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
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Suburban elementary teacher accused of using student social media to spread child porn
A suburban elementary school teacher was ordered to remain detained after being accused of using student social media images to spread child pornography across the U.S., officials said.
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Parents say substitute teacher at suburban school choked, hit student during incident in classroom
Parents of students at Meadowview Intermediate School in south suburban Country Club Hills are speaking out after they say a substitute teacher used physical force on a fourth grade student during an incident that left at least two students injured, including one that was pinned by a desk. Parents and family members of some of the students involved held a…
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Suburban elementary school warns parents after teacher charged with sending child porn
The Lake County Sheriff’s Detectives arrested a Gurnee-area teacher for disseminating child pornography Thursday, officials said
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Suburban village buys former Kohl's store at Spring Hill Mall with plans for ‘meaningful development'
Kohl’s was the last operating anchor at the once-popular Spring Hill Mall, which sits in both Carpentersville and West Dundee.
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Suburban strip mall ordered to shut down after ‘severe code and safety violations'
A strip mall in Chicago’s southeastern suburbs has been ordered to shut down due to “severe code and fire safety violations,” according to village officials.
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Popular grocery store expanding to the western suburbs with new location
The upcoming Naperville store store marks Heinen’s 5th location in Illinois, and its first location in the western suburbs.
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More details emerge after CPD fatally shoots man with knife at assisted living home
Chicago police released more details after a shooting involving police officers inside an assisted living facility early Monday morning in the city’s Grand Crossing neighborhood.
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CPD involved in shooting inside assisted living facility; investigation underway
An investigation was underway with a large police presence in the Grand Crossing neighborhood after a shooting involving police took place overnight inside an assisted living facility.
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Publishers Clearing House is sending 280k people refund checks for ‘deceptive' practices. Are you getting one?
Publishers Clearing House is sending checks to more than 280,000 people — but the money isn’t part of a sweepstakes win.
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McDonald's adds 2 new items to menus permanently for the 1st time in years — and we tried it
McDonald’s — one of the world’s largest beef burger chains — is on a chicken journey, with a major change coming to menus permanently next month.
