NIU Northern Star

De Kalb, Illinois, United StatesEnglish

Serving as the independent student-run voice of Northern Illinois University, this publication provides comprehensive coverage of campus news, local DeKalb developments, and collegiate athletics. With a legacy dating back to 1899, it functions as a primary information source for the student body while offering professional journalism experience to those pursuing media careers.

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MEDIA LANDSCAPE IN ILLINOIS

Anchored by one of the nation's largest metropolitan media markets, the local newspaper industry features a stark contrast between massive urban dailies and heavily consolidated rural publications. The Alden Global Capital-owned Chicago Tribune dominates statewide circulation alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, now operating as a nonprofit entity under Chicago Public Media. Beyond the city limits, the employee-owned Daily Herald serves the extensive suburban ring, while Gannett controls major downstate dailies like the Peoria Journal Star. The region also sustains a historic African American press, highlighted by the influential Chicago Defender and community papers like the Austin Weekly News. Paperboy indexes 228 Illinois newspapers — browse the full directory below.