RADIO JOAN
J
oan Esposito was known to Chicago audiences as a television reporter and anchor after her many years at Channel 5 & 7 . Still , when she accepted the job as afternoon host at Progressive Talk WCPT ( 820 AM ), it was not her first job in the medium .“ When I first got into broadcasting , I got a part-time job at a television station in Columbus , Ohio , and I got a part-time job for a radio station – so I started my media career working in both . So , going back to radio was somewhat a return to my roots .”
On the other hand , doing talk radio was a different animal . On talk radio , you don ’ t just report the news . You have to offer your opinions on the news of the day . For a trained journalist , that ’ s often a difficult Rubicon to cross .
By Rick Kaempfer
were trolls who called in just to insult me , but that doesn ’ t really happen much anymore . I still get Trump supporters and Republicans who call in to question me on certain things , but my attitude is , ‘ I don ’ t care if you disagree with me . That ’ s how we both learn .’ The one thing I won ’ t tolerate is if someone calls up and says things that are factually incorrect . We can have a discussion , but not if you ’ re going to say things that aren ’ t true .”
Guests are also a regular part of the show . Joan talks with journalists , opinion columnists , newsmakers , and elected officials . “ Don ’ t forget Tony ,” she says . “( Artist ) Tony Fitzpatrick is on the show every Thursday . With Tony , you never know what he ’ s going to say , but you know it ’ s going to be good . The
Joan Esposito
Joan acknowledges how big of a step that was . “ Once you cross that bridge , there is no going back . You have left the world of journalism behind you . For me , yes , I had two decades in the business , but I also had a 15-year buffer where I was at home raising my kids and doing media training . So , it wasn ’ t as difficult a transition for me . But I think for some of the audience , it was a more difficult transition . I remember when I first started , an older lady called in to talk on the radio and said , ‘ You know , I followed your career when you were on Channel 7 and Channel 5 , and I never knew you had opinions !’ She was horrified ."
One other big change since her television days was simply the pace of news in general . “ It feels like it ’ s coming at you with a fire hose , on the local level , the state level , and the national level . The news cycle used to be , between September and May , there was a lot going on , but then in the summer months , you ’ d start pulling out your features and evergreen stuff . That ’ s just not how it is now . It ’ s 24 / 7 and 12 months a year . I keep waiting for the lull . I ’ ve been waiting for the lull since I started .” It has required a level of multi-tasking she had not been forced to master before .
“ While I ’ m on the air , I have a tab open on the [ Chicago ] Tribune , the Washington Post , the Wall Street Journal , the New York Times , the Sun- Times , Crain ’ s , Block Club Chicago , and Twitter . While I ’ m on the air , I repeatedly refresh all those , plus I have an iPad next to my computer , and I have CNN on with closed captioning . So , if something like the insurrection happens , I don ’ t have to wait for AP to report it .”
And she also remains focused on what she considers one of the most important parts of the show . “ The callers . The first year there audience loves him .”
Has the media business changed significantly since she stepped away from television ? “ I have to believe it ’ s better now for women . When I was coming up , there was lots of harassment , and to speak up was career suicide . I was having lunch with my boss one time , and he told me the way he decided which women reporters to hire was he used his ‘ penis meter ’. You had to develop the skill of extricating yourself from a situation without torpedoing your career – not always an easy balancing act . There ’ s a whole different attitude amongst younger women these days because they won ’ t put up with it . I love that about them .”
And she helps the up-and-coming generation as much as she can . “ A young woman from Northwestern , Rupa Palla , is leaving me and going to work for NBC in New York . Dina Bair from Channel 9 was my intern . I really do like helping other women in this business . The best advice I can give them is that you have to believe in yourself , and you have to be able to accept ‘ no ’ as you try to get that first job , but it only takes one yes to get that job . Don ’ t give up .”
What ’ s Joan ’ s favorite part of her current job ? m “ I feel engaged with the world in a way I didn ’ t feel when I was out of the business . I like being back in the world of current events . Carol Marin used to say to journalism classes , ‘ Do you really love information because that ’ s what this job is all about .’ And I love it . I love talking to other people who do , who come at it a little differently than I do . Parts of my brain have been reactivated .” Joan Esposito can be heard every weekday afternoon on WCPT , AM 820 .
16 illinoisentertainer . com july 2021