Stories by WTTW News

He famously called television a “vast wasteland," but Newton Minow's influence goes far beyond that iconic phrase. Geoffrey Baer sat down with Minow to talk about some current political issues.

Renée Fleming, creative consultant for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, discusses the upcoming season at the opera house which will feature an opera curated by her.

One hundred years ago today, the SS Eastland sank in the Chicago River. Nearly 100 newly found photos from the Chicago Tribune offer a new look at Chicago's deadliest tragedy.  

Chicago Tonight's Jay Shefsky talks with the founders of a local cycling movement that focuses on South and West Side neighborhoods. Meet the duo behind Slow Roll Chicago. 

Need your car detailed or piano tuned? Whether you're looking for an event caterer or a portrait painter, dog groomer or furniture mover, Chicago magazine's just released list of the "Best of Chicago" highlights 72 shops, services, and activities that make the Windy City second to none.  

Chicago Sun-Times Theater Critic Hedy Weiss joins us to review the Steppenwolf’s Grand Concourse, Black Ensemble Theater’s Men of Soul, Lookingglass Theatre Company’s Moby Dick, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s The Little Mermaid.

Author and Basecamp founder Jason Fried joins Chicago Tonight for a conversation about changing the way we work – and why showing up to an office every day doesn't mean we're actually being productive.

The phone of the future may be able to detect depression, says a new study from Northwestern University's School of Medicine. Clinical psychologist Stephen Schueller of Northwestern's Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies joins us to discuss the study's findings.

We share what you had to say about Forrest Claypool’s appointment to lead Chicago Public Schools and the return of happy hour to Illinois bars. 

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss this week’s top stories.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss Democrat Andrea Zopp's bid for the U.S. Senate, and talk further about the buzz surrounding the resurgent Cubs.

We share what you had to say about the approval of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s 1-percent sales tax increase and CPS Interim CEO Jesse Ruiz’s statements about the CPS budget.

Abena Joan Brown died on Sunday at age 87. She was a pioneer of the African-American theater scene in Chicago and co-founded the ETA Creative Arts Foundation in 1971. We revisit her appearance on WTTW’s Artbeat Chicago program in 1998. During the segment, Brown talks about the early days of starting a theater company.

Interim schools chief Jesse Ruiz joins us to discuss the financial challenges facing the Chicago Public Schools. 

Archbishop Blase Cupich heard prayer requests and offered blessings to inmates Tuesday morning during a private tour of Cook County Jail with Sheriff Tom Dart.

We share what you had to say about our story on TransTech Social Enterprises and the ongoing battle over pensions in Springfield. 

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss this week’s top headlines.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists talk about women’s soccer in light of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team winning the World Cup. Chicago Sun-Times reporter Natasha Korecki plays soccer regularly.