Illinois Public Media

News

Alex Barton at Campbell Hall

Meet new IPM Morning Edition local host Alex Barton

 Meet Alex Barton, the new local host of "Morning Edtion" on Illinois Public Media. A St. Louis native, Barton joins IPM after working in television news and previously gaining public radio experience at KRCU in southeast Missouri. In a conversation with Jim Meadows, he shares his path into journalism, his excitement about returning to public radio, and what he's looking forward to as a new resident of central Illinois.
IPM Newsroom
Crime and Punishment in America, from Executive Producers Ken Burns and Sam Pollard and directed by Lynn Novick, premieres Monday, November 16 at 7:00 PM Central
Illinois Classical
Illinois Classical 90.9

Your home for Classical and more in Central Illinois.
Prairie Performances
The painting

Revisiting Music for Autumn
This week on Prairie Performances, we are revisiting our autumn classical episode. Enjoy the brisk air and bountiful harvests of autumn with seasonal music from Leo Sowerby,…
Dialogue
man smiling

Meet new IPM Morning Edition local host Alex Barton
Alex Barton is the new local host for Morning Edition. IPM News.’ Reginald Hardwick spent a few minutes getting to know him. 
The 21st Show
a guard tower made of beige bricks is seen reflected in a large puddle in a parking lot; on either side of the tower is tall cyclone fencing topped with razor wire

After 17 years in prison, he was homeless the next day
Leaving prison is supposed to mean a person's debt to society has been paid. But for many people coming home from Illinois prisons, the first problem is figuring out where to…
The 21st Show
a bald African-American man in a blue suit with a purple necktie stands at a lectern and speaks with reporters in the Illinois Capitol Building

Illinois House Democrats grow their supermajority and look for a new speaker
Illinois House Democrats expanded their supermajority in last week's election — and now they're looking for a new leader. Speaker of the House Emanuel “Chris” Chris…
The 21st Show
still images from a video interview: at left is a white man with brown hair, a black button-down shirt, and a podcast microphone in front of his face; at left is a white woman with long blond hair, a black blouse, and a spray of red carnations in a vase in the background

What your accent reveals about you
From “da Bears” in Chicago to “Hahvahd Yahd” in Boston, our accents shape how the world hears us — and how it judges us. Linguist Valerie Fridland explores how and…
Prairie Fire

“Prairie Fire” wins two Mid-America Regional Emmy® Awards
Season three of WILL-TV's popular magazine show won two Mid-America Regional Emmy® Awards at the 2026 Mid-America EMMY Awards in Kansas City, MO.
Illinois Soul Blog

Illinois Soul, part of Illinois Public Media, Launches Dialogue: Next Gen, a New Video Podcast Made by Teens, for Teens
Eight local high school students co-host and help produce series on the issues shaping their lives.
State of Change

Illinois experienced more than 200 tornadoes in 2026. Is this our new normal?
State of Change airs Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. on WILL-TV. The Backlund Charitable Trust provides production funding for this program.