Frank Sennett - Journalist Profile | Connect with top journalists

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Biography

I spent most of my growing-up years in Montana, and I've spent most of my working years in Chicago (with a detour in Spokane, Washington). My career so far has consisted of writing, editing, teaching writing, managing editorial operations and creating media products, mostly digital. I sense a pattern. I'm the publisher and editor-in-chief of Chicago Culture Authority and VP of Outlook Marketing, previously serving as director of digital strategy and custom media for Crain's Chicago Business. I've also been interim COO of Ebert Digital; president & editor-in-chief of Time Out Chicago; political columnist for the Spokane Spokesman-Review; features editor of sonicnet/MTV.com; managing editor of Newcity Chicago (and editor of early alt.press portal Newcity.com); creator and host of The Alternative Source on Spokane Public Radio; editor of Employee Recruitment & Retention; editor of Curriculum Review; and instructor at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. I have published nine books, including the thriller Shadow State (Crooked Lane, 2023) and Groupon's Biggest Deal Ever (St. Martin's Press), named one of the Top 10 Business Books of 2012 by the American Library Association's Booklist magazine. My byline has appeared in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Playboy.com, Maxim, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Writer's Digest, Booklist, Crain's Chicago Business, Time Out Chicago, Forbes Media Critic, and many others. I also wrote a cover story for Spy, but the magazine was killed one issue before my feature appeared. You can see a reference to that ghost piece at the end of the book Spy: The Funny Years. I try not to dwell on it. I have appeared several times on CNBC with the lovely and talented Carl Quintanilla. Other broadcast appearances include Bloomberg TV, Fox 32 Chicago, Chicago Public Media's WBEZ-FM, The Business Lunch on WGN-AM, The Noon Business Hour on Newsradio 780 WBBM, Chicago Tonight on public television's WTTW Ch. 11, Roe & Roeper on WLS-AM, Sirott & Murciano on WGN-AM, etc. I earned my undergraduate degree from Medill at Northwestern University, where I also served as editor of the humor magazine, Rubber Teeth, and hosted shows on WNUR-FM. I have an MFA in creative writing from the University of Montana, where I wrote two crime novels that were later published.

Content

Total articles 166

• Available on paid plans

  Michelle Lauto serves up a breakout performance in Waitress at the Paramount

  By Frank Sennett

  Feb. 22, 2025

• Available on paid plans

  An amusing game is afoot as Clue rolls into the CIBC Theatre

  By Frank Sennett

  Feb. 21, 2025

• Available on paid plans

  How to turn a press release into a news feature for earned media pickup

  By Frank Sennett

  Feb. 20, 2025

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