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 #988: How the Chicago area gets its news, Exploring the brain science locally, The Secret History of Lani Hall
9/20/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the results of a new report on how Chicago gets its news with Medill professors Tim Franklin and Stephanie Edgerly, gets a preview of some upcoming local events about the brain from Illinois Science Council founder Monica Metzler, and discovers the Secret History of Lani Hall.
Duration:00:43:03
OTL #987: Trying to avoid an Illinois transit fiscal cliff, New “emergency” rules for prison communication
9/13/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the work being done to avoid a transit fiscal cliff in Illinois with state representative Kam Buckner (26th) and John Greenfield, editor of Streetsblog Chicago. Then, John Howard Association executive director Jennifer Vollen-Katz discusses new “emergency” rules put in place to regulate communication with those who are incarcerated in state prisons.
Duration:00:42:30
OTL #986: A look into Illinois’ finances, The 100K Project wants you to run for office, The Secret History of Henry Threadgill
9/6/2025
Mike Stephen learns about a new way to explore Illinois finances through the Fiscal Futures data hub with UIC professor David Merriman, gets an update on the 100K Project, and discovers the Secret History of Chicago avant-garde jazz musician Henry Threadgill.
Duration:00:36:08
OTL #985: Chicago’s new public housing museum, The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra’s new music, The Secret History of Nancy Faust
8/30/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the importance of preserving public housing history with Dr. Lisa Yun Lee, the executive director of the National Public Housing Museum, learns about new music from the Chicago Immigrant Orchestra with band co-director Fareed Haque, and discovers the Secret History of local stadium organist Nancy Faust.
Duration:00:42:43
OTL #984: Faulty DUI science, The push to pay student teacher in Illinois
8/23/2025
Mike Stephen chats with Injustice Watch senior investigative reporter Maya Dukmasova about a local lab practicing faulty science that resulted in wrongful DUI convictions and then discusses the push to pay student teachers in Illinois with Percy Julian Middle School teacher Ashley Kannan.
Duration:00:36:40
OTL #983: The future of rent stabilization in Illinois, XL Fest brings Chicago creatives together
8/16/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the push for rent stabilization in Illinois with the Lift the Ban campaign coordinator Diego Morales and then learns about XL Fest, a local festival that brings Chicago creatives together, from Creative Cypher founder Troy Pryor.
Duration:00:35:13
OTL #982: Joy Tea wants to wow Chicagoland, An Illinois civil rights history update, The Secret History of Billy Hinton
8/9/2025
Mike Stephen talks the art of tea with Max Blessen, owner of Chicagoland’s Joy Tea, gets an update on civil rights history in Illinois, and discovers the Secret History of the versatile musician from Chicago Billy Hinton.
Duration:00:38:53
OTL #981: The compact disc isn’t going quietly, Chicago before the Fire
8/2/2025
Mike Stephen talks with Chicago Reader staff writer Leor Galil about the resurgence of the compact disc, then delves into the history of Chicago before the Great Fire of 1871 with Northwestern University economics professor Louis P. Cain, author of the new book Chicago Before the Fire: An Economic History.
Duration:00:39:47
OTL #980: The Urban Growers Collective, Edgewater Music Fest, The Secret History of Jimmy Rogers
7/26/2025
Mike Stephen learns about the important work of Chicago’s Urban Growers Collective from herbalism conductor Rev. Kim Crutcher, gets a preview of the Edgewater Music Fest from Garrett Karp, executive director of the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce, and discovers the Secret History of Chicago blues guitarist Jimmy Rogers.
Duration:00:44:52
OTL #979: Clarendon Hills Kid, Share Our Spare provides community resources
7/19/2025
Mike Stephen talks to Roger Day Bain, the author of a new book about growing up in suburban Clarendon Hills called Clarendon Hills Kid and a book about a very non-linear career path entitled Hardly Working: How I Found a Career and Kept My Soul. Then, we learn about the continuing great work of Chicago’s Share Our Spare and its quest to find new funding partnerships from executive director Alex Goodfellow.
Duration:00:40:11
OTL #978: The federal educational funding freeze in Illinois, Kate Fagan’s new music, The Secret History of Byron Gregory
7/12/2025
Mike Stephen learns about the potential impact of the federal government’s education funding freeze on Illinois with Chalkbeat Chicago's Samantha Smylie, chats with Kate Fagan about her new music and upcoming Chicago shows, and discovers the Secret History of Chicago guitarist Byron Gregory.
Duration:00:40:53
OTL #977: Inside Covet Oddities, The Freedom of Information Act’s limitations, Hope for Homes Day
7/5/2025
Mike Stephen goes inside a new occult gallery in Logan Square called Covet Oddities, learns about the limitations of the Freedom of Information Act in Illinois with Better Government Association financial policy analyst Sophia Van Pelt, and highlights the great work of La Casa Norte's Hope for Homes Day initiative with executive director Jose Munoz.
Duration:00:44:42
OTL #976: Chicago’s Teflon Softball looks for a home, Touring Pride Month, The Secret History of The Puta-Pons
6/28/2025
Mike Stephen learns about Teflon Softball’s search for a practice facility from coach and founder India Steward, re-explores a local tour that highlights LGBTQ history, and discovers the Secret History of the late 90s/early 2000s rockers The Puta-Pons.
Duration:00:44:16
OTL #975: Supporting Chicago’s arts nonprofits, Guiding Chicago’s youth towards entertainment careers
6/21/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the importance of a healthy local nonprofit arts community with Vickie Lakes-Battle of IFF and Vanessa Sanchez of Villapalooza and then chats with Danita Patterson, founder of Destiny Outreach, about a new program aimed at guiding Chicago’s youth towards careers in the entertainment industry.
Duration:00:41:31
OTL #974: Is Chicago prioritizing environmental justice?, The Secret History of Fred Below
6/14/2025
Mike Stephen gets an update on the struggle for environmental justice on the southwest side of Chicago from Anthony Moser, board president of Neighbors for Environmental Justice, and then discovers the Secret History of the local influential 20th century drummer Fred Below.
Duration:00:33:33
OTL #973: A.I. in local journalism, Local immigrants are about to lose their healthcare
6/7/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the ethical questions around using artificial intelligence in local journalism with Justin Kerr, publisher of McKinley Park News, and then talks with Enddy Almonord, director of the Healthy Illinois Campaign, about how 33,000 low-income Illinois immigrants are about to lose their healthcare.
Duration:00:38:46
OTL #972: Confronting student loan debt in Illinois, New music from AJ Rosales, The Secret History of The Radiants
5/31/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the student loan debt problem in Illinois with Illinois Answers Project journalist Claire Murphy, gets the lowdown on new local music from AJ Rosales, and discovers the Secret History of the 1960s Chicago doo-wop group The Radiants.
Duration:00:43:09
OTL #971: Civic engagement through the 100K Project, CPS selling vacant land, Labeling Illinois schools
5/24/2025
Mike Stephen learns about recruiting candidates for local office through the 100K Project with lead organizer and steering committee member Tom Tresser and then gets an update on some local education issues with Chalkbeat Chicago bureau chief Becky Vevea.
Duration:00:39:52
OTL #970: Books removed in local prison, New music from Ascendant, The Secret History of Chicago Music celebrates 20 years
5/17/2025
Mike Stephen explores the removal of certain books in Danville Correctional Center with local author Vee Harrison, gets the lowdown on new music from the band Ascendant from vocalist and keyboard player Kael Mboya, and looks back on 20 years of The Secret History of Chicago Music in the Chicago Reader with its creator and author Steve Krakow.
Duration:00:39:33
OTL #969: The Chicago Lakefront: Protected, Yet Precarious, Second Glance Productions, Rob Moore’s new music
5/10/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the future of Chicago's lakefront with Emily Reusswig, VP of Conservation at Openlands, talks about the importance of inclusion in media with Anthony Williams, the founder of Second Glance Productions, and gets the lowdown on new music from Chicago-based bluesman Rob Moore.
Duration:00:39:38