Chuck Mertz hates the fluff. If you've ever tuned into WNUR 89.3 FM in Chicago on a Saturday morning, you know exactly what I’m talking about. While most of the media landscape is busy chasing the latest 24-hour outrage cycle or regurgitating press releases from think tanks, This is Hell! Radio has been doing something radically different since 1996. It’s a long-form, grueling, and deeply cynical look at the world, but it’s cynical for all the right reasons.
It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s "bitter radio."
Honestly, most people find the show by accident. You’re scanning the dial, and suddenly you hear this gravelly voice—that’s Chuck—interviewing a professor from some obscure university about the specific mechanics of debt colonization in Sub-Saharan Africa. There are no soundbites. There are no "both sides" fallacies where a scientist is forced to argue with a conspiracy theorist. It is just deep, long-form journalism that treats the listener like they actually have a brain.
The Anti-Soundbite Philosophy
The show’s tagline is "long-form interviews upsetting your worldview," and they aren't kidding. In an era where a standard news segment lasts maybe four minutes, This is Hell! Radio routinely spends 45 to 60 minutes on a single topic. You can’t hide behind talking points for an hour. Eventually, the guest has to actually explain the "why" behind the "what."
Chuck Mertz often jokes that the show is "completely ignored by the mainstream media," but that’s precisely why it works. Because the show isn't beholden to corporate sponsors—it’s listener-supported and broadcasts out of Northwestern University’s student station—it can go places NPR won't touch. We’re talking about systemic critiques of global capitalism, the brutal realities of geopolitical shifts, and the "rotten core" of modern democracy.
The show doesn't care about being likable. It cares about being right. Or, at the very least, it cares about finding the people who are doing the real work on the ground.
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Who Actually Listens to This is Hell! Radio?
You might think a show this dense would only appeal to academics or political junkies, but the audience is surprisingly broad. It’s for the person who feels like the news is lying to them by omission. It’s for the person who sees the skyrocketing cost of living and realizes that the "robust economy" headlines don't match their checking account balance.
They’ve featured legends. Think about the roster: Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein, Thomas Frank, and Glenn Greenwald have all been on the show, often before they were household names in the independent media scene. But the real gold is in the guests you've never heard of—the investigative journalists from small outlets like The Intercept or In These Times, or the organizers fighting against displacement in their own neighborhoods.
It's a community of the skeptical.
If you want to feel good about the world, you listen to a "daily morning inspiration" podcast. If you want to understand why things are falling apart so you can actually do something about it, you listen to Chuck. He brings on guests who look at the "hell" of our current reality and try to find the exit signs.
The "Rotten History" and Other Oddities
It’s not all grim geopolitical theory, though it mostly is. The show has these weird, charming segments that give it a distinct personality. "Rotten History" by Professor Dave Hockert is a fan favorite. It reminds us that humanity has been making the same mistakes for centuries. It’s dark humor at its best.
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Then there’s the "Question from Hell." Chuck asks a question so absurd or pointed that it catches the guest off guard, usually sent in by the listeners. It breaks the tension. You need that break, frankly, because after forty minutes of discussing the ecological collapse of the global south, you need a reminder that there are still humans on the other end of the microphone.
The production value is... let's call it "authentic." It’s a live radio show. Sometimes the phone lines drop. Sometimes Chuck’s cough gets the better of him. But in a world of over-produced, AI-scripted, perfectly leveled podcasts, the rawness of This is Hell! Radio feels like a relief. It sounds like a conversation in a dive bar at 2:00 AM, except the people talking are some of the smartest critics of modern society.
Why This Matters in 2026
We are currently drowning in information but starving for wisdom. Social media algorithms feed us whatever will keep us angry and engaged for another thirty seconds. This is Hell! Radio demands your attention. It’s a slow-burn medium. You can't multi-task effectively while listening to an interview about the nuances of the military-industrial complex's influence on domestic policing.
You have to sit with it.
The show serves as a necessary counterbalance to the "infotainment" that dominates our screens. It reminds us that politics isn't a team sport or a hobby; it's the way resources are distributed and lives are managed (or destroyed). By focusing on the structural issues rather than the personalities, Chuck and his team provide a roadmap for understanding the chaos.
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Real Talk on Media Independence
One of the biggest misconceptions is that "independent" media is always biased. The truth is that all media is biased. The difference is that This is Hell! Radio is transparent about its perspective. They aren't trying to sell you a mattress or a VPN. They aren't trying to get invited to the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
They are funded by people like you. This means they can ask the questions that would get a journalist fired at a major network. When you hear Chuck ask a guest about the complicity of major financial institutions in human rights abuses, he doesn't have to worry about a "word from our sponsors" interrupting the answer.
How to Get the Most Out of the Show
If you’re new to the show, don't try to binge-watch (or binge-listen) thirty years of archives. You’ll lose your mind. Instead, start with the "Best of" segments or find a topic you're already curious about.
- Check the website: They have an incredible archive at thisishell.com. You can search by guest or topic.
- Listen to the "Question from Hell": It's the easiest way to get a feel for the show's dark, self-deprecating humor.
- Don't expect answers: This is the most important part. Chuck rarely offers a "five-step plan to save the world." The show is about identifying the problems. The solutions are up to us.
- Support the show: If you find yourself coming back, throw them a few bucks. Independent media is a fragile ecosystem, and this show is a keystone species.
Practical Steps for the Curious
Stop settling for headlines. If you really want to understand the world, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable. This is Hell! Radio is an exercise in discomfort, but it’s the kind of discomfort that leads to growth.
- Subscribe to the podcast feed: It's available on all major platforms. The Saturday morning live show is great, but the podcast cuts out the music and gets straight to the meat.
- Follow the guest list: When you hear an interview that blows your mind, follow that guest on social media or buy their book. The show is a gateway to a whole world of thinkers you won't find on cable news.
- Engage with the "Question from Hell": Send in your own answers. It’s a small way to join a global community of people who are just as fed up as you are.
- Listen to the "Interview of the Week": If you only have one hour, pick the featured interview. They usually lead with the most pressing or insightful conversation of the session.
The world might be a mess, but at least someone is calling it what it is. This is Hell! Radio isn't just a radio show; it's a survival guide for the 21st century. It tells us that while we might be in hell, we don't have to be quiet about it.