Joan Esposito (Featured Interviews)

Joan Esposito (Featured Interviews)

Here are featured interviews from "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT Chicago), a topical and interactive talk show from Chicago 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).

Episodes

December 13, 2025 21 mins

Joan Esposito is joined by Adam Abrams, spokesperson for Keep Americans Covered, former communications aide to President Barack Obama and a White House spokesman during the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

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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Joan Esposito is joined by Joe Fontana, founder of Fry the Coop.

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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Joan Esposito is joined by 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.

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Joan Esposito is joined by Abby Vesoulis, national politics reporter at Mother Jones.

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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Joan Esposito and guest Bruce Rheins are joined by Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL).

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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December 11, 2025 44 mins

Joan Esposito is joined by 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.

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Joan Esposito is joined by Aaron Kleinman, head of research at Heartland Signal.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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December 10, 2025 23 mins

Joan Esposito is joined by Mike Nellis, Democratic strategist and host of “Endless Urgency with Mike Nellis.

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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Joan Esposito is joined by Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL).

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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Joan Esposito is joined by Texas State Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer (D).

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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December 9, 2025 22 mins

Joan Esposito is joined by Army Maj. Gen. Randy Manner (Ret.), former acting vice chair of the National Guard Bureau, and member of National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A).

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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Filling in for Joan Esposito, Turi Ryder is joined by Samuel Cole, chief immigration litigation counsel at ACLU of Illinois and retired immigration judge in Chicago.

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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December 6, 2025 19 mins

Filling in for Joan Esposito, Turi Ryder is joined by Eleanor Ray, founder and executive director of The WasteShed, a nonprofit creative reuse organization dedicated to giving new life to art supplies and promoting sustainability.

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 pr...

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December 6, 2025 21 mins

Filling in for Joan Esposito, Turi Ryder is joined by Robert Held, Chicago attorney recently detained by ICE but not charged with a crime; he is traveling to New Orleans to protest ICE actions in that city.

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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December 6, 2025 18 mins

Filling in for Joan Esposito, Turi Ryder is joined by Wendy Lobel, producer-director of “Anxiety Club,” a “heartfelt and humorous exploration of anxiety through the lens of some of today’s most brilliant comedians.”

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 priv...

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December 5, 2025 21 mins

Joan Esposito is joined by Dr. Anthony Douglas, trauma surgeon at University of Chicago Hospital, and one of the lead organizers behind the Responsibility in Firearm Legislation Act, or RIFL Act in Illinois. 

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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December 5, 2025 29 mins

Joan Esposito is joined by Virginia Canter, ethics and anti-corruption chief counsel and director at Democracy Defenders Fund.

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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Joan Esposito is joined by 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.

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December 4, 2025 23 mins

Joan Esposito is joined by Tod Maffin, online content creator and author of “From Far and Wide with Tod Maffin.”

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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December 4, 2025 24 mins

Joan Esposito is joined by Lisa Stark, former ABC News reporter who recently penned a letter to Disney CEO Bob Iger calling on him to defend free press and protect ABC journalists from political pressure.

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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