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I haven't posted much here lately about my work with the talented team I helped assemble a decade ago at Rivet (now formally known as Rivet360)—mostly in secret at the beginning.That's partly because, as I've shifted focus since 2017 to my award-winning Chicago Public Square email news briefing (subscribe free!), I've eased into a role as Rivet's Vice President of Editorial and Development—or, as I call myself, Nagger-in-Chief.And it's partly because the company's shifted its focus from journalism to become an innovative podcast consultancy—producing audio for others as well as shows of its own.One of those shows, PodWell—a guide to becoming better podcasters—is hosted by my friend and colleague Terri Lydon, who was kind enough to share the mic with me in her June 6 edition (recorded May 3, 2023, when I was just getting over a cold or something else that really wasn't COVID-19).That gave me nine minutes or so to nag on one of my favorite topics: How best to open a podcast.If you like this, check out more of my podcast guidance on Rivet's website and elsewhere on this blog.And hear more of my conversations with thought-leaders through the years on this website, in Apple Music, on Pandora or Spotify, via your favorite podcast player and at Chicago Public Square.(Meyerson headshot: Steve Ewert.)
[Updating this original post—from March 1, 2015—on Nov. 20, 2022: Greg Bear is dead at 71.] Science fiction writer Greg Bear in a 1994 interview with me on WNUA-FM, Chicago, on the future of the Internet:“It's going to be a huge intellectual telephone line, with graphics and library materials, all available at a few minutes' notice. That, I think, will be revolutionary. ... We have a lot of people from the entertainment industries thinking it's going to be a lot of the same old, same old — where they can simply market movies in new ways, and I don't think it's going to be that way at all. ... The people who are loosely called Generation Xers are going to have their say on this. And I think we may not be able to predict what they're going to do with it.”Update, Jan. 4, 2018: A later interview with Greg Bear, from 1996, when we talked about the prospect of life on Mars.
Chicago Reader columnist Ben Joravsky was kind enough to invite me on his show this week—we talked Wednesday, the podcast was published Saturday—to answer questions about how and why I do what I do for Chicago Public Square.I was honored along the way to express my admiration for columnists Neil Steinberg and Robert Feder, Reader critic Jack Helbig, The Onion, WXRT-FM News pioneers C.D. Jaco and Linda Brill, Square reader Angela Mullins, radio DJs Bob Stroud and Marty Lennartz, my college radio station WPGU … … and to deliver an ill-advised musical tribute to my alma mater, Carl Sandburg High School, whose fight song I was—for reasons that elude me now—moved to butcher.You've been warned. Here it is. If you like this, check out more of my conversations with thought-leaders through the years on this website, in Apple Music, on Pandora or Spotify, via your favorite podcast player and at Chicago Public Square.
[It's been a while since we dove into the archives. But now that hour's come round at last—again.]In 1995, the comic book industry was approaching what later became known as “the Great Comics Crash of 1996”—triggered in part by Marvel Comics' 1994 purchase of the business' third-largest distributor, converting it to distribute Marvel's stuff exclusively.So that was a significant topic June 30, 1995, when I sat down at WNUA-FM in Chicago—just ahead of the 20th annual Chicago Comicon*—with acclaimed comics writers Peter David and Chris Claremont, maybe best known then for their work on Marvel's The Incredible Hulk and The Uncanny X-Men, respectively; and the convention's CEO, Classics International Entertainment President Gary Colabuono, also then the proprietor of Moondog's comic shops.Here's how it went. Looking back on that time now, Colabuono recalls: “Marvel's decision to distribute their own comics was not only the death knell for direct market distributors, it was also the beginning of the end for the vast majority of comic book specialty shops in the U.S. Of the 21 stores in the Moondog's chain, 20 were out of business within a year of Marvel's move.”I've also asked David and Claremont for their perspectives on that time. I'll share them as they arrive.But here's David's July 28, 1995, reflection on that year's con: “If Gary Colabuono … asks you to be guest of honor, two words—Do It. Gary is the consummate host, making sure that you want for nothing and taking care that every need is anticipated.”If you like this, check out more of my conversations with thought-leaders through the years on this website, in Apple Music, on Pandora or Spotify, via your favorite podcast player and at Chicago Public Square.* For a show that was broadcast July 2, which explains David's joke at the end, “Boy, am I exhausted from that!”
This week's transformative Chicago City Council development—the historic livestream video presentation of a committee meeting—brings to mind a time when the council was maddeningly tough to follow.In 1988, I was a newbie City Hall reporter for WXRT-FM. It was an assignment I relished not—partly because the council's procedures were bewilderingly opaque and byzantine.But I channeled my journalistic frustration into creation of a series that won a nationwide United Press International award for documentary radio reporting.So, let's return to the year 1988. Eugene Sawyer was briefly Chicago's mayor, and a young journalist was pissed off at the difficulty navigating … Chaos in the Council.Related:■ Me, far more enthusiastic about covering City Hall in 2012.■ Another award-winning WXRT News investigation from 1984.■ And check out some of my interviews with thought-leaders through the years on this website, in Apple Music, on Spotify, via Alexa-powered speakers, through your favorite podcast player, and at Chicago Public Square.
An interview with WPGU Correspondent Barrett Wynn on his experience on the ground in Washington DC during the attack on the Capitol. Hosted by Justin Malone, Tori Gellman, and Barrett Wynn Music by Boxout Support this podcast
In this bittersweet episode of "What's the buzz?" the buzz team says goodbye to Liam as he finishes his time with buzz and ventures out into the adult world. We want to thank Liam for his work on the show, and we will miss his humor, hot takes and upbeat personality. We know he will do incredible things outside of buzz, and we cannot wait to see what he achieves. This is also the last "What's the buzz?" episode of the season, and this week, Jill, Carolina, Becca and Liam talk all about going back to school amidst the craziness of COVID-19. They share college advice for incoming freshmen about how to handle the college transition as well as talk about some of their go-to spots on the U of I campus. They also discuss the importance of mental and physical health, especially during these stressful times, and they share some of their tips for maintaining physical and mental health during college. Lastly, they talk about their plans for the upcoming semester and how they're preparing for online classes. You can check out everyone's "back to school" songs on the buzz Spotify @buzzmagcu and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@buzzpodcastcu on all platforms). We'll be back on the air at WPGU 107.1 soon, so be on the lookout! Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast possible. Support this podcast
This week on "What's the buzz?" Carolina, Jill and Liam break down their favorite long songs, diving deep into tunes, such as "Free Bird" and "Bohemian Rhapsody." They talk about the Lollapalooza virtual concert that took place last weekend and share some of their favorite Lolla performances. Next, they discuss some of their favorite terrible movies they love to hate and try to answer the question: What makes a good bad movie? Finally, the buzz team talks about the possible end of TikTok and what that could mean for Gen Z. All of this week's song choices can be found on the buzz Spotify page, @buzzmagcu, and you can also check out "What's the buzz" on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @buzzpodcastcu. Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast possible. Support this podcast
We are nearing the end of season one of "What's the buzz?" with a show all about girl bands and memes. This week, Jill, Carolina, Becca and Casey share their favorite girl band tunes while discussing the history and philosophy behind the term "girl band." Next, they talk about the "what frog are you?" meme page currently trending on Instagram as well as some other popular meme pages. Then, they discuss actors who have gone on to pursue other careers, such as entrepreneurship and comic book creating. Lastly, the "What's the buzz?" team talks about the #freebritney movement involving singer Britney Spears' sketchy conservatorship. To check out everyone's song picks from this show and past shows, head over to @buzzmagcu on Spotify. You can also follow "What's the buzz?" on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@buzzpodcastcu on all platforms). Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast possible. Support this podcast
This week, Carolina, Jill, Liam and Becca share their favorite boyband songs, including hits from the Backstreet Boys, One Direction and Big Time Rush. They also talk about some successful solo artists who have resulted from some of these bands, such as Harry Styles and Justin Timberlake. They also discuss the recent, devastating death of actress and singer Naya Rivera. Next, the "What's the buzz?" team discuss what they think some of the best boybands are and get into a heated discussion about whether or not The Beatles should be considered a boyband. Next, they talk about the meaning of names and share the meanings behind their names as well as some interesting nicknames they have received throughout their lives. Lastly, they dive deep into astrology and debate whether or not astrology is real or simply just meaningless nonsense. Check out this week's playlist on @buzzmagcu on Spotify, and be sure to follow "What's the buzz" on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@buzzpodcastcu on all platforms). Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast possible! Support this podcast
"What's the buzz?" is back, and this week, Carolina, Jill, Becca and Ava are discuss COVID-19 updates, such as new hobbies we've taken on and if we've noticed any changes from the way people have been handling COVID-19 in recent weeks. We also talk about the decision many colleges have made of reversing in-person class decisions for the upcoming fall semester. This week's song theme is "songs we'd listen to while looking out the car and pretending to be in a movie," and we encourage you to think about what your song choices would be (because we know you did this, too). Lastly, we talk about the recent drama surrounding the YouTube beauty community, and we share some of our opinions on YouTube stars. You can check out all of our song picks on our Spotify, @buzzmagcu, and you can also find us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @buzzpodcastcu on all platforms. Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast possible. Support this podcast
In this week's episode, Jill, Casey and Carolina discuss the tension and hesitation some Americans might be feeling as the Fourth of July approaches this weekend. They also discuss Juneteenth and the history behind the day that, currently, is not officially considered a national holiday. In celebration of the Hamilton movie release on Disney+, on Friday, the "What's the buzz?" team shares their favorite musical theater songs, all of which can be found on the buzz Spotify page, @buzzmagcu. They also talk about some of their favorite childhood online games, including Club Penguin, Webkinz and more, and they reminisce about high school English class and share which readings in high school resonated with them the most. Lastly, the buzz team discusses coming of age movies, sharing their favorites, least favorites and diving into what exactly makes a good coming of age movie. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out all of buzz's content on readbuzz.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @buzzpodcastcu. Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast possible. Support this podcast
Today, Carolina, Jill, Liam and Becca celebrate Pride Month by sharing their own experiences from past pride parades, discussing different movies, TV shows and documentaries about the LGBTQ+ community and talking about some prominent LGBTQ+ icons. Next, they discuss the differences between millennial and Gen Z culture, focusing specifically on humor and attitudes toward money, social media and careers. They dive into the confusing, growing world of "Karens" and share some of their own confrontations with Karens. The "What's the buzz?" team also talks about famous TikTok challenges and discusses which ones they love and which ones they hate. Finally, they talk about the Oscars, which has been pushed from February 2021 to April 2021 due to COVID-19 and picture what the ceremony might look like next year. Throughout the show, the "What's the buzz?" team shares their favorite karaoke songs, which can all be found on the buzz Spotify page, @buzzmagcu. You can also follow "What's the buzz?" on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @buzzpodcastcu on all platforms, and be sure to read all of buzz's content on readbuzz.com. Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast possible. Support this podcast
This week of "What's the buzz?" features the editing team of buzz magazine, Jill (editor), Ava (assistant editor) and Carolina (assistant editor). They talk about the artists who have defined their childhoods and influenced their music tastes, which is also the theme for this week's playlist, which can be found on the buzz Spotify page, @buzzmagcu. They also continue talking about protests happening around the world as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, specifically discussing the presence of celebrities at those protests and on social media showing support of the movement. They also discuss some anti-trans comments author J.K. Rowling made on Twitter and share their opinions on the whole situation. They also discuss gaming in quarantine, focusing specifically on the shortage of Nintendo Switches, the console that everyone seems to be obsessed with during quarantine. Next, the buzz team discusses the Jeffrey Epstein documentary on Netflix and share their thoughts on the controversial question — did Jeffrey Epstein kill himself? (Don't worry — we don't get too heated.) Lastly, they discuss the possibility of AMC going bankrupt due to COVID-19. Be sure to check out "What's the buzz?" on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@buzzpodcastcu on all platforms) and to read all of buzz's content at readbuzz.com. Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast possible! Support this podcast
In this week's episode of "What's the buzz?" Carolina, Jill, Liam and Casey share their favorite albums of all time as well as their favorite song picks from those albums. They also dive into some of the most binge-worthy Netflix shows and try to answer the big question: what makes a show binge-worthy? The buzz team also reminisces about Disney Channel's peak and discusses some of the Disney Channel original movies (or DCOMs) that have had the biggest influences on their childhoods. Maybe most importantly, the buzz team speculates about what the party scene at UIUC might look like if students are able to return to campus in the fall. You can find all of the song picks from this episode on the buzz Spotify, @buzzmagcu. Be sure to check out "What's the buzz?" on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@buzzpodcastcu on all platforms), and you can read all of buzz's content at readbuzz.com. Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast happen! Support this podcast
In today's episode of "What's the buzz?" we decided to hold off on our usual entertainment type content in light of what has been going on in the U.S. We didn't feel comfortable continuing as usual without addressing the serious and important events currently taking place. This episode is a discussion about the Black Lives Matter movement, and our aim is to help educate people on the movement's goals and to share our thoughts on where we're at as a country. In this episode we talk about the recent deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Abrey and George Floyd and how and why these tragic deaths have been the catalysts for the recent protests and the huge wave of social media responses. We also talk about the COVID-19 response to protests and share some book, movie, TV and podcast suggestions if you are looking to further educate yourself on racism and the black experience. We hope you find this episode useful and that you are staying safe and educated during these times. Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast possible. Support this podcast
This week on "What's the buzz" we welcome the newest member of our team Casey Daly! We also question the nature of humanity by unpacking Elon Musk and Grimes' baby's name: X Æ A-12. Their baby also inspired this week's playlist theme, which is "songs that X Æ A-12 would listen to," and you can check out that playlist on our Spotify, @buzzmagcu. Also this week we discuss the popular Chuck E. Cheese pizza conspiracy theory as well as different music videos that artists, such as Harry Styles and Kehlani, have released recently. We also talk about the ways coronavirus has affected people's workout routines, how we've adapted our workout routines to quarantine requirements and our thoughts on the idea of the "summer body" image. Lastly, we talk about the popular app Randonautica and discuss our own experiences with the app. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@buzzpodcastcu on all platforms), and be sure to read all of our content on readbuzz.com. Special thanks to WPGU 107.1 for making this podcast possible! Support this podcast
This week, the buzz team recaps finals week, and Liam graduates! (Don't worry - he'll still be doing "What's the buzz?" this summer!) They dive deep into mental health and self-care, describing different ways they practice self-care. They also discuss their quarantine predictions for when and if they think places, such as UIUC, will reopen. COVID-19 has greatly impacted the job market, too, which has, in turn, affected students' job and internship searches. The buzz team discusses the ways they have been affected personally and what they plan on doing during the summer in place of canceled jobs and internships. Lastly, they recap buzz content that the buzz staff has produced throughout the year and share their favorite articles they've written. Check out our "summer songs" playlist on our Spotify (@buzzmagcu) and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@buzzpodcastcu on all platforms). Also be sure to check out all buzz magazine content at readbuzz.com. Special thanks to WPGU 107.1! Support this podcast
This week on "What's the buzz?" the buzz team analyzes popular dating shows and discusses some weird dreams they've had that may or may not involve Princess Diana and tree monsters... Some places have already announced plans for reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic, and the buzz team shares their opinions about some of the decisions being made regarding these places reopening. Next, they talk about their experiences with ordering and picking up food during these times and share their go-to food places during quarantine. Finally, the buzz peeps share their thoughts about certain music festivals and concerts having to be canceled this summer. This week's song theme is "sickness songs," a very literal take on songs about being sick. Be sure to follow "What's the buzz?" on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@buzzpodcastcu on all platforms) and check out our Spotify to see everyone's song picks for this week (@buzzmagcu). You can also read all of buzz magazine's content at readbuzz.com. Special thanks to WPGU 107.1! Support this podcast
Introducing WPGU News, an all new daily program from WPGU 107.1 FM! Downtown Champaign becomes a historic district, results of the Nevada Caucus, Cubs and Cardinals open their season, and more. Host: Justin Malone Stories by: Josie Alameda, Salem Isaf, Emily Crawford, and Jackson Janes Support this podcast
Andrea Darlas was an anchor and reporter at WGN Radio for several years, and is now the Senior Director of Constituent Engagement for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She talks about how she got her current job and her long radio and TV career, which started at WPGU at the University of Illinois, then WGBO-TV in Chicago, WDWS in Champaign, as a news director at WJOL in Joliet, then WGN radio, plus CLTV and WGN-TV. She also talks about if someone who does publicity should work in the media first, "fake" news, how the media has changed since she started working in it, what she learned from news anchor and reporter Dick Sutliff and news pro Tom Petersen, who were both at WGN Radio for many years, what she's learned over the years, how technological changes have affected news reporting, how she separates doing straight news vs talk radio, why you should never leave a meeting, why she chose radio over TV, why working in a small market is important, advice for getting work, how she got into TV, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG165.mp3
Gavin Good and guest Jake Hasan (Daily Illini, WPGU) kick things off with some Illinois football and Lovie Smith hot seak talk before discussing raised expectations for Illinois basketball and the closing of Kam's (rest in peace). --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gavin-good/support
The death Tuesday of Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago journalist Lois Wille—a veteran of the Tribune, the Sun-Times and the Daily News—brings to mind a memorable 1997 interview with her and journalist Linda Lutton. You can hear them debate urban housing trends that were remaking Chicago then and, more than two decades later, are shaping it still. Here's how it sounded—as aired June 22, 1997, on WNUA-FM, Chicago. More conversations with thought-leaders through the years on this website, in Apple Music, on Spotify, via your favorite podcast player, and at Chicago Public Square. (1984 image of Wille: C-SPAN.)
Radius ETC. x Sev SeveerLive beats & exclusive music. All for you. Just for you.PART 1: RADIUS (00:30-24:10)PART 2: SEV SEVEER (24:10-54:44)Radius comes from Chicago’s Southside but really a resident of the earth, a traveling beat maker. Designing sound since 2001, Radius has made quite a name for himself in today’s beat scene. He has successfully ran the LA circuit, gaining respect and head nods from the likes of Low End Theory, dublab and Beat Cinema to name a few. He’s released music in almost every format from 7″ vinyl, cassettes, cd and digital. Radius only needs the most minimal set up, a MPC 1000, a Korg Kaossilator Pro and Korg Kaoss Pad Mini to perform his improv beat sets. He packs light, travels heavy and extracts everything he needs out of the little that he carries.Sev Seveer comes from the Northside of the Chi, with a background of journalism, in college he participated in Hip Hop Congress, hosted and DJed radio shows from “Beats n Rhymes” on WPGU 107.1 to “The Hip Hop Project” on WLUW 88.7 FM. He has managed to find time in all of that to create his own path with music. With many releases under his belt, some of his most notable works include Freddie Gibbs’ “Terrorist (Seveer Transmission Remix)” as well as featured releases with Pragmatic Theory, Push Beats Chicago and composing bed music for The Roy Ayers Project. No stranger to the live element, Sev has plugged in and played his SP and Kaoss Pad at SXSW for the last two years (2013: DJ Set, 2014: Beat Set), featured at Beat Swapmeet and opened for Elaquent.What drew us to these guys was their ability to completely bend any rules of limitation on standard production, they take their own path and finish ahead of the rest. But that’s not the only reason. There’s something about these two that we can’t really put into words. Its more of the intangible nature. Maybe its their ability to be independent and on the move. Maybe its their good spirits. Maybe its their connectedness to the Earth…Its probably all of that and then some.At the point of publishing this episode, neither producer has heard the mix of the other. So not only will it be your first time hearing this episode in full, it’ll be theirs as well. We’re sending a huge THANK YOU to the guys for all of their hard work on this episode. Read our interview with the two beat maestros here:http://beatsofallnations.com/2014/04/30/beats-of-all-nations-radio-episode-003-featuring-radius-and-sev-seveer/Mastered by: Choco (1200 Warriors, Wu Tang)