Corinne Wittig
Staff Writer
They say curiosity killed the cat, but after exploring this news outlet, you might find that a little bit of curiosity can be a good thing, and in this case very informative.
Whether you have lived in the windy city your whole life or are new to the area, Chicago’s very own radio station WBEZ (91.5 FM), attempts to answer both ordinary and unusual questions you might be dying to know about the city of Chicago. This online and on-air series is called Curious City. The mini show covers a variety of topics; there is a style of news available for everyone.
For instance categories include, “how we live”, “economy”, “urban planning”, “history”, “what is it like to….”, and more. Perhaps the best part about Curious City is that listeners and fans of the series are able to create and submit their own questions. Then the question is created into a news story that can be found on the radio, the Internet, YouTube, and on WBEZ’s podcast.
According to curiouscity.wbez.org, “ All Curious City stories originate with questions submitted by the public. WBEZ producers and editors regularly sift through those questions and work with reporters, radio hosts, videographers, photographers, bloggers, comic artists, and even musicians to find the best answer. We place questions into voting rounds, so the public can make the final decision about what to investigate!”
Currently, users can go to the Curious City website and vote on three questions that have been recently submitted. Such as, “Why did so many migrants from Appalachia end up in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood during the ‘50s and ‘60s? Why did so many leave?” or “How many Chicago churches offer services in languages that reflect their neighborhoods’ early immigrant groups?”
In the past, curious citizens have asked questions like, “What is at the bottom of the Chicago River?” and “What is it like to live in Chicago on minimum wage?” These questions are “answered” and then created into a multi media story.
For more information, to vote on a question you would like to see researched or to submit a question of your own, visit www. Curiouscity.wbez.org
