LISTEN: Inside a viral facelift: The Guadalajara plastic surgery journey
By Emma Urdangen, Kaitlyn Luckoff and Payton Turkeltaub Medill Reports Americans are traveling to Guadalajara, Mexico, for facelifts that cost a fraction of U.S. prices and documenting every step on TikTok. In this episode, we follow David and Michelle, two patients who went viral after their surgeries, to uncover what it really feels like to […]
The Bumble burnout: As dating app enthusiasm dims, industry scrambles to prove digital matching can still deliver meaningful connections
By Emma Urdangen Medill Reports Walking out of a Washington, D.C., dive bar after her fifth terrible app-date of the month, 23-year-old Carly HoganBruen knew something wasn’t working. That night, “David” took a 20-minute call during dinner to chat with his sister, then ended the date early. The week before, “Mark” said he “couldn’t stop […]
Asian supermarkets in Chicago serve as community hubs. Now they’re bracing for effects of tariffs.
By Alyssa Rola Medill Reports Every time she gets sick, Wanmin Zhang habitually looks for her personal cure: her parents’ home-cooked Chinese meals. The 28-year-old support engineer, who was born in southern China but grew up in Chicago, can only fend for herself as an adult. She’d visit Asian grocery stores to cop intricate ingredients […]
WATCH: Off the Clock — Episode 7
By Alexia Kadota-Browner, Catherine Lacovara, Simone Roberts and Amanda Pirkowski Medill Reports This week on “Off the Clock”: Our team covered Angel Reese’s back-to-school event, flew through the sky at a trapeze class and learned about a workout class providing mental health support. “Off the Clock” is a half-hour news show specifically covering sports and […]
WATCH: Backstage Chicago, Episode 5: Celebrating summers, stories and the magic of the city
By Abby Feldman and Reilly Cook Medill Reports In the final episode of “Backstage Chicago,” Reilly Cook and Abby Feldman take viewers on a celebratory send-off filled with highlights, memories and a touch of magic. From revisiting some of the city’s most unforgettable summer traditions to hearing directly from Chicagoans about what they’ll miss most […]
WATCH: Off the Clock — Episode 6
By Alexia Kadota-Browner, Catherine Lacovara, Simone Roberts and Amanda Pirkowski Medill Reports This week on “Off The Clock”: Our team covered the party at the LIV Golf tournament, watched as thousands of rubber duckies were dropped into the Chicago River and spoke with the coaches training the next generation of American Ninja Warriors. “Off the […]
WATCH: Backstage Chicago, Episode 4: Feathers, fur and fun — inside Chicago’s quirkiest summer traditions
By Abby Feldman and Reilly Cook Medill Reports This week’s “Backstage Chicago” is all about the city’s quirkiest summer traditions, with a whole lot of animal energy. We’re taking you to the Chicago River for the annual Duck Derby, where tens of thousands of rubber ducks race for a good cause, and then swapping feathers […]
WATCH: Off the Clock — Episode 5
By Alexia Kadota-Browner, Catherine Lacovara, Simone Roberts and Amanda Pirkowski Medill Reports This week on “Off The Clock”: Our team covers the Premier League matches at Soldier Field, gets up early for a sunrise workout class and celebrates the unsung heroes of college athletics. “Off the Clock” is a half-hour news show covering sports and […]
WATCH: Backstage Chicago, Episode 3: How to do Lollapalooza 2026 without going broke
By Abby Feldman and Reilly Cook Medill Reports In this episode of “Backstage Chicago,” Abby Feldman and Reilly Cook take viewers inside the fashion, fun and finances of Lollapalooza 2025. From on-the-ground interviews with festivalgoers to a deep dive into budgeting tips for next year’s fest, the episode blends style and strategy to help fans […]
WATCH: Off the Clock — Episode 4
By Alexia Kadota-Browner, Catie Lacovara, Simone Roberts and Amanda Pirkowski Medill Reports This week on “Off The Clock”: Our team covers the Big Ten Volleyball Media Days, learns Zumba moves and speaks to runners at one of Chicago’s most unique races. “Off the Clock” is a half-hour news show covering sports and wellness events around […]