signed up for it. The open rate is way above the average. And people are engaging and sending us emails on a daily basis on every story we do. It's way more than I ever had at WGN or WBEZ. I think that that has much to do with the format—I mean, people at their computers are like I can easily respond to this. But that has been the high point to me is watching that sort of evolved engagement from some of the other things that were— I mean, you know, Charlie, talk radio is all about engaged. So by getting people on the phone, like, that's where it's supposed— you think that's ingrained in the secret sauce of an AM talk radio station like WGN, but this supersized it. We're talking hundreds and hundreds of emails and people who want to engage.Eng 7:56 They can be overwhelming at times—because, yeah, it's like, “Oh, I want to respond to all 150 people who wrote to us today sharing you know, where they like to go, you know, for a picnic in Chicago, or, you know, what they remember about Tower Records.” So, yeah, similarly, I think, you know, the engagement. Yeah, of course, I got COVID during our first or before our first retreat, so I couldn't go, and Justin just loves to rub it in about how fun it was.Kaufmann 8:25 It was such a fun time without Monica. That really I think that's the secret sauce is that Monica wasn't there.Eng 8:30 Leave that old wet blanket home.Meyerson 8:32 All right, how about the low point of your first year with Axios? Monica?Eng 8:36 Oh, jeepers, I wouldn't say low point. But, I think, you know: Breaking news. During the strike, when omicron was raging and the CPS and CTU were fighting. We were doing really long days. And it was like, “Oh, shoot, something else just happened. Let's, you know, break the thing open again.” It can kind of it's actually very exciting to cover breaking news. But it was wearing and I think, you know, and well and then the Highland Park thing, day after day, turns into a manhunt it turns into to these things. And our bosses are actually great. They're like, “Look, are you guys feeling worn down? What can we do to kind of rejuvenate you.”Kaufmann 9:20 I think because we are news media creatures at best and at heart, it becomes really difficult to shut it off. And so, if there are breaking news stories on top of breaking news stories, we're not the type to bury our head in the sand. We're the type to say it doesn't matter if it's 8 o'clock, 10 o'clock at night, 11 o'clock, we get up and we start working again. And that is just part of the pitfalls of the job. I mean that you get burnout. You don't get a chance to have any sort of renewal moment or time to rest. You just gotta keep going.Meyerson 9:53 Just six years after its founding Axios is being bought by Cox Enterprises, the cable communications and historically a newspaper company, for a little more than half a billion dollars. What's that mean for you and Axios Chicago? Are you both millionaires now?Eng 10:09 Well, I guess quasi-millionaires maybe like, multi. It's actually, you know, I've been and Justin's been at companies that have been bought before, and it's usually bad, bad news. It actually appears to be good news, in this case. And, and our bosses made sure that they got a really good deal for employees as well. As far as we can tell, they're not going to touch the journalism, they just actually want more local journalism. Cox seems to really love the local end of it. And so I think it means we get more love and, and, and our bosses are talking about this as a multi-generational thing. They want Axios to be around generations after they're gone. And I think, as far as I can tell, that's, that's really gonna help with this. Kaufmann 10:59 Yeah, they're saying all the right things.Meyerson 11:00 When you say “good deal for employees,” what does that really mean? Eng 11:03 We get to sell a third of our stock. So everyone is vested, even people who have been there a short time, and you can sell a third of your stock to Cox and then later, we can sell it for actually an even better deal—you know, depending on the valuation of the company at the time.Kaufmann 11:17 You know, Axios is a young company. And it is interesting to see the difference in philosophy and styles when a young company is bought, as opposed to an older company. And I've been on both sides of the spectrum. I was there when WGN Radio was sold to Nexstar, before that tried to be sold to Sinclair. That is a different feeling. That's a feeling of dread. And, you know, they're coming in to change formats or cut or like even work in the newspapers. That's not what this is, this is a win for Axios, they got a media company to buy the product for a pretty sizable amount of money. And they look at it as this is an indicator and also, I would think, an encouraging sign that people are interested in the future of local news.Meyerson 12:03 Between the two of you, you have by my count, more than half a century of experience in newspapers and radio. What's your take on this, this email news business? Is it a fad? Is it here for the long run? Is it the successor in any way to traditional radio and television? Or is it something that you expect is going to fade away as something else comes along?Kaufmann 12:23 Well, I will say this: I think that obviously you've been a pioneer and doing email, and you've you found your voice, and that's really what it's about. It's not that everybody can go to email and, and be like, “All right, I'm just going to transfer my product to this new format and it's gonna work.” I mean, it's the same tenets. You have to be engaging, you have to have personality, it's about the tone. Everything is the same. It's just you're using words, and I think it's very akin to maybe what we saw in the early 2000s, with the blog movement. I think that that was something that at first people were like, “What, you're gonna put your—this is in the newspaper? It's digital? What are we doing?” And you saw some that became very successful and very profitable, and some that were middle of the road and some that died off. And I think that newsletters, especially independent newsletters, are in the same ballpark. I think it's the same game. It's just evolved. And I think that advertisers are more interested in putting their money into email newsletters because it's been tried and true by now.Eng 13:26 Yeah, if you'd asked me a year ago, I would have said, “What the heck email newsletters?” I mean, actually, I'll be honest: At WBEZ they kept saying, “Would you like to write our newsletter?” And I'm like, “Are you kidding me? I'm a reporter! Stop with the insulting questions.” And now, like, I love it. And it really is meeting people where they are. People our age still open email. My daughter, she's like, “Can't you just text it to me, mom?” So maybe these will be texted in the future. But it's respecting their time. It's curating for them. And it's yeah, it's going into the box that they open every morning.Kaufmann 14:05 I think it's all about advertising. And I think that the audience has been there. Charlie, you—we did it together at 'BEZ.Meyerson 14:13 Let's be transparent. You hired me to do WBEZ's— Kaufmann 14:17 Yeah!Meyerson 14:17 Well, it wasn't even— WBEZ in 2013 was not set up to send email to readers. So I did what should have been email but was just a blog at the time.Kaufmann 14:27 Yeah, but it was a news blog. It was similar. It's similar in the way to what you do right now with Square. I mean, it was a very similar idea. But that is where this— I mean, you could see the evolution from those kinds of posts that were important—that people would go to the URL to check it out every morning to see what Charlie had to say about Chicago news. Now, they've just like podcasts, they figured out a way to take these blog posts and give them right to you in an email format. And that is that I mean, if you really think about podcasts, that's where the world changed when you were doing radio and it was appointment and I had to go to a dial. I had to actually punch the numbers in. Now they found technology that just puts it on my phone when I wake up. And that's a big difference. That's why you have … so much audience there because they're not having to do anything. It's almost like the media industry is finally figuring out, you have to go where the audience is at as opposed to trying to get them to come to you.Meyerson 15:20 A colleague in the broadcast business once talked about his organization's ability to train listeners to do certain things at certain times. That seems to be a notion that I think is going away. I don't even know when my favorite TV shows are on, they just show up on my TV when I want to watch—Kaufmann 15:34 When you're ready to watch them! Exactly! Right? I mean, I watched two or three TV shows over the weekend that were season finales from two weeks ago. And I didn't have any problem with it. I knew how to avoid the spoilers. We're not living in this collective zeitgeist anymore, where everybody's watching one episode of Lost. There's a lot going on. And I feel like that is the same with we talked about podcasts, you talking about newsletters, talking about news. And I think that what I find interesting is just the idea that Monica and I are, we get this all the time from listeners—or readers. Sorry, there you go—that say, “I get all my stuff from you.” You know that—Eng 16:11 Which is scary. Come on, guys, you shouldn't be—Kaufmann 16:13 Yeah, it is scary. You should read other stuff for sure. I mean, but I think it'd be the same with your readers, Charlie. I mean, they're coming to you, they can go get the stories from different places. But they're coming to you for that five, three to five minutes in the morning. For them to say, this is what I this is what's going on. And this is what I need to know what's going on.Meyerson 16:28 You know, “We read the news so you don't have to” is one approach to email newsletters, I think. How has the pandemic played out for you, as you create the Axios Chicago newsletter? Monica? Eng 16:40 Well, we started it like 1/3 or halfway into the pandemic. And so, I'm thrilled to be at an organization that says “We will be remote all the time.” If you're in New York, and you want to go to the New York office, or in Virginia and want to go there, that's great. But they say “Home is where your office is,” and we get a nice fat stipend every month to make our home a nicer place. And you can spend it on flowers or a dog or whatever — Meyerson 17:12 A dog? I'm impressed. Eng 17:14 I mean, anything that will make your home a nicer place to do your job. But for younger people for whom work is like the place where you're gonna meet your mate, and you can learn from older journalists, I could see how it's a problem. The world, you know, we know it all.Meyerson 17:29 You're both youngsters compared to me! Justin, how did the pandemic play out for you?Kaufmann 17:33 Well, I mean, I left—I got, you know, tossed outta WG

She's worked for Chicago's biggest newspapers and he's worked for Chicago's most successful radio stations. And now … they do email. Joining Charlie Meyerson for this edition of the Chicago Public Square / Rivet360 podcast, Chicago Media Talks: Axios Chicago newsletter authors Justin Kaufmann and Monica Eng.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot wants a dome on Soldier Field, Google is buying the Thompson Center and Illinois remains a monkeypox hotspot. Reset dives deeper into those stories and more on the Weekly News Recap with WTTW's Paris Schutz, AXIOS Chicago reporter Justin Kaufmann and Chicago Tribune's Rick Pearson.

Justin Kaufmann is a reporter with Axios and a Chicago area native who was a producer and host at WBEZ for nearly two decades. He joins Joel to talk about Monday's mass shooting in Highland Park, IL.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marc Sims talks with Justin Kaufmann about the news media past and present. Justin Kaufmann is a media professional in Chicago, for over 25 years, working in radio, television, print and digital. @JustinKaufmann

Justin Kaufmann is a reporter for Axios Chicago and part of the ensemble that created Chicago4Real, a new Twitch channel that features great Chicago content. He's also part of Schadenfreude, a Chicago sketch comedy group. Justin previously worked in Chicago radio, both at WBEZ and at WGN.

Were you afraid of the dark as a kid? Bruce and Judy talk about how they got over their fears as adults. Retired U.S. Army (CID) Command Special Agent Dr. Carter Smith provided his knowledge on gang presence in the United States military with Bruce and Judy. Will Congressman Mike Quigley be running for Mayor of Chicago? Axios' Justin Kaufmann recaps the latest Chicago news. Bruce and Judy find out why you may feel sad looking back at nostalgic photos. Do you regret quitting your job during 'The Great Resignation'? Don't worry, Bruce and Judy talk to Founder and Chief Career Strategist of The Bauke Group, Julie Bauke shares ways to battle 'quitters remorse.'

Justin Kaufmann from Axios Chicago joins Bruce and Judy to talk about one of the new studies covered on Axios. They discuss where college students are headed after graduation- Chicago is sixth in the nation. Why isn't it number one? Why is Seattle the most appealing city to new grads?

It was another busy week across the city of Chicago. WBEZ's Mariah Woelfel and Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann stopped by to break down the 22-count federal indictment of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, once Illinois' most powerful politician. The group also tackles Mayor Lori Lightfoot's latest communication snafu, an investigation into yet another Covid testing company, and the fate of CPS' mask mandate.  Guests: Mariah Woelfel—Politics Reporter, WBEZ Justin Kaufmann—Newsletter Writer, Axios Chicago PS: If you haven't heard, City Cast Chicago was named the "Best Podcast" in Chicago Reader's Best of 2021 list, so thank you! You can see the full list of winners here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joanna "The Queen of Blues Guitar" Connor returns to the Kingston Mines this weekend! Joanna Connor shares what to expect at her show and how to get tickets. Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson was found guilty on federal tax fraud charges. Axios' Justin Kaufmann explains what happens next. Are you excited about Bird electric scooters coming back to Chicago? Vaugn Roland shares all you need to know about the "Bird" scooters.

Klein Creek Golf Club Valentine's Day Comedy Night with Jimmy McHugh is perfect for you and your spouse! Click the link to make your reservations before it's too late! ABC 7 Meteorologist Tracy Butler joins Bruce and Judy to give a weekend weather update! Did former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke deserve to be released from custody after serving less than half of his seven-year sentence for the murder of Laquan McDonald? Axios' Justin Kaufmann shares how the City of Chicago reacted and explains why Van Dyke was released early.

Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, Dr. Allison Arwady, gives a COVID-19 update. Axios' Justin Kaufmann, Bruce, and Judy shine a spot on the 13 Illinois Olympians representing America in this year's Winter Olympic Games. The historic chocolate plant on Chicago's West Side is closing down after nearly 94 years. Author and Chocolate Historian, Leslie Goddard, shares Chicago's rich sweet candy history.

Justin Kaufmann from Axios Chicago joins Bruce and Judy to chat about today's headlines around Chicago. The Morton Salt building is part of a new mega-development, and there may even be a new neighborhood in the city. That and more from around the city.

Justin Kaufmann from Axios Chicago is on with Bruce St. James and Andrea Darlas to discuss the Illinois gubernatorial race. Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin threw his hat into the ring yesterday, and there are plenty of others who are vying to take the seat.

During five decades leading state government, Mike Madigan engineered stirring victories and suffered painful losses. From patronage to pensions, ethical conflicts to sexual harassment--and ultimately, a federal investigation that brought him down.In the fourth installment of the BGA's limited series podcast “The Madigan Rule,” host Justin Kaufmann looks into Micheal J. Madigan's political legacy featuring conversations with former Governors Pat Quinn and Bruce Rauner, State Representative Kelly Cassidy (14th), Former State Representative Ken Dunkin (5th), State Representative La Shawn Ford (8th), State Representative Will Guzzardi (39th), Alaina Hampton, Dave McKinney, John Chase, Pat Brady, Ray Long and Amanda Vinicky.

During five decades leading state government, Mike Madigan engineered stirring victories and suffered painful losses. From patronage to pensions, ethical conflicts to sexual harassment--and ultimately, a federal investigation that brought him down.In the fourth installment of the BGA's limited series podcast “The Madigan Rule,” host Justin Kaufmann looks into Micheal J. Madigan's political legacy featuring conversations with former Governors Pat Quinn and Bruce Rauner, State Representative Kelly Cassidy (14th), Former State Representative Ken Dunkin (5th), State Representative La Shawn Ford (8th), State Representative Will Guzzardi (39th), Alaina Hampton, Dave McKinney, John Chase, Pat Brady, Ray Long and Amanda Vinicky.

How did Madigan survive so long in Illinois politics?  How did busted budgets and a slurry of scandal leave him untouched? History's longest-serving statehouse speaker, Madigan will be remembered less for the policies he enacted than for the power he extracted. In this episode of BGA's “The Madigan Rule” host Justin Kaufmann explore Mike Madigan's political acumen and the infamous showdown with Governor Bruce Rauner.With special guests former Illnois Governor Bruce Rauner, Former State Senator Heather Steans (7th), Former State Representative Ken Dunkin (5th), State Representative Will Guzzardi (39th), John Tillman, Pat Brady and John Chase.

How did Madigan survive so long in Illinois politics?  How did busted budgets and a slurry of scandal leave him untouched? History's longest-serving statehouse speaker, Madigan will be remembered less for the policies he enacted than for the power he extracted. In this episode of BGA's “The Madigan Rule” host Justin Kaufmann explores Mike Madigan's political acumen and the infamous showdown with Governor Bruce Rauner.

We're sharing the latest episode of the Hard Truths podcast series. In this episode, we try to answer one big question: Why do fewer Latinos have health insurance when compared to others in the U.S.? Guests: Samantha Artiga, director of the racial equity and health policy program at the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Catalina Sol, executive director of La Clinica del Pueblo Credits: Axios Today is produced in partnership with Pushkin Industries. The team includes Niala Boodhoo, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Dan Bobkoff, Justin Kaufmann, Nuria Marquez Martinez, Sabeena Singhani, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, Alex Sugiura and Michele Salcedo. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest episode of our Hard Truths series examining systemic racism in America takes a look at the game of lacrosse. It was played by Native Americans as far back as the 12th century. The Iroquois people called it a medicine game - it was spiritual. But this isn't the predominant image of lacrosse today. Guest: Lyle Thompson, lacrosse player for the Iroquois Nationals. Credits: "Axios Today" is produced in partnership with Pushkin Industries. The team includes Niala Boodhoo, Nuria Marquez Martinez, Amy Pedulla, Justin Kaufmann, Dan Bobkoff, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Alex Sugiura and Naomi Shavin. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Due to recent programming changes, June 5 is the final Afternoon Shift. We take this hour to celebrate the show and the city we love: Chicago. What we've always tried to do is have a robust conversation about how Chicagoans live their lives together. Whether that's lighthearted exchanges on how cyclists or drivers act, or more serious discussions about how to fix our Chicago's biggest problems. So, we ask our listeners: what conversations aren't we having enough in Chicago? What aren't we talking about? We're joined by Justin Kaufmann, host of “The Download” on WGN and the former Executive Producer of the Afternoon Shift. Plus, Scott Smith, director at Touchvision, WBEZ reporter Natalie Moore, and Che “Rhymefest” Smith.