Host

About Chicago Public Media

Chicago Public Media is one of the nation’s largest local nonprofit news organizations. Home to WBEZ 91.5FM, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Vocalo. Chicago Public Media reaches more than 3.3 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a mission-driven organization, we aspire to be the most trusted news source Chicagoans turn to for understanding the people, events, and ideas shaping our community.

Chicago Public Media is a 100% community-funded newsroom powered by nearly 97,000 members whose support makes our journalism possible. This sustained community investment helped drive nationally recognized work in 2025, including 29 awards from esteemed organizations, including the Public Media Journalists Association, the Edward R. Murrow Awards, and the National Association of Black Journalists.

We believe independent journalism is essential to a healthy democracy and that access to objective, fact-based news is a right for every citizen. We serve the public interest by creating diverse content that informs and enriches our community, supported by a dedicated staff of approximately 250 professionals.

For more information, please see the Chicago Public Media Annual Report.

The Opportunity

The Host is an experienced journalist responsible for guiding listeners through a dynamic mix of interviews and compelling conversations. The Host is a talented interviewer who can serve as a steady, trusted presence for audiences across a wide range of topics including politics, immigration, health, education, business and arts and culture. Hosts may perform work on any or all platforms.

Duties & Responsibilities

(These include but are not limited to the following. The Company reserves the right to add to, delete, change, or modify the essential duties and responsibilities at any time.)

• Host a high-profile live daily talk show.
• Create, prepare and present news reports, program segments and/or live on-air or recorded and edited interviews with the highest level of distinction in performance, journalistic rigor and editorial craft.
• Maintain a public persona to interact with audiences through non-broadcast platforms, including social media, station events and content partner events.

Minimum Skills & Qualifications

Skills and Knowledge:

• Must have significant experience hosting for radio, TV, podcasts, or comparable platforms. Ideally live (rather than recorded) and ideally in a large market. 
• Experience conducting unscripted or lightly scripted interviews and discussions with skill and poise under pressure, including during live breaking news. 
• Hands-on experience working as part of a production team that collaborates to book, prep, script, edit and prepare broadcasts, podcasts or other news-driven content. 
• Ability to collaborate with teams across Chicago Public Media on broadcasts, podcasts, special programming, events, social media, pledge drives and more. 
• Capacity and curiosity to stay informed on a wide range of topics across current events and culture. 
• Journalism experience in a broadcast or digital newsroom environment is desired.
• Experience with digital editing and audio editing is a plus. 
• Familiarity with the Chicago region is a plus. 

Education (preferred but not required): Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, humanities or related field.

Compensation

The expected pay range for this position is $91,555 - $140,000 per ANNUM.

Chicago Public Media provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the organization reasonably expects to pay for a position.  The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographical location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

This position is represented by SAG-AFTRA.

The essential functions described above are not all-inclusive and may change periodically to meet the needs of Chicago Public Media (CPM). The information contained in this job description is not intended to create any contractual or other legal commitment. Chicago Public Media may change the content or format of this job at any time in its sole and exclusive discretion without notice.

Chicago Public Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we actively seek and welcome people from all backgrounds, orientations, and life experiences to join our team.

Working at Chicago Public Media

At Chicago Public Media, we care deeply about our employees as we know attracting, developing, and growing talent is key to our success and enhancing our impact.  

Our culture is one where collaboration, diversity of ideas, and innovation are encouraged.  We value colleagues who will enhance our culture by bringing new ideas, divergent experiences, and talents to our dynamic workplace.

At Chicago Public Media we believe dedication to a great workplace includes supporting our employees and their families. As a result, we provide a broad and generous benefits package for employees at hire and in the years to come.

Our benefits include a competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, vacation, holidays, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement savings, and a commuter benefits plan.

Chicago Public Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we actively seek and welcome people from all backgrounds, orientations, and life experiences to join our team.

The essential functions described above are not all-inclusive and are not intended to create any contractual or other legal commitment. Chicago Public Media may change the content or format of this job at any time in its sole and exclusive discretion without notice.