ChicagoMediaList.org
Free to small organizations, protest organizers, activists and grassroots groups
For established not-for-profit organizations, the suggested donation is $25
I’ve got you covered, from Chicago wire services and mainstream media to community outlets and freelancers. Contact information for each of the 400 journalists and outlets listed was verified in October, 2026.
Please fill out this form to request the list:
To support this labor that goes into this list, please consider making a donation via PayPal, CashApp ($rachplussone), or message for Zelle.
More about the Chicago Media List: A contact list with fax and phone information for the Chicago media was first curated by Chris Geovanis in the 1980’s and 90’s for use by groups working towards social justice. With the advent of email, the list grew to include reporters covering a wide range of political and social issues in Chicago. Chris was my mentor, may she Rest in Power. As I became an unofficial intern at HammerHard MediaWorks in the early 2000’s I began to curate the media list used by the collective to reach Chicago journalists. Today, the list is maintained by me, Rachael Perrotta. Connect on Blue Sky | LinkedIn
Services:
I write and distribute press releases, build media lists and consult on a wide range of public relations, media relations and social media matters. I work on a scale that can slide to zero for the right project and charge a standard fee of $25 for press release distribution for leftie efforts that can afford it.
Workshops:
You can book me for a Media Relations workshop – an intensive collaboration between myself and your group. The goal is to get your basic press needs met, including creating your main messaging strategy, identifying talking points, training speakers, and writing press materials.
I also lead groups and individuals in Social Media & PR workshops where we create social media accounts (if needed) and strategize on how to best reach journalists using social media tools. We also look at how to use your news coverage on your social feeds.
Resources:
“How to Write a Press Release.” This tool walks you through the steps of creating a release, outlines the components a release is built with, and includes a bunch of sample releases to work from.
Here are some quick tips for speaking with the media. Learn your talking points, control your message and never assume a reporter is on your side!