WBEZ Podcasts

Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.

Nerdette is a weekly interview show that helps you unwind with fun conversations, inspiring ideas, and delightful recommendations. And join us on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month for the Nerdette Bookclub!

WBEZ's daily talk show brings listeners the news and conversations that matter most to their day-to-day lives.

Food and health podcast by Chicago Tribune Food & Dining reporter Louisa Chu and WBEZ Food & Health reporter Monica Eng.

“...affable, insightful film analysis since 2005."–NY Times / New + classic reviews and top 5s. Also on WBEZ Chicago.

Economists are always talking about The Pie - how it grows and shrinks, how it’s sliced, and who gets the biggest shares. Join hosts Eduardo Porter and Tess Vigeland as they talk with leading economists from the University of Chicago and other experts about the most pressing matters of today. Hear how the economic pie is at the heart of issues like COVID-19 vaccine development, gender dynamics in the workplace, energy policy, jobs, and more.

'Public Official A' uncovers the rise and fall of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. How he did whatever it took to reach the top. The trail of destruction left in his wake. And how the complexities, charisma, and tragic flaws of this public official resonate today.

WBEZ's critically-acclaimed bio-podcast series explores how an icon is made.

WBEZ's Science Experiment

Tanis is a bi-weekly podcast from the Public Radio Alliance, and is hosted by Nic Silver. Tanis is a serialized docudrama about a fascinating and surprising mystery: the myth of Tanis. Tanis is an exploration of the nature of truth, conspiracy, and information. Tanis is what happens when the lines of science and fiction start to blur... Support TANIS to hear exclusive MINI and BONUS EPISODES and more! http://patreon.com/tanispodcast Please rate and review on iTunes if you enjoy TANIS! http:/ ...

WBEZ's global affairs program. Featuring in-depth conversations about international issues and their local impact. Also, foreign film reviews and human rights commentaries. Hosted by Jerome McDonnell. This podcast is free, in mp3, and updated weekdays.

Trouble — we've all been in it. Some more than others. Some worse than others. Award-winning storyteller Shannon Cason has faced a few problems of his own. Now he talks with others about getting in, and out, of trouble of all stripes.

The Afternoon Shift was a live WBEZ show featuring in-depth interviews and conversations with newsmakers and innovators. Its last show was June 5, 2015.

Peter Sagal of 'Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!' joins Greta Johnsen and Tricia Bobeda to scrutinize ... well, pretty much anything.

WBEZ’s way of helping you navigate the fast-changing world of technology and our digital lives (until the robots take over).

Each Thursday we podcast video of one song from a live music performance filmed by WBEZ Music.

Take two nationally respected rock critics, the latest music news, personal commentary, and exclusive interviews and performances, add a huge pile of records old and new, and the result is Sound Opinions, where people who love music can come together.

My dog Sallie has a bunch of stuff to say. This is it.

Front and Center explores the issues that make our region what it is, taking time to investigate hard questions and follow rich stories. Our first series explores the most obvious aspect of the region: water. Front and Center is sponsored by the Joyce Foundation.

The Morning Shift is a live talk show from Chicago's WBEZ offering a dynamic mix of news, culture and music.

The most compelling and creative audio documentaries and features produced worldwide, curated by the Third Coast Festival's. Featuring audio treats such as producer profiles and more experimental work.

chicago born and raised, roy kinsey is a bit of an anomaly when it comes to tradition in his respective industries. where being a black, queer-identified, rapper, and librarian may be an intimidating choice for some, roy kinsey’s non-conformist ideology has informed his 4th album, and self proclaimed, “best work yet,” blackie: a story by roy kinsey. featured in and on major local, national, and international publications like Billboard, NPR, WBEZ’s Vocalo, the Chicago Tribune, WGCI and the R ...

In October of 2014, a white police officer fatally shot a black teenager on the streets of Chicago. The shooting of Laquan McDonald was captured on video, and sparked outrage across the city. Chicago's top cop was fired, the local state’s attorney was voted out, and the feds were sent in to investigate the culture at the police department. Now, the police officer at the center of the shooting, Jason Van Dyke, will stand trial for murder. WBEZ and the Chicago Tribune look at how Van Dyke and ...

From WBEZ Chicago, Chewing the Fat is a weekly podcast with food journalists Louisa Chu and Monica Eng. Together they tackle cooking, dining, culture food policy, culinary characters and more.

PleasureTown is a story-based podcast told in serial form that details the history of a little-known, failed Oklahoma utopian society. The town’s history is crowdsourced, piece by piece, by the producers, collaborators and audience members. PleasureTown is created and produced by Keith Ecker and Erin Kahoa, along with the assistance of WBEZ in Chicago.

A beer podcast from WBEZ, Chicago's public radio station. Hosted by Andrew Gill and Alison Cuddy, episodes are recorded where ever good beer is found and include interviews with brewers, artists and craft beer lovers.

To understand the white supremacist movement today, look at the last time a wave of hate pulled in young Americans.

The most interesting music in the world from WBEZ's Worldview program.

A four minute weekly radio comic strip. ...It's what Steve Inskeep and Renee Montagne might be hotly debating as they walk into the studio -- just before they get on mic. This short radiostrip plays out in the kitchen of 11 Central Ave, the home of an extended family where a hodgepodge of other characters regularly drops in.As they rush around in the morning drinking coffee, reading the paper, looking for their shoes, they're talking about everything from the most compelling topics of our ti ...

Last year in Chicago, there was a person shot about every other hour. So who picks up a gun, and why? Stories from a yearlong WBEZ project.

Cockroaches. Clean freaks. Cardboard pianos. Written Inside is a podcast about life inside a maximum-security prison cell.

On Background is WBEZ Chicago’s weekly political podcast. Each week, our top-notch team of political reporters brings you the backstory on the week’s big story. We’ll take you inside the back rooms of Chicago and Illinois government to explain the story, and why it matters.

Host Jonathan Groubert and WBEZ have teamed up to bring back the revered program, The State We're In. In Season 1 of this podcast reboot, you'll hear astonishing true and personal stories from all over the globe. The sonically beautiful, and narratively gripping "talkumentary" program brings you guests who will amaze you, break your heart or leave you laughing -- sometimes, all at once. If you're a fan of This American Life, or captivating storytelling in general, you'll want to be sure to s ...

'South Side Stories' is a celebration of the real-life people and places that inspired Comedy Central’s hit new comedy series, 'South Side.' With lots of laughs, love and plenty of real talk, 'South Side Stories' proves that what you see on the news is only a small slice of a big city. btb.

The Paper Machete is a free, weekly “live magazine” covering pop culture, current events and American manners. Part spoken-word show, part vaudeville revue, The Paper Machete features comedians, journalists, storytellers and musical guests performing in the back room of a Chicago bar. The show was created and hosted by writer Christopher Piatt (pronounced like hot apple PIE-it). In June 2011 The Chicago Reader named The Paper Machete “Best Comedy Variety Show of 2011.” The Paper Machete podc ...

Excepts from Vocalo's afternoon show hosted by Luis Antonio Perez & Shantell Jamison

Short stories and commentary by writer/storyteller, Shannon Cason.

The Weekender is a weekend guide from WBEZ & Eight Forty-Eight's Alison Cuddy.