Outside the Loop RADIO

by Albert James PROductions

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 a...

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Insights from recent episode analysis

Audience Interest

Podcast Focus

Categories: society · culture

+1 more

Publishing Consistency

Frequency: ~3-4 / Week

25 episodes since 2025

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🎙 Daily cadence·25 episodes·Last published 1mo ago
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On the show

From 10 eps

Host

Mike Stephen

10 eps

Recent guests

20 across last 10 eps

Peter Cole

1 ep

Judy Dawson

1 ep

Rudy Gonzalez

1 ep

Peggy Sutton

1 ep

Mick Dumke

1 ep

Dr. Helen Lee

1 ep

Justin Kerr

1 ep

Michael Hanna

1 ep

Dan Hinkel

1 ep

Josh Chicone

1 ep

Roberto Jay

1 ep

Nancy Hays

1 ep

Debbie Frisch

1 ep

Nick Kindelsperger

1 ep

Maria Orozco

1 ep

Alex Nitkin

1 ep

Will Quam

1 ep

Akele Spencer

1 ep

Jenna Schweikert

1 ep

Joan Collaso

1 ep

Recent episodes

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

Jul 18, 2026

44m 41s

OTL #1,030: The impact of Hope Chicago

Jul 11, 2026

33m 18s

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

Jul 4, 2026

38m 51s

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

Jun 27, 2026

35m 35s

OTL #1,027: Certificate of innocence update, New music from Cult Canyon, The new film Ricardo focuses on identity

Jun 20, 2026

39m 25s

🔗

Social Links & Contact

Official channels & resources

🌐

Official Website

📡

RSS Feed

Episodes

~1.0 per week

Avg length

39m 24s

33m 18s – 45m 23s

Range

Aug 2020 – Apr 2026

Topics

history, new music +46

Guests

Peter Cole +19 · last 10 eps

10 of 10

Date	Episode	Topics	Guests	Brands	Places	Keywords	Sponsor	Length
7/18/26	OTL #1,031: Remembering the Chicago Race Riot of 1919, Entrepreneurship after prison, Mayfair Academy preserves the art of dance✨	Chicago Race RiotEntrepreneurship+3	Peter ColeJudy Dawson+2	Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration ProjectWilliam H. Hall Center for Entrepreneurship+1	—	Chicago Race Riotentrepreneurship+5	—	44m 41s
7/11/26	OTL #1,030: The impact of Hope Chicago✨	scholarshipsnonprofit+3	—	Hope Chicago	Illinois Institute of Technology	Hope Chicagoscholarship+3	—	33m 18s
7/4/26	OTL #1,029: Secrecy around Chicago parking meters, America: Songs and Stories of Protest and Freedom✨	Chicago parking meterssecrecy+4	Mick Dumke	Block Club Chicago	ChicagoUnited States	Chicagoparking meters+5	—	38m 51s
6/27/26	OTL #1,028: The risks of removing fluoride in our drinking water, The Southwest Chamber of Commerce comes alive, New music from Naked Brunch✨	fluoridedrinking water+3	Dr. Helen LeeJustin Kerr+1	University of Illinois ChicagoMcKinley Park News+1	—	fluoridedrinking water+3	—	35m 35s
6/20/26	OTL #1,027: Certificate of innocence update, New music from Cult Canyon, The new film Ricardo focuses on identity✨	innocence certificatesnew music+1	Dan HinkelJosh Chicone+1	Injustice WatchCult Canyon+1	—	innocencemusic+5	—	39m 25s
6/13/26	OTL #1,026: Riding for America, HelloBaby builds community, Chicago Pride Hockey✨	sports historycommunity building+3	Nancy HaysDebbie Frisch	HelloBabyChicago Pride Hockey+1	—	Isaac MurphyHelloBaby+3	—	39m 22s
6/6/26	OTL #1,025: Eating at every restaurant in the Loop, Challenges for Chicago street vendors, Addressing the affordable housing crisis✨	food journalismstreet vendors+3	Nick KindelspergerMaria Orozco+1	Street Vendors Association of Chicago	Chicagothe Loop	restaurantsLoop+3	—	45m 23s
5/30/26	OTL #1,024: Schlitz ends, but Chicago brewing history lives on✨	brewingdistilling+4	—	Schlitz	Chicago	brewingdistilling+3	—	43m 33s
5/23/26	OTL #1,023: The history of Chicagoland through bricks, The South Side speaks out against a microelectronics park✨	historycommunity activism+4	Will QuamAkele Spencer	Southside TogetherFire and Clay: How Bricks Reveal the Hidden History of Chicago	ChicagolandSouth Side	Chicagolandbricks+7	—	38m 19s
5/16/26	OTL #1,022: Can grocery stores survive food assistance cuts?, Timeless Gifts, The Secret History of Luther Johnson✨	food assistancegrocery stores+3	Jenna SchweikertJoan Collaso	Timeless Gifts	Illinois	food assistancegrocery stores+5	—	35m 32s