Reader’s Choice

WHPK

My reason for choosing the tiny WHPK over indie powerhouse WLUW is that poor ’LUW bears so much responsibility for being the “progressive, community-oriented radio station,” that WBEZ ought to be, “committed to social justice and independent thought and expression, and to giving a voice to those who too often go unheard,” that it can’t just say fuck-all and be a good old-fashioned youthfully self-indulgent college radio station. On WHPK, microspecialty shows like Qwee! (“where the music is cuter than both the boys and the squirrels”) and Arrhythmia (“where Colin and Jenn will make your heart jump with the sounds of frantic drumming, creepy odes to Jacoby Ellsbury, and anarchist clatter”) bump up against international samplers like Rendezvous Afrika and Gateway to Brazil, DIY talk shows, and the long-running live show Pure Hype. It “broadcasts” from the University of Chicago on 100 watts of sheer willpower, but on the north side you can listen at whpk.org/stream. —Monica Kendrick

Readers’ Choice

WLUW

88.7 FM, wluw.org.

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