Ben Joravsky

  1. Home
  2. Wiki
Ben Joravsky
2023
2023
Born (1955-11-26) November 26, 1955 (age 70)
Connecticut
OccupationAuthor, newspaper columnist, radio host, investigative journalist,
NationalityAmerican
EducationEvanston Township High School
Alma materLawrence University
Period1977 to present
SubjectPolitical corruption, Chicago politics, National politics, Urban Life
Years active1981 to present
Notable worksA Simple Game, Hoop Dreams: The True Story of Hardship and Triumph, FAIL: The Reader’s Parking Meter Investigation
Notable awards2010 Chicago Journalist of the Year 2010 Illinois Journalist of the Year
Children2
Website
www.thebenjoravskyshow.com

Ben "Benny Jay" Joravsky (born November 26, 1955)[1] is an award-winning Chicago journalist, author, and podcast host known for his investigative reporting on local politics and municipal finance. He was a longtime writer for the Chicago Reader and has won numerous journalism awards, including the 2010 Chicago Journalist of the Year Award. Best known as a critic of Chicago's deep-rooted political machine corruption.

Early life and family

[edit]

Born to Jewish American parents. David Joravsky, a history professor and Doris a public school teacher in Connecticut. Joravsky grew up in Rhode Island until the age of 13, he moved with his family to Evanston, Illinois. He attended Evanston Township High School.

He attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and did not start writing until his senior year of college for the student paper as a hobby.[2] Focused on learning journalism on the job rather than through formal coursework, he didn't necessarily earn a specific journalism degree, but rather honed his skills in the field, absorbing writing styles from journalist greats like Mike Royko, and Lu Palmer whom he considers inspirations and an influence on his work.

Career

[edit]

Known as the people's journalist of Chicago and considered by left the Studs Terkel of the early 21st century.[3][4] Joravsky moved to Chicago in 1981 and began freelancing for the Reader shortly after. He became a full-time staff writer in 1990 and has remained with the publication for most of its history, focusing on investigating power, money, and politics in Chicago.[5] His work on Chicago's government corruption throughout his career, Joravsky has reported on numerous instances of local political corruption, including ghost employees, kickbacks, and other schemes, such as those related to former U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski and various Mayor Richard M. Daley administration officials.

Notable stories that Joravsky has touched on is[6] Tax Increment Financing (TIF) abuses he is well known for his extensive and critical reporting on Chicago's TIF program.[7][8] His investigations revealed how a program intended to spur development in "blighted" areas was often diverted to wealthy communities or used as a "shadow budget" with little public oversight, taking money away from schools and parks.[9][10]

Chicago parking meter deal.[11] In collaboration with Block Club Chicago Reporter Mick Dumke, Joravsky produced a multi-part investigative series titled "FAIL: The Reader's Parking Meter Investigation".[12] The series exposed how the city under Mayor Richard M. Daley leased its 36,000 parking meters to a private group (led by Morgan Stanley) for 75 years for a fraction of their actual worth, rushing the deal through the City Council with minimal review.[13]

Joravsky published his first book in 1987[14] Race and Politics in Chicago, his others include 1995[15][16] Hoop Dreams The True Story of Hardship and Triumph and the 2013 fiction[17] The Greens about Cabrini Green housing projects in the 1970s. His other memorable work is the highly acclaimed 40,000 word article A Simple Game which followed coach Manny Weincord and Roosevelt High School Rough Riders basketball team for the 1991–1992 season.[18][19]

Over his 40-year career Jorvasky has interviewed a diverse set of guest Harold Washington, Craig Hodges, Stacy Davis Gates, Monroe Anderson, Kat Abughazaleh, Brandon Johnson, George Freeman, Karen Lewis, Steve James, Kevin Blackistone, Jerry Krause, Heather Booth.

Later work

[edit]

From 2017 to 2018 he hosted The Ben Joravsky Show as a weekday afternoon host on WCPT AM 820, a progressive talk radio station, while continuing his work with the Reader.[20][21] In 2019 the show was relaunched as a livestream and podcast, presented by the Chicago Reader and Chicago Sun-Times.[22][23] In 2025 after 42 years with the Chicago Reader he accepted a voluntary buyout from the newspaper and continues to host the popular podcast show, which is available on various platforms including the Chicago Reader website and Spotify. He also writes for the humor blog The Third City.[24][25]

Awards and honors

[edit]
  • Chicago Journalist of the Year Award from the Chicago Journalists Association 2010.[3][26]
  • Illinois Journalist of the Year Award from Northern Illinois University 2010.[27]
  • Peter Lisagor Awards from the Chicago Headline Club multiple wins 2009, 2011, 2023.[28][29][30]
  • Studs Terkel Award from the Community Media Workshop Public Narrative for body of work covering Chicago's diverse communities 1995.[31]
  • AltWeekly Awards from the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies multiple awards 2009, 2020.[32][33]
  • Driehaus Foundation Investigative Journalism Award for The Shadow Budget: Who Wins Daley's TIF Game 2011.[34][35]
  • Ron Sable Award for Activism 1995.[36]

Selected works

[edit]

Articles

[edit]

Books

[edit]
  • Hoop Dreams: The True Story of Hardship and Triumph (1996), ISBN 0060976896
  • Race and Politics in Chicago (1987), ISBN 99-99-89421-6
  • The Greens (2013), ISBN

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The Ben Joravsky Show episode archives is at https://www.thebenjoravskyshow.com/. which redirects to website https://www.thebenjoravskyshow.com/episodes/.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Ben Joravsky, Staff Writer Chicago Reader". Coalition of African American Leaders. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  2. ^ readjack (2012-01-18). "People With Passion: Ben Joravsky". ReadJack.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  3. ^ a b "A Politician and a Journalist Give Students an Insider's View on Chicago Issues". Associated Colleges of the Midwest. 2012-02-23. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  4. ^ "Denali Dasgupta--The Group W Bench". ART19. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  5. ^ Bernstein, David. "Because for 25 years a thorough, thoughtful reporter has been keeping an eye on City Hall". Chicago Magazine. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  6. ^ Stovicek, Olivia (2017-09-05). "An Alternative Voice". South Side Weekly. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  7. ^ "Daley Praises West Rogers Park, Extols Tax Increment Financing - CBS Chicago". CBS News. 2011-05-05. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  8. ^ "Why is Ben Joravsky So Mad? Gapers Block: Revenge of the Second City". gapersblock.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  9. ^ "The TIF That Keeps on Giving?". NBC Chicago. 2010-08-02. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  10. ^ Logue, Ann (2013-02-28). "Ben Joravsky talks TIFs". Ann C. Logue. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  11. ^ Rhodes, Steve (2009-04-09). "Inside The Parking Meter Mess". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  12. ^ Wilson, Connie. "Chicago Residents Outraged Over Sale of Chicago Parking Meters and Garages - Weekly Wilson - Blog of Author Connie C. Wilson". Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  13. ^ "FAIL: The Reader's Parking Meter Investigation". Chicago Reader. 2009-12-10. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  14. ^ Joravsky, Ben; Camacho, Eduardo (1987). Race and Politics in Chicago. Community Renewal Society.
  15. ^ "Discussing the book "Hoop Dreams: A True Story of Hardship and Triumph" with the author Ben Joravsky". The WFMT Studs Terkel Radio Archive. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  16. ^ "There's No Business Like Shoe Business". The Washington Post. 2000-04-11. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  17. ^ Kather, Katie (2013-03-04). "Reader's Agenda Mon 3/4: The Greens, Pulaski Day, and puppets". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  18. ^ Levitt, Aimee (2018-03-01). "Joravsky's classic 'A Simple Game' is the greatest story you will ever read about high school basketball". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  19. ^ Limón, Ada (2019-10-01), "American Pharoah", Bodies Built for Game, UNP - Nebraska, pp. 7–8, retrieved 2025-12-21
  20. ^ "Reader's Ben Joravsky joins WCPT as afternoon host | Robert Feder". 2012-11-09. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  21. ^ Joravsky, Ben (2019-01-03). "Just eight days after a glowing performance review at WCPT, the ax fell". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  22. ^ "Why and how wealthy Dem donor fired Joravsky from WCPT radio - Inside Chicago Government". www.chigov.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  23. ^ "Robservations: WCPT cuts afternoon host Ben Joravsky | Robert Feder". 2012-11-09. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  24. ^ "The Chicago Reader Staff Just Voted Unanimously To Authorize a Strike". In These Times. 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  25. ^ Worthington, Clint (2025-08-26). "After Layoffs, Chicago Reader Survives With New Seattle-Based Owner". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  26. ^ "Chicago Journalists Association Journalism Awards". Chicago Journalists Association. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  27. ^ "The First 100 Days: Priorities for Mayor Lightfoot - City Club Chicago". www.cityclub-chicago.org. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  28. ^ "2009 Lisagor Winners". Chicago Headline Club. 2010-04-26. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  29. ^ "Congratulations to our Lisagor winners!". Chicago Headline Club. 2011-05-06. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  30. ^ Ewing, Mike (2023-05-13). "These are the winners of the 46th Annual Peter Lisagor Awards". Chicago Headline Club. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  31. ^ "Studs Terkel Awards". Increasing trust between the public and media since 1989. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  32. ^ Zaragoza, Jason (2009-07-01). "Full List of 2009 AltWeekly Awards Winners Released • AAN Publishers". AAN Publishers. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  33. ^ Snead, Molly (2020-09-18). "2020 AAN Awards Winners Announced • AAN Publishers". AAN Publishers. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  34. ^ "Lansing's Last-Day Largess for Retirees - Better Government Association". www.bettergov.org. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  35. ^ "The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards for Investigative Reporting: Untangling The Truth". Better Government Association. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  36. ^ blademann (2015-01-09). "Seeds of Change 2015". Crossroads Fund. Retrieved 2025-12-21.