Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Archive 2004-2013
  • Toggle search form
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders Cook County
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Statement of US Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and Federal Law Enforcement Leadership in Chicago on Ongoing Criminal Immigration Enforcement Operations Chicago
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    The 5 Most Common Mistakes Homeowners Make with Property Taxes Cook County
  • Road construction cement truck. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Hastings: $123 million in IDOT projects will improve South Suburban roads through collaboration with local leaders construction
  • Source: Electric Power Monthly - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
    Ratepayers will lose in the rush to approve battery storage electricity legislation in Springfield Business
  • Joyful reunion photo courtesy of Jeffery M. Leving & Assc law firm
    Leving Team Prevented a Father’s Wrongful Separation from His Child Dads' Rights
  • CTF Illinois Orland Park, 18230 Orland Pkwy, Orland Park, IL 60467
    Hastings, Giannoulias announce opening of temporary driver services facility in Orland Park Baby Boomers
  • Emagine Theater Pink popcorn
    Popcorn with a purpose: Emagine Theatres brings back Pink Caramel Corn to support Pink Fund during Breast Cancer Awareness Month Business
  • Chicago Wovles play the Rockford Ice Hogs, Feb. 23, 2025
    Chicago Wolves announce 2025-2026 Training Camp Roster Entertainment
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast on James Comey, ICE Agents, Government shutdown, Gaza Peace Plan, Ukraine and long range missiles, and New York mayoral race Bill Lipinski
  • Five Individuals Charged in Federal Court in Chicago With Assaulting or Resisting Federal Agents Engaged in Immigration Enforcement Operations Civil Rights
  • The Chicago Wolves rallied to defeat  the Iowa Wild 4-3 in overtime Sunday Feb. 25, 2024 at Allstate Arena. The Wild led the game 3 to 0 going in to the 2nd period, but the Wolves rallied and tied in the 3rd period forcing the 5 minute sudden death overtime.
    Wolves broadcasts return to WPWR-TV for 2025 – 26 season Chicago
  • Orland Park Trustee Jim Dodge
    Secretary of State Drivers Facility Moving to New Orland Park Location Baby Boomers
  • Fighting for Duped Man’s Freedom and Future
    Fighting for Duped Man’s Freedom and Future Dads' Rights
  • OFPD Lt. Zachary Zweizig Lt. Dan Ritchie and Lt. Mark Hogan. Photo courtesy of the OFPD
    Orland Firefighters receive awards for battling flooding during Texas deployment Features
Hate radio host Mark Levin. Photo courtesy of WIkipedia

After fleeing SiriusXM, I was shocked by the hate on AM Radio in Chicago

Posted on March 20, 2025March 20, 2025 By Ray Hanania No Comments on After fleeing SiriusXM, I was shocked by the hate on AM Radio in Chicago
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

After fleeing SiriusXM, I was shocked by the hate on AM Radio in Chicago

I was pushed into subscribing to SiriusXM when I purchased my car. But after many years, I realized I was wasting my money listening to only one or two stations and never getting enough info. Most of it is Islamophobic hate speech and anti-Arab racism, although a lot is just partisan politics taken to an extreme

By Ray Hanania

When I first was pushed into subscribing to SiriusXM Radio after buying a new car, I thought it would be great.

But after many years I found I was only listening to two stations, one that broadcast “Forensic Files” and another that offered news.

However, it was clear that most of the programs that were costing me around $200 a year were very liberal and offered only one perspective. So I cancelled the subscription last month on two of my cars and will cancel on a third soon, too.

SiriusXM was a real waste of money. Thinking about how much of the profit from my subscription went to part-owner Howard Stern, the shock jock who built his reputation on hate, made me even more disgusted at my radio choice and pushed me to unsubscribe.

Hate radio host Mark Levin. Photo courtesy of WIkipedia
Hate radio host Mark Levin. Photo courtesy of WIkipedia

 

I feel relieved. I don’t like paying for something that should be free. The news industry, which has been struggling because of its own missteps and bad decisions, has been migrating to a paid system. I always felt that was unfair because both radio, TV, and newspapers had the opportunity to profit through advertising, which has gotten to be very expensive.

Despite those huge costs in Ad revenues, the mainstream media continues to stumble, reducing reportage and moving more and more to cater to specific partisan political views, most driven by even more hate.

I subscribe to two newspapers out of habit only. The Chicago Tribune and The New York Times. Everytime I search on Google, I get a list of stories displayed of which more than half require annual paid subscriptions. I wish I could tell Google News to identify which require subscriptions from those that don’t because I end up wasting a lot of time clicking the source, discovering I have to subscribe, and then going back to find another “free” source.

And those other “free” sources are not really free. They profit through advertising and delivery subscriptions, not online subscriptions.

As a journalist and columnist for nearly half a century, I know that “a good story” is what drives traffic, following, and attention.

Now driving in my car, I listen mainly to the AM Radio, in Chicago. Occasionally, I tune in to the higher quality FM band for music or catch the top-of-the-hour news on WBBM Radio 105.9 FM.

Here is what I discovered about AM Radio.

Most of it is dominated by far right-wing hate speech. I mean truly vicious rhetoric and bullying. The attacks are mainly against minorities, Blacks and Hispanics, but even more so against Arabs and Muslims, who are a much smaller and less organized community with little public support structures.

Arabs and Muslims are very vulnerable to attack, as we can see by the recent effort to expel Green Card holder and Columbia University Grad student Mahmoud Khalil because of his criticism of Israel’s government.

You don’t have to wonder why the media is dying in this country when you see Free Speech shackled, brutalized, and decimated by the country’s partisan Centurians.

One of the worst is a radio station where I once proudly hosted a lengthy weekend slot at WLS 890 AM Radio. I used to do a show on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 5 AM until 9 AM. Four hours of talking with listeners on a wide range of topics.

I always had an opinion, of course, about every topic we discussed, but I was respectful to the callers and the listeners. Sure I wanted you to understand my opinion, but I was more interested in engaging in a substantive discussion. I learned from the listeners and occasionally I changed my opinion based on what callers said about a topic.

An opinion isn’t a “fact.” It’s a reflection of something you believe at the moment based on the information and facts you are able to glean from the world around you. I try to base my opinions on trusted sources.

I listened to one syndicated late afternoon host, Mark Levin, and I was shocked at his deep level of vicious hatred and unsubstantiated accusations vilifying Arabs and Muslims. Apparently, anyone who criticizes Israel’s government is an “anti-Semite” and is unAmerican. He calls them Nazis and he conflates today’s socialism with the Nazi socialists of the 1930s and 1940s. Levijn is often wrong about his facts, but he doesn’t care. I think he is senile, suffering from Bidenitis.

His program is so vile he actually screams into the microphone and you can feel the spray of his spittle from his deranged logic coming out of the speakers.

Sometimes I listen because watching hate can be entertaining, like watching a movie about a serial killer who slices and dices people. Violence and sex are among the most popular programs on American TV. Social media like Facebook censors political speech but they are inundated with pornographic video reels and posts. So much hypocrisy.

Levin can’t get his facts right and acts like a bully who shouts down anyone who dares to challenge his insanity. It’s comical. And I spend most of my time wondering when he is going to get so excited and go over the deep end and have a heart attack.

Levin is the most extreme on WLS 890 AM radio, once a haven for information that attracted open-minded members of the public who understand the fine art of talk, discussion, and how these attributes contribute to knowledge.

I enjoy Dan Bongino, but he was scooped up by President Trump’s administration. Although he has a very conservative view, he always seems to balance his opinions. Who knows what will happen when he is gone, if he goes.

Another person I do enjoy at WLS AM Radio is Ray Stevens, the morning show host. He’s conservative but in a smart way. He relies on good arguments, not hate, to make his points. He is also a great comedian and uses humor a lot. You don’t have to be angry with Ray Stevens’ conservative views to engage in a good issue. He is definitely worth listening to.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Sadly Chris Plante, who seems very smart, also leans too far beyond the extreme conservative views towards open hatred. Plante promotes hatred almost as bad as Levin, which I am sure he will take as a compliment. It’s like Plante and Levin are in competition to see who can produce the most vile hate speech. Plante is a Levin clone, selling hate to boost his ratings. Nazi propagandist Minister Joseph Goebbels built a career doing the same, though it didn’t end well for him.

WGN 720 AM is a little less extreme, although very conservative, too. The morning show with Bob Sirott is fun but the program starts to slide into conservatism. Actually, WGN 720 AM radio comes the closest to being the most fair.

Progressive Radio at WCPT 820 AM is weak.  But one host you should always listen to there is Thom Hartmann. He makes good arguments. Between Hartmann on WCPT and Stevens on WLS you can usually find a more precise Centrist view to understand the real issues we face as a nation.

The only Liberal-based radio station on AM is WVON 1390 AM Radio, which caters to African American and minority audiences. I enjoy their program so much that I find myself listening often. I don’t always agree with them and sometimes they tend to lean very far to the extreme Left, especially on hardcore issues of racism against African Americans. But overall, you can get more balance from WVON than you can get from WLS. And WGN isn’t bad but it’s less offensive and less compelling, too.

I host my own radio show on Middle East issues. Every month on the US Arab Radio Network on the 2nd Friday of each month at 8 AM EST in Detroit, Michigan on WNZK 690 AM. The hour-long show focuses on aspects of the Middle East and Arab American community, a topic that rarely gets balanced attention.

Seasonally, I host a weekly radio show on Thursday evenings on WNZK 690 AM radio in Detroit, sponsored by Arab News newspaper, the leading English-language newspaper of the Gulf region based in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. The hour-long show features guests who discuss Middle East issues, controversies, and events that I turn into news stories after the interviews.

I always try to be balanced and fair. You can check out my past shows by visiting my YouTube Channel (CLICK HERE) or the radio show podcast page at Arab News (CLICK HERE).

On my YouTube channel, I also post my podcasts, “Ray Hanania on Politics,” and “Two Guys on Politics” which I cohost with former Congressman Bill Lipinski offering a centrist Reagan Democrat perspective.

Journalism is facing a very tough period these days, mostly because of their own doing. They have abandoned reasoned analysis and favor catering to extreme audiences believing that moderates, who have nowhere to go, will gravitate either towards the Left or the Right.

Get more info on Ray Hanania’s column at Hanania.com.

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders - October 6, 2025
  • Statement of US Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and Federal Law Enforcement Leadership in Chicago on Ongoing Criminal Immigration Enforcement Operations - October 5, 2025
  • The 5 Most Common Mistakes Homeowners Make with Property Taxes - October 3, 2025
NPV: 35
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, journalism, National, Opinion, Politics, Racism, Radio Tags:Arabs, Chicago, Chris Plante, Dan Bongino, hate mongers, hate on AM Radio in Chicago, hate speech, Islamophobia, Mark Levin, Midwest, Muslims, neo-Nazi rhetoric, politics, racist hatred, Ray Stevens, SiriusXM, Thom Hartmann, WCPT, WGN Radio, WLS AM Radio, WVON Radio

Post navigation

Previous Post: Former Homer Glen trustee Pazmino says village board needs independent voice
Next Post: Leving team protected two little boys, keeping them safe at home with dad

Related Posts

  • Dads' Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving. Specializing in Fathers' Rights, Family Law, Child custody, divorce proceedings
    Kids of divorce at risk over vaccine litigation Blogger
  • Cast of the Goodman Theater's production of A Christmas Carol. Courtesy of the Goodman Theater
    Cast Call for Goodman Theater’s “A Christmas Carol” Chicago
  • Illegal placement of election signs should be prosecuted Blogger
  • Soldier Field view from Lake Shore Drive. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Biased Chicago media ignored Fire soccer when in the suburbs Blogger
  • James R. Thompson Center, Chicago, Illinois. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Pritzker announces major step towards sale of Thompson Center General Topics
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas Scavenger Sale info 2022
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas changes 2022 Scavenger Sale to benefit bidders and communities Chicago

More Related Articles

Altgeld Hall, and Still Hall, at Northern Illinois University. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia School should be more than just an education Baby Boomers
Cheney launches campaign to unseat Roskam News
Toilet. Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash Pritzker proves you don’t need toilets in a glass house Blogger
Statue of Vladimir Lenin in Seattle, Washington. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Some symbols of hate are acceptable to anti-hate protestors Crime
Congresswoman Robin Kelly official photo National Gun VIolence prevention organization Brady PAC endorses Robin Kelly for U.S. Senate Crime
Robert "Bob" Fioretti announces Dec. 2, 2019 his candidacy for Cook County State's Attorney. Bob Fioretti enters race to oust beleaguered States Attorney Kim Foxx Chicago

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast: Trump Kimmel Kirk Great American Divide Illegal Aliens polling and Illegal Aliens and ICE
    September 20, 2025
  • Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch speaking at a West Side affordable housing dedication
    Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor
    September 7, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill
    September 5, 2025
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Children of divorce caught in the middle during the holidays
    August 27, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language
    August 8, 2025
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio

  • NEWS
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders
    October 6, 2025
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Statement of US Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and Federal Law Enforcement Leadership in Chicago on Ongoing Criminal Immigration Enforcement Operations
    October 5, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    The 5 Most Common Mistakes Homeowners Make with Property Taxes
    October 3, 2025
  • Road construction cement truck. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Hastings: $123 million in IDOT projects will improve South Suburban roads through collaboration with local leaders
    October 3, 2025
  • Source: Electric Power Monthly - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
    Ratepayers will lose in the rush to approve battery storage electricity legislation in Springfield
    October 2, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme