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Rating

★★★★★

4.7

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21 reviews

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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

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OTL #1,042: Food influencers' impact on Chicago, Rattleback Records, A guide to local judicial elections

2026/10/03

Mike Stephen explores the impact of food influencers on the Chicago culinary scene with freelance reporter Leigh Giangreco, chats with Rattleback Records owner Paul Ruffino about what it's like to run an independent record store, and takes a deep dive into Injustice Watch's 2026 guide to judicial elections with senior reporter Dan Hinkel.

OTL #1,041: Are Illinois prosecutors ICE informants?, A new local salon builds community

2026/09/26

Mike Stephen talks to Injustice Watch senior reporter Aura Bogado about her new report on how Illinois prosecutors are assisting federal immigration efforts, then chats with Antonia Turner, owner of the new Heritage Press and Blow Dry salon, about building community in Chicago.

OTL #1,040: Cannabis and the teen brain, New music from Paige Kizer, The impact of restorative justice

2026/09/19

Mike Stephen discusses the impact of cannabis on the teen brain with Dr. Patricia Jones Blessman, gets the lowdown on new local music from Paige Kizer, and explores the positive impact of restorative justice practices with Dr. Shaniqua Jones, founder of Purple Path

OTL #1,039: Housing displacement pressure in Chicago, What went wrong with Bring Chicago Home?

2026/09/12

Mike Stephen dives into a new report on housing displacement pressure in Chicago with Geoff Smith, executive director of the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University, and revisits what went wrong with the Bring Chicago Home initiative.

OTL #1,038: Old Style's rise and fall in Chicago, Local support for those with disabilities

2026/09/05

Mike Stephen discusses the rise and fall of Old Style beer in Chicago with journalist Nick Kindelsperger, then learns about the important work of supporting people with disabilities from Debra Vines, founder and CEO of The Answer Inc.

OTL #1,037: Chicago's tree disparity, The Chicago Journalism Mental Health Fund, New music from Jules Klee

2026/08/29

Mike Stephen discusses disparities in tree planting in Chicago with Alex Nitkin of the Illinois Answers Project, learns about the Chicago Journalism Mental Health Fund from International Women's Media Foundation executive director Nadine Hoffman, and gets the lowdown on new local music from Jules Klee.

OTL #1,036: Chicago School Board election preview, Teen rockers Large Mouth play Riot Fest, Exploring the Chicago and U.K. cultural connection

2026/08/22

Mike Stephen previews the November Chicago School Board election with journalist Mary Wisniewski, chats with the local teen band Large Mouth about its upcoming Riot Fest gig, and discusses the cultural connection between Chicago and the U.K. with media producer Terry Jervis.

OTL #1,035: The OTL Summer Rewind

2026/08/15

Mike Stephen looks back on segments previously aired on the show. Enjoy!

OTL #1,034: Saving Ferris Butler, The Flamenco Quartet Project, TaskForce Chicago strengthens community

2026/08/08

Mike Stephen gets the scoop on the new documentary Saving Ferris Butler from executive producer D.B. Frick, previews the upcoming Flamenco Quartet Project with Clinard Dance founder Windy Clinard, and learns how TaskForce Prevention & Community Services is strengthening communities across Chicago from assistant communications director Hannah Pewee.

OTL #1,033: The legacy of the Heather Mack case, Building community in Woodlawn

2026/08/01

Mike Stephen discusses the legacy and impact of the Heather Mack case with Rasul Freelain, a former Oak Park police officer and author of the new book When Lambs Become Wolves. Then he talks with Jennifer Mosley, board president of HelloBaby and senior associate at the Obama Foundation, about building community in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood.

OTL #1,032: Beyond the scoreboard with Three Level Basketball, Improving math scores in Illinois schools

2026/07/25

Mike Stephen learns how Three Level Basketball is improving the game for area youth with co-founder and coach Matt Maloney and discusses a new report offering recommendations to improve math outcomes in Illinois schools with University of Illinois professors Erica Mason and Phi Nguyen.

OTL #1,031: Remembering the Chicago Race Riot of 1919, Entrepreneurship after prison, Mayfair Academy preserves the art of dance

2026/07/18

Mike Stephen discusses the legacy of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 with Peter Cole of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project, explores how entrepreneurship is creating opportunities for people returning from incarceration with Judy Dawson and Rudy Gonzalez of the William H. Hall Center for Entrepreneurship, and celebrates the legacy of the Mayfair Academy of Fine Arts with owner and president Peggy Sutton.

OTL #1,030: The impact of Hope Chicago

2026/07/11

Mike Stephen visits the Hope Chicago 2026 Goal Getter Conference at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Hope Chicago is a scholarship-focused nonprofit designed to provide students and their parents/guardians with the support they need to graduate from college debt-free.

OTL #1,029: Secrecy around Chicago parking meters, America: Songs and Stories of Protest and Freedom

2026/07/04

Mike Stephen gets an update on the secrecy around a plan to buy back the city's parking meters from Block Club Chicago's Mick Dumke and learns about a new series of live local performances that explore the history of the Untied States from co-producers Cheryl Corley and Lucy Smith.

OTL #1,028: The risks of removing fluoride in our drinking water, The Southwest Chamber of Commerce comes alive, New music from Naked Brunch

2026/06/27

Mike Stephen learns about a new report highlighting the risks of removing fluoride from drinking water from Dr. Helen Lee of the University of Illinois Chicago, gets an update on the new Southwest Chamber of Commerce from McKinley Park News publisher Justin Kerr, and chats with Naked Brunch vocalist Michael Hanna about the band's new music.

Podcast reviews

Read Outside the Loop RADIO podcast reviews

4.7 out of 5

21 reviews

★☆☆☆☆

Scotts alternative account 2025/09/11

Why did you delete past episodes

Loved the og episodes

★★★★★

Vam0sCaraj0! 2018/01/02

Great way to experience Chicago

Love listening to this show, it’s a great way to learn about one of the best cities in the world!

★★★★★

Truman's Ridge 2017/12/31

What a Blast

Truman's Ridge, Chicagoland's up and coming bluegrass band had a total blast perfoming on "Outside the Loop," on Chicago 720am radio on Dec. 30, 2017....

★★★★★

KNA_33 2017/12/31

Independent Chicago Podcast

Mike's been at this since 2006 and continues to feature great local stories, communites, and the music of Chicagoland. I find it to be one the best in...

★★★★★

MartyMac8888 2010/06/03

Great Chicago Show

Great show, great host, and great topics about Chicago even if you don't live in the city. The host makes it seems as though he's in the room with y...

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