Live, Local & Progressive

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive is 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.

“Live, Local & Progressive” is also heard now on Atlanta’s WMLB AM 1690 and streaming live on Facebook and YouTube. 

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Notable recent interviews: Former Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Michigan Sec. of State Jocelyn Benson, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Speaker of the Illinois House Emanuel “Chris” Welch, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission Anna M. Gomez, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), U.S. House Reps. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Sean Casten (D-IL), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Danny Davis (D-IL), Bill Foster (D-IL), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Scott Peters (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Elisa Slotkin (D-MI), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), reproductive freedom and abortion rights activists Hadley Duvall and Amanda Zurawski, Ira Glass, gun control activist David Hogg, Rainbow PUSH Coalition CEO Yusef Jackson, Ezra Levin of Indivisible, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Politics Girl Leigh McGowan, Carol Moseley Braun, The Atlantic’s Tom Nichols, author and pundit Chris Matthews, author Richard North Patterson, CNN’s Manu Raju, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, “Anonymous” author Miles Taylor, author-pundit Molly-Jong Fast, author Jessica Valenti, Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson, 1/6 Capitol officers Michael Fanone and Aquilino Gonell, progressive content creators Brian Tyler Cohen, Adam Mockler, Brooklyn Dad Defiant and Keith Edwards, Chair of the Texas Democratic Party Kendall Scudder, legal analysts Leah Litman, Melissa Murray, Barbara McQuade, Joyce Vance, Jill Wine-Banks, Retired Army Major General Randy Manner, Maureen Dowd, Sandra Cisneros

About Joan
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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Featured Interviews

Congressman Jonathan Jackson, Democrat representing the 1st District of Illinois.

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Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, Democrat representing the 5th District of Missouri.

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Robert Pape, professor of political science at the University of Chicago and author of “The Escalation Trap” on Substack; his new book, “Our Own Worst Enemies: America in the Age of Violent Populism,” is out now.

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Thomas Hicks, former chair of the federal Election Assistance Commission; he was fired on July 9 when President Donald Trump dismissed all three serving commissioners. 

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Ira Glass, creator and host of “This American Life.”

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Adam Mockler, Gen-Z liberal political commentator who hosts “The Adam Mockler Show” on You Tube.  He discusses the rise of independent media, network shifts at CNN and CBS, and current trends within the Democratic Party.

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Joan Esposito and guest Chris Bury are joined by Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley, Democrat representing the 5th District of Illinois. They discuss concerns regarding U.S. foreign policy, national security readiness, and threats to democratic stability.

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Ben Wikler, former chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party and author of the new book, “This Is the Plan: How to End America’s Meltdown and Save Democracy” (2026).

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Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat representing the 8th District of Illinois.

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Brian Tyler Cohen, author of the new book “The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World.”

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Anna M. Gomez, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission. 

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U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) for a conversation about the war in Iran, the dishonesty of Sec. of State Marco Rubio, the cost of living, and more. 

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Ahead of the four-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, Joan is joined by Hadley Duvall, reproductive freedom and abortion rights activist. 

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Amanda Zurawski, reproductive rights activist who was the lead plaintiff in the landmark Zurawski v. State of Texas case.

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Joan is joined by Leigh McGowan, AKA Politics Girl.

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Joan is joined by David Hogg, gun control activist and former vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.

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Joan is joined by Chris Matthews, former host of “Hardball with Chris Matthews” (now on Substack), and author of “Lessons from Bobby: Ten Reasons Robert F. Kennedy Still Matters.”

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Joan talks to U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN).

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Click here for all of Joan’s Featured Interviews.

Listen live weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at 820 AM, on TuneIn, right here on the Heartland Signal website, or watch the video stream (live or on demand) on Facebook or YouTube. 

Text or phone 773-763-9278.
Follow Joan on Threads and Bluesky.

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This week on the show

Mon 10/12
– Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible
– Michael Hawthorne, Pulitzer-finalist investigative reporter who focuses on the environment and public health for the Chicago Tribune
– Ira Shapiro, co-author of “Betrayed: America Didn’t Vote for This“
– Willie Wilson, 2027 candidate for Chicago mayor

Tue 10/13
– Carolyn Fiddler, state politics expert and communications director for the Democratic Attorneys General Association
– Jen Golbeck, professor, computer scientist, psychologist, “expert in the far-right, online extremism, AI, and bad things on the internet,” and author of the MAGAReport on Substack; her latest article is “Live Streamed Execution: MAGAReport 10/9/26“
– Chris Bury, former TV newsman and recently retired DePaul journalism professor

Wed 10/14
– Tom Villanova of Southland Friends of Labor; he is also the retired president of the Chicago and Cook County Building and Construction Trades Council

Thu 10/15
– Laura Belin, publisher, editor, and reporter for Bleeding Heartland, a community website focused on Iowa politics
– John Bartman, fifth-generation Illinois soybean farmer and activist
– Elinor Epperson, state policy reporter for Heartland Signal

Fri 10/16
– David Layman, former Providence, Rhode Island, news anchor, managing editor, and political commentator for RIPBS

Last week on the show

Mon 10/5
Listen to the full show
Watch the video stream
– Ray Long, retired Chicago Tribune investigative reporter
– Julie Roginsky, author of the Salty Politics newsletter on Substack and co-founder of the nonprofit Lift Our Voices [Listen]
– U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and 2026 candidate for re-election in Missouri’s 5th Congressional District [Listen]
– Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder [Listen]

Tue 10/6
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Watch the video stream
– Katherine Dailey, state government and policy reporter for Michigan Advance [Listen]
– Matt McNeil, host of “The Matt McNeil Show,” weekdays at 9:00 p.m. on WCPT
– Army Maj. Gen. Randy Manner (Ret.), former acting vice chair of the National Guard Bureau, and member of National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A) [Listen]

Wed 10/7
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Watch the video stream
– David DeWitt, Ohio Capital Journal editor-in-chief and opinion columnist [Listen]
– U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL) [Listen]
– Rex Huppke, USA Today columnist; his latest column is “Trump says economy is great. We should definitely trust him“

Thu 10/8
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Watch the video stream (begins in progress)
On today’s show Joan broadcasts live from Moe Joe’s Restaurant in Plainfield, Illinois, and her guests are:
– Marc McKirdie, candidate for Will County Board, District 3
– Sherry Newquist, candidate for Will County Board, District 3 (incumbent)
– Mica Freeman Will County Board, District 8
– State Rep. Jessica Dixon Heitman, Illinois House District 97, candidate for re-election
– Michelle Stiff, candidate for Will County clerk
– Sherry Williams, candidate for Will County Board, District 5 (incumbent)
– Karen Johnson, candidate for Will County Board, District 5
– Jamie Littell, owner of Moe Joe’s
– Sheldon Watts, candidate for Will County Board, District 11
– Dr. Theresa Rouse, candidate for Will County regional superintendent of Schools
– Patrick Jones, candidate for Will County sheriff
– Bob Howard, candidate for Will County Board, District 2
– Alex Zapien, candidate for Will County Board, District 9
– Judge Amy Christiansen, candidate for Will County Circuit Court (incumbent) 
– Jackie Traynere, candidate for Will County Board, District 11 (incumbent)

Today is DAF Day, the national giving day for donor-advised funds, which are the fastest-growing form of philanthropy in the country. DAF Day brings donors, nonprofits, and fund providers together to support the causes people care about most. Heartland Signal and WCPT are supported by The Future Now Institute, a 501(c)(3) organization. Your gifts to FNI are tax deductible. For more information, please reach out to our development team at gift@heartlandsignal.com. Or visit: https://heartlandsignal.com/daf-day-wcpt.

Fri 10/9
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– Chris Fitzsimon, host of the Stories from the States podcast
– Carlos Ballesteros, reporter for Injustice Watch,  Chicago-based nonprofit journalism organization that examines issues of equity and justice in the court system; their November 2026 Cook County judicial elections guide is now available [Listen]
– Ward Farnsworth, professor and W. Page Keeton Chair at the University of Texas School of Law and author of several books, including “Should You Tip for Takeout? Solving the Puzzles of Everyday Life” [Listen]

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“Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive” now has its very own podcast. Two, in fact:  Joan Esposito (Full Episodes), available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon, and Joan Esposito (Featured Interviews), also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon. Subscribe to one or both!  “Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive” is also available at Omny.fm.