WGN - The Download with Justin Kaufmann Podcast

Susan Noyes, founder of the Make it Better Foundation, joins Justin to talk about her career, the journey that led her from being an attorney to launching a media company, negotiating a contract to buy North Shore magazine,  the changing landscape of the publishing world and online magazines, fitting in with Chicago media companies, the mission of the Make it Better Foundation, the concept of “social entrepreneurship,” the importance of being a “connector” and the relationship between content and community. […]

We have another stuffed show for you this evening! On tonight’s episode of The Download, political analysts Chris Robling and Dave Lundy return for another spirited edition of “Touché,” Susan Noyes tells us about the Make it Better Foundation, we get a double dose of industry night as Paul Biasco and Dan Salls introduce us to their Logan Square restaurant Quiote,  Smalls chef/owner Joaquin Soler talks about his decision to close the award-winning Albany Park Filipino barbecue restaurant and since it’s […]

Smalls chef/owner Joaquin Soler joins Justin to talk about the recent news that the restaurant will be closing it’s doors, where his interest in food comes from, the basics of Filipino food, the challenge of running such a tiny restaurant, when he recognized the restaurant was going to be a huge success, the impact of a flattering feature in the Chicago Tribune, the importance of managing expectations, the challenge of maintaining superior quality and what he’s planning to do next. Follow […]

On Monday, June 26th, Justin Kaufmann had the distinct honor to judge a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich making contest held by the Blind Service Association as part of their Pathways summer youth program. In June and July, Blind Service Association sponsors a six-week program open to blind and visually impaired students aged 10 to 18. Pathways includes training in daily living skills, such as cooking, house cleaning, shopping, cane travel and money management. The kids who took part in the […]

The Carry Out is the nightly segment where Justin reads the news so you don’t have to. Tonight’s top stories include Republicans tweaking their healthcare bill, leaders in Springfield cancelling a scheduled meeting, Mayor Emanuel dodging questions about closing the Ohio underpass, a new study saying driving while high causes more accidents, Facebook introducing new tools to protect women in India, the Feds removing grizzly bears from the protected list, the NHL Draft taking place, the Blackhawks making a few […]

Local genius, inventor, innovator and “Shark Tank” champion Steve Gadlin joins Justin for the monthly edition of “The Frying Pan!” Steve presents an exclusive idea to the WGN listeners and they get to decide if it is good enough to present to his principal investor Mark Cuban. Tonight, Steve’s idea is called “Safety Car,” which is a car alarm that vibrates rather than emitting a high-volume sound. Yay? Nay? Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like on Facebook. The Download […]

It’s been a busy sports week and WGN’s Mark Carman joins Justin to break down all the top stories. Mark talks about the Bulls trading away Jimmy Butler, what the team is going to look like next year, the two big moves made by the Blackhawks today, the Hawks losing Marian Hossa, what we should expect from the Hawks going into next season and what happens to Kyle Schwarber now that he’s been sent down to the minor leagues. Follow […]

We have another exceptional show for you this evening! On tonight’s episode of The Download, WGN’s Mark Carman helps us make sense of the recent moves made by the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks, we are introduced to the Blackhawks first round draft pick, Henri Jokiharju, Reuters reporter Dave McKinney and WGN’s Amy Guth recap another busy week in news, the Chicago Tribune’s Tracy Swartz gets us up to speed on “The Bachelorette” and we end the show with our […]

The tremendous Chicago musician Lawrence Peters is back in-studio to chat with Justin about his upcoming “Day in the Country” event at The Hideout. Lawrence talks about his brand of “unruined country,” the current state of the commercial country music industry and the resurgence of classic country.  Lawrence and his band also perform a few songs including “Outbreak of Heartache” “Wishful Drinking” and “How Many Kinds of Lonesome.” Awesome.           Follow Justin on Twitter and give […]

We have yet another exceptionally eclectic show for you tonight! On tonight’s episode of The Download, our new media correspondent Scott Smith talks about the latest news involving the sale of the Sun-Times, best-selling author Mary Kubica (“The Good Girl”) discusses her new book, “Every Last Lie,” the great Lawrence Peters is back to play some music and to preview his “A Day in the Country” event at The Hideout this weekend, Sam Panayotovich breaks down the Jimmy Butler trade […]