Francie Swidler joined NBC 5 Chicago in November of 2021 as a morning digital news and social producer. In addition to managing digital content, social media and breaking news for Chicago in the mornings, Francie writes and reports on everything from Chicago’s best bars and burgers, to COVID rules and restrictions, to hyperlocal and suburban Chicago stories.
From 2018-2021, Francie was an Audience Editor at Colorado Public Radio, where she initially served as the news organization’s Social Media Editor. In her tenure at CPR, she led and moderated workshops on journalist social media use and best practices, audience development and trust and reader conversion through newsletters and more.
Francie also produced several large scale pieces, including curating easy-to-read and easy-to-find information about Colorado elections, COVID vaccinations in the Denver area, timelines of major breaking news events like wildfires and more.
Prior to joining CPR, Francie was a digital and social producer for The Denver Post. Starting as an Editorial Assistant in 2012, Francie was on the team that won a Pulitzer Prize for breaking news coverage of the Aurora Theater shooting. She produced dozens of Facebook Live videos, countless Twitter threads and wrote travel, culture and lifestyle stories.
Francie took a step away from journalism briefly in 2017 to work in public relations at Angi Home Services (formerly HomeAdivsor and Angie’s List), but couldn’t stay away long. She returned to the industry after less than a year.
The Latest
-
Target launches new limited-time design collaboration with Kate Spade New York
A popular brand that saw its handbag heyday in the 1990s and 2000s is launching a new design partnership with Target this spring.
-
Timeline: What to expect and when with potentially severe storms Wednesday
After an already stormy morning, the Chicago area is under a threat of severe weather Wednesday, but what exactly you’ll see and when will depend on where you live.
-
New children's museum coming to Chicago suburb at former mall site
The Matteson Children’s Museum will be developed at the once-bustling Lincoln Mall, which shuttered by court order in 2015 and demolished two years later
-
Rounds of storms to pummel Chicago area; severe weather possible with hail, tornadoes
Many across the Chicago area Wednesday woke up to stormy weather with rain, thunder and more as the first of multiple rounds of showers and storms pushed through much of Illinois and northwest Indiana.
-
Rat birth control? This Chicago neighborhood will soon try it
For the last 10 years, Chicago has earned the title of “rattiest” city. But a new pilot program in a popular neighborhoods could help to break the streak: Rat birth control.
-
Giant beans splash into Chicago River as Harry Potter store comes to town
The Chicago River looked a bit more colorful than usual Tuesday, but it wasn’t leftover green dye from St. Patrick’s Day.
-
Chicago Weather: 2 rounds of severe storms possible, with hail, downpours, tornadoes
At least two rounds of strong-to-severe storms could pummel the Chicago area this week, the NBC 5 Storm Team said, threatening the region with heavy downpours, damaging winds, hail and even the chance for tornadoes.
-
Chicago forecast: Another round of severe weather coming up
More than 15,000 people remain without power Monday morning after powerful storms with winds as high as 80 miles per hour winds tore through northwest Indiana Sunday, leaving downed trees and damaged buildings and homes in its path.
-
Orland Park breaks ground on huge ‘downtown' with new restaurants, shops, parks to come
A giant new business and entertainment district is coming to downtown Orland Park, officials said, with more than 140,000 square feet of new restaurants and bars, retail, fitness and daycare centers and more.
-
$349M jackpot-winning Mega Millions lottery ticket sold in Illinois
A lucky Illinois lottery player just hit the Mega Millions jackpot.
