Claim OwnershipJoan Esposito (Full Episodes)
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From Heartland Signal and WCPT AM 820 in Chicago, here are full episodes of "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central), a topical and interactive talk show that focuses on national, state and city politics.
A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect — Democrats, of course.
Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC. Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
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On today's show:– Brian Endless, senior lecturer and director of African Studies and the African Diaspora at Loyola University Chicago– Dan Protess, co-executive producer of WTTW’s award-winning multiplatform initiative “Firsthand”– Amy Johnson, Democrat running to be Kane County (Illinois) sheriff– Devin Remiker, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin– Heartland Signal’s Rich Eberwein with three stories you might have missed from our digital newsroom Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Pat Kreitlow, founder and editor of Up North News (Courier)– Mark Jacob and Jennifer Schulze with our regular media segment Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– William Muck, professor of political science at North Central College– Melissa Sanchez, Chicago-based immigration and labor reporter for ProPublica; her latest piece is “The Real Story Behind the Midnight Immigration Raid on a Chicago Apartment Building”– Thom Serafin, founder and CEO of Serafin & Associates, Inc.– Joel Ostrow, professor of political science at Benedictine University Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Sasha Abramsky, freelance journalist and author; his new book is “American Carnage: How Trump, Musk and DOGE Butchered the U.S. Government”– Amanda Marcotte, senior writer at Salon.com– WCPT’s Patti Vasquez and Richard Chew Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show William Muck guest-hosted the 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. hours for Joan. His guests were:– Richard Chew– Patti Vasquez– Joel Ostrow, professor of political science at Benedictine University– Suzanne Chod, professor of political science at North Central College Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
North Central College Political Science Professor William Muck hosts WCPT and Heartland Signal's Pre- and Post-U.S. Senate Candidate Forum Coverage with special guest co-host Jill Wine-Banks. Their guests are:– Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate– U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate – WCPT's Richard Chew, host of "Chew's Views," weekday mornings from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central– WCPT's Patti Vasquez, host of "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez," weekday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central (Listen to the forum: https://omny.fm/shows/joan-esposito-live-local-progressive/2026-u-s-senate-candidate-forum.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Illinois Democratic U.S. Senate candidates U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton face off in WCPT's Senate Candidate Forum. Moderated by WCPT hosts Joan Esposito, Patti Vasquez, and Richard Chew, the forum covered a wide range of issues — giving voters a direct look at where these candidates stand. We thank our sponsors: Plumbers Local 130. "The Plumber protects the health of the nation." And Ironworkers Local 63. "Tradesman and artists working together as one to build the great city of Chicago."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Laura Rodriguez, senior vice president of government affairs at the Center for American Progress Action Fund– Jane Kirtley, professor of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota and former executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press– U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL)– Laura Jedeed, investigative and features journalist who focuses on the American conservative movement and far right; last month Slate published her article “You’ve Heard About Who ICE Is Recruiting. The Truth Is Far Worse. I’m the Proof”– Heartland Signal’s Rich Eberwein with three stories you might have missed from our digital newsroom Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Tamar Jacoby, contributor to Washington Monthly and the Kyiv-based director of the Progressive Policy Institute’s New Ukraine Project and the author of “Displaced: The Ukrainian Refugee Experience.” Her latest article for Washington Monthly is “Putin’s Energy Blitzkrieg is Backfiring.”– Chris Bury, senior journalist-in-residence, DePaul University– Greg Hinz, columnist for Crain’s Chicago Business– Ray Long, Chicago Tribune investigative reporter Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Chris Armitage, author of The Existentialist Republic newsletter on Substack– U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL)– Lisa Hernandez, chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois and member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 2nd District Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Camaron Stevenson, national correspondent in Washington, D.C. for Courier– Pete Dominick, news commentator, stand-up comic, and host of the “Stand Up! with Pete Dominick” podcast– Mark Wolf, former U.S. district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts; in November 2025 Judge Wolf resigned and wrote an op-ed for The Atlantic entitled “Why I Am Resigning” Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Greg Hinz, columnist for Crain’s Chicago Business– Jonathan E. Howard, M.D., NYU Langone– Darlene Duggan, head of Anticruelty Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Sarah Raisch, partner at Romanucci & Blandin and lawyer representing the family of Renee Good, who was shot and killed by a federal immigration agents in Minneapolis earlier this month– Reed Bible, former supervisory special agent for U.S. Homeland Security– Emeline Posner, journalist with the Investigative Project on Race and Equity, and co-author of the investigative series “Taken By Taxes,” a joint investigation by Injustice Watch and the Investigative Project on Race and Equity– Paul Wende, business manager, financial secretary, treasurer of Ironworkers Local 63, one of the sponsors of WCPT’s Feb. 6 Senate Forum Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show Professor William Muck fills in for Joan and his guests are– Jill Wine-Banks, legal analyst, former general counsel of the U.S. Army, author of “The Watergate Girl,” co-host of #SistersInLaw and host of Just The Facts with Jill Wine-Banks– Jonathan Rauch, contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow in the Governance Studies program at The Brookings Institution; he most recently authored “Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy”– Phil Barker, professor of political science and director of the honors program at Keene State College, and co-host of The Politics Lab podcast Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Jim Coyne, business manager of Plumbers Local 130– Pat Kreitlow, founder and editor of Up North News (Courier)– Rohit Chopra, former director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and resident fellow at the The Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School; earlier this month The States Forum recently published his article “De-Gouging the Economy: How States Can Deploy Dormant Authorities to Alleviate the Cost-of-Living Crisis”– Zev Shalev, founder of Narativ.org, a bestselling news Substack Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show– Jason Vincent of Giant restaurant in Logan Square; he’ll be headlining Tuesday’s ACLU fundraiser at Chef’s Special Cocktail Bar in Chicago– David Hochberg, vice president of lending for Team Hochberg at Homeside Financial– Corbin Trent, Democratic strategist who served as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s communications director and is currently the publisher of “America’s Undoing” on Substack– Bill Scher, politics editor at Washington Monthly Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– J. Patrick Coolican, editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Reformer– Chris Armitage, author of The Existentialist Republic newsletter on Substack– Chris Fitzsimon, host of the Stories from the States podcast– “Out Chicago” host Scott Duff and film critic Rebecca Ford Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Rex Huppke, USA Today columnist– Rich Logis, founder and executive director of Leaving MAGA– Heartland Signal’s Rich Eberwein with three stories you might have missed from our digital newsroom Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show Richard Chew fills in for Joan and his guests are:– Rachel Bitecofer, national political analyst, editor of The Cycle-On Substack, author of “Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at their Own Game”– John Laesch, mayor of Aurora, former East Aurora School Board member, and former naval intelligence analyst– Aaron Kleinman, head of research at Heartland Signal– Hal Sparks, host of “The Hal Sparks Radio Program” on WCPT– Bobby Kogan, senior director of Federal Budget Policy at the Center for American Progress Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's show:– Army Maj. Gen. Randy Manner (Ret.), former acting vice chair of the National Guard Bureau, and member of National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A)– Majid Padellan, AKA Brooklyn Dad Defiant– Spencer Critchley, author of Patriots of Two Nations and host of the Dastardly Cleverness in the Service of Good podcast Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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