Illinois News Broadcasters Association

Until CBS Radio shut down in the spring of 2026, Jennifer Keiper was an anchor there. She talks about reporting and anchoring, quality broadcasting and writing, career advice, changes in journalism, Burning Man, her upbringing, and the serious topic of suicide (her sister) and caring for family. She forgot to say in the interview that her 23-year-old nephew died of a drug overdose three months aft...

Before covering Illinois and Missouri politics for KSDK-TV in St. Louis, Mark Maxwell was Capitol Bureau Chief at WCIA-TV in Springfield. He talks about his career in TV news, how he develops sources, covering politicians and news gathering, challenges, what he's learned, and more. This is from a livestream that Mark did with Margaret Larkin.

Welcome to our inaugural episode of INBA Podcast Bite, a short-form audio series designed to help broadcast journalists get ideas and do their jobs better. In this episode, INBA board member and WNIJ reporter Yvonne Boose talks with Ryan Denham, content director for WGLT. He also served on a task force that helped the Illinois Supreme Court design new rules for Extended Media Coverage, which allow...

The last time former INBA president Steve Scott was interviewed was when he was at WCBS in New York. After WCBS stopped operations, he became a news anchor at KCBS radio. He gives us an update about being an alum of San Jose State, working in San Francisco, covering news, doing PA announcing for the Golden State Warriors and other NBA teams, the importance of joining an organization, and more. Lis...

After more than 40 years, Craig Dellimore retired from WBBM Newsradio, where he was Political Editor and a reporter in Chicago and the Illinois state legislature. He started in New York at Columbia University, then worked at WNYC and WCBS. Before he moved to Chicago, he worked at the Associated Press in Washington, D.C. This is from a livestream that Craig did with Margaret Larkin. Margaret also i...

With more than two decades of experience, Justin Kaufmann is working in Chicago news for Axios as a reporter and writer. He talks about his broadcasting career at WBEZ Public Radio and WGN Radio, getting subscribers and communicating with listeners, being on the air, deadlines, getting more exposure, dealing with challenges, journalistic discipline, writing, producing, and more. Justin was intervi...

After working at the Chicago Tribune Media Group and WBBM Newsradio, Lauren Westphal is now a digital content creator at Fox 32 Chicago (WFLD-TV). Lauren studied journalism at the University of Missouri and talks about what digital journalism requires, AI and SEO, the pressure to be first, writing tips, the importance of networking and adaptability, how she managed to work in a large market, and a...

After growing up in Chicago and watching his dad, Lester Holt, report news on WBBM-TV, Stefan Holt went into TV news as a reporter and anchor. He is now an anchor at NBC affiliate WMAQ-TV in Chicago, and he talks about his career in Florida and New York before coming back home. He also talks about what he learned from his dad, bosses, and on-the-job training, why journalism is important, writing,...

After spending several years anchoring news at KGW-TV in Oregon, St. Louis-native Joe Donlon came to Chicago to work at WGN-TV and now CBS-TV. He discusses his professional journey, why he's living the dream, his Chicago Unscripted podcast, how to be effective on the air, why writing is important, how experience helps develop your skills, structuring a story, reporting and anchoring, changing tech...

Tom Petersen reported the news for several years at WGN Radio, where he worked with Bob Collins. Tom was an excellent radio broadcaster who started his long media career in Milwaukee as a disc jockey, and worked at WEMP in Milwaukee, WXYZ in Detroit, KWWL-TV in Waterloo/Cedar Rapids, and at a rock station in Duluth, Minnesota before he came to Chicago. Margaret Larkin interviewed him at Mitsuwa Ma...

Molly Jirasek was first interviewed six years ago at the Illinois News Broadcasters Association convention when she was Assistant News Director at Heart of Illinois ABC in Peoria. Now she is News Director at ABC57-TV in South Bend, Indiana. Molly says that she is hiring and explains what she looks for in an applicant. She also offers advice for recent college grads, including demo reels, necessary...

John Kendall is the assignment manager at WEEK-TV in Peoria and is on the INBA board. This is from a livestream that John did with Margaret Larkin. (Entire transcript at inba.net) Margaret Larkin: the INBA...how did you get involved with that? John Kendall: Tanya Koonce was a big part of why I became part of INBA. Also Mike Miletich and Jeff Burnett. I think I knew of INBA back in college, but I r...

At WLS-AM in Chicago, Scott Childers anchors and reports news, traffic, and fills in for show hosts. He's spent several years in radio and talks about his reporting at the DNC and RNC, traffic reporting for various stations, how traffic and news require similar skills, writing and broadcast styles, and more. This interview was part of a livestream that Scott did with Margaret Larkin.

Putnam County native John Kendall started as a part-timer at WEEK-TV in Peoria, and has worked his way up to be the Assignment Manager. He started his journalism career at Illinois Valley Community College and Western Illinois University in Macomb. John talks about why networking is important, why he’s passionate about journalism, his writing and sports experience, how he got into producing news,...

"Sports is part of news," says Ron Gleason, who went from sports broadcasting to WBBM Newsradio, where he was an anchor then Director of News and Programming for several years. Before WBBM, Ron was Director of Sports and Programming at WSCR The Score, which changed the style of sports radio. He talks about management vs being on air, sportscasting and play-by-play; his long radio career that start...

After starting her broadcasting career at TV-10 News at Illinois State University, Alex Corradetti was the morning anchor at WCIA 3 News in Champaign and is now an anchor on the CBS 58 Morning News in Milwaukee, where she also hosts Racine & Me on WMLW-TV. She talks about the importance of keeping a positive attitude, pursuing your dreams, learning all angles of the TV news business, effective sto...

As a Missouri capitol bureau reporter, Emily Manley reports for Nexstar TV stations in Illinois and Missouri, and nationally. She talks about her journalism experience, why she is passionate about reporting and how she got into broadcast journalism, how she balances her responsibilities and information, and her career trajectory. She also offers advice and insight for journalists and goes into det...

After graduating from Western Illinois University, Aaron Frye began his broadcasting career in Illinois. He worked in sports and news as a videographer and digital journalist, eventually becoming Director of Photography at WDJT-TV, CBS 58 in Milwaukee. Aaron talks about the cameras, lights, and drones he uses in broadcasting, how he works with reporters to cover stories, offers advice for getting...

TV-10 news director Laura Trendle Polus retired from Illinois State University and moved to Chicago to become a news writer at WGN-TV. She talks about her teaching and TV experience in Illinois and Wisconsin, explains why the INBA is important, and offers advice for students and recent grads. Laura was interviewed by Margaret Larkin via livestream.

After working as a producer for several years in TV, Reginald Hardwick became News and Public Affairs Director at Illinois Public Media, where they have just launched the new radio station Illinois Soul. He discusses what he's learned during his long career, why he cares about diversity in broadcasting, his personal and professional experiences with race and ethnicity, challenges and changes in th...

Chicago native Beth Godvik is an award-winning producer and news writer at CBS Chicago, adjunct professor at DePaul University, and board member of the WGA East. She shares her insights from more than 20 years in TV journalism, a career that she loves. Beth was interviewed by Margaret Larkin via livestream.

After graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Carolina Garibay got a reporting job at WBBM Newsradio, and she has started anchoring there as well. She talks about why she loves audio, how the U of I helped her, what she's learned so far, advice for aspiring journalists, and more. This is from a livestream that Carolina did with Margaret Larkin.

The longest INBA interview ever! Rafer Weigel talks about a lot, revealing much professionally and personally: TV news and sports broadcasting, breaking the Jussie Smollett story and losing his job, mistakes he's made, egos in TV, mental health, what makes a good producer and storyteller, his famous sportscaster dad Tim Weigel, the importance of networking, pressure and competition, and much more!...

Jon Hansen works in all media. He started his broadcasting career at WPGU when he was a student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Now he works in Chicago for WCIU, Block Club Chicago, and WGN Radio. He reports stories for WCIU's "It's All Good" which includes a podcast, hosts financial and legal shows on WGN and fills in for other hosts there, and even works at Blackhawks games. This...

After 17 years in TV news, including several years at MSNBC, Colleen King is now the Director of the Richard and Leslie Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media and Clinical Assistant Professor in Journalism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She worked on shows including "Morning Joe," "Hardball with Chris Matthews," "Way Too Early," and "The 11th Hour with Brian Williams....