The Brian Lehrer Show
The Brian Lehrer Show is a daily public radio call-in program produced by WNYC in New York City. Host Brian Lehrer leads conversations about the issues shaping local and national politics, as well as the everyday concerns of listeners' own communities. The show mixes newsmaker interviews, listener calls, and explainers on topics ranging from city government to national policy. It airs weekday mornings and is a staple of WNYC's news and talk lineup.
Episodes
The State of the Death Penalty
In light of news that the US will publicly execute the Fort Hood shooter, and the recent botched execution of a woman in Tennessee, Justin Mazzola, deputy director of research at Amnesty International USA, talks about the history and current state of the death penalty and public execution, here in the United States and around the world.Photo: The United States Disciplinary Barracks, where Nidal Ma
NYC Ballot Questions
Grace Rauh, executive director of Citizen's Union explains the five proposals on the ballots aimed at streamlining city government and why Citizens Union supports them.=> "2026 Ballot Proposals" (NYC Votes)Photo: Democratic voters in the 2025 primary elections cast their ballots at PS 153. (SWinxy, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International via Wikimedia Commons) Hosted by Simplecast,
The Coastal Erosion Threatening NY and NJ
A recent nor'easter battered beaches on Long Island and New Jersey. Jase Bernhardt, associate professor of Geology, Environment, and Sustainability at Hofstra University, discusses the threat of coastal erosion in the context of climate change.Photo: Kimbles Beach, looking North. Pre-restoration, 2013. (Eric Schrading/USFWS, Wetlands Institute, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic via Wikimedi
Frank and Malachy McCourt's New York Essays
Tom Allon, founder and publisher of City & State New York, talks about the essays of the late Irish-American writers (and brothers) Frank and Malachy McCourt, that they originally published in local New York City outlets.Photo: A memorial service for Frank McCourt at Symphony Space on October 6, 2009 in New York City. (Michael Loccisano via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz compan
The Latest on the ICE Shooting in Marble Hill
Gwynne Hogan, senior reporter covering immigration and homelessness for The City Reporter, shares the latest reporting on the shooting of a man by ICE officers, that took place Thursday afternoon in a busy neighborhood, in front of the man's young son. And, Carmen De La Rosa, NYC Council Member (District 10, Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill) discusses its impact on her district.Photo: Pe
30 Issues in 30 Days: ICE in NY-4
Billy House, Washington/Congress reporter for Newsday, talks about the issue of immigration and ICE funding in New York's 4th Congressional district, where the incumbent Democrat Laura Gillen is trying to fend off a challenge from Republican Jeanine Driscoll. Photo: Advocates and community members rally marking the implementation of New York's ban on 287(g) agreements on August 25, 2026 in Mi
The Tech that Created Mass Media
Jeff Jarvis, visiting professor at Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism, fellow at the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University, emeritus professor at CUNY's Newmark School of Journalism, co-hosts the podcasts "Intelligent Machines" and "AI Inside" and the author of Hot Type: The Magnificent Machine that Gave Birth to Mass Media and Drove Mark Twain Mad
Lenape Legacies and Futures at The Museum of the City of New York
Now on view at the Museum of the City of New York is "Halumii Ktapihna," a celebration and acknowledgement of the cultural impact of the Lenape/Lunáapeew, the original people of the land now known as New York City. Monxo Lopez, PhD, curator of community histories at the Museum of the City of New York and Brent Stonefish, curatorial advisor and founding member of the Éenda-Lŭnaapeewáhkiing Collecti
Brian Lehrer Weekend: Integration in NYC Schools; Disability Rights; Your Favorite TV Shows
Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.NYC School Integration (First) | Disability Rights (Starts at 31:02) | Your Favorite TV Shows This Century (Starts at 56:00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of
ICE Agent Shoots Man in Marble Hill
Yesterday, an ICE Agent fired 7 rounds at a man identified by NYPD as Oscar Belgal. Arya Sundaram, WNYC/Gothamist reporter covering race and justice, shares the latest updates on the situation. Photo: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
30 Issues in 30 Days: NYS Transit
Layla Law-Gisiko, president of the City Club of New York, talks about transit-related issues in the New York governor's race.Photo: Governor of New York Kathy Hochul is seen on March 21, 2025 in New York City. (NDZ/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Protests in France
Jon Henley, the Guardian's Europe correspondent, based in Paris, talks about the student protests in France.Photo: Students block the road outside Sciences Po during a protest on October 7, 2026 in Paris, France. (Tom Nicholson via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What Ada Lovelace Knew About AI
Walter Isaacson, professor of history at Tulane, host of the new podcast "The Builders" and the author of several books, including The Innovators: How A Group Of Hackers, Geniuses, And Geeks Created The Digital Revolution (Simon & Schuster, 2014, new preface 2026) talks about his recent New York Times op-ed on Ada Lovelace and the need for human control of AI, and more.=> EVENT: On Monday,
Would You Shut Down the Third Avenue L Station?
Have you ever been bothered by a subway stop that seems just a little too close to the last? Joshua Wolk, software engineer and straphanger, joins to discuss his list of the MTA's least efficient subway stops and his petition to shut down the L Train's Third Ave station.Photo: Tdorante10, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International via Wikimedia Commons. Hosted by Simplecast,
Who's Running This Place: Labor flexes political muscle as Election Day approaches
Every Thursday from 1 to 2 PM on WNYC, through Election Day, WNYC senior political reporter Brigid Bergin hosts a pop-up local politics call-in show called Who's Running This Place. You can find out more on WNYC.org, and stay tuned to this podcast feed. We'll be sharing Brigid's conversations here every Thursday evening. Transit workers union president John Samuelsen explains why he believes
30 Issues in 30 Days: NYS Taxes
Andrew Rein, president of the Citizens Budget Commission, and Emily Eisner, Fiscal Policy Institute's chief economist, debate the issue of fairness and New York state taxes.Photo: People attend a press conference and rally in support of fair taxation near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on April 10, 2025. (Photo by BRYAN DOZIER/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an
Brazil, Latin America and MAGA
The political Right has made significant gains in Brazil and across Latin America, and President Donald Trump's influence has grown. Ana Ionova, New York Times correspondent based in Rio de Janeiro, discusses her reporting on the recent elections in Brazil and the broader rightward shift in the region.Photo: Demonstration calls for the impeachment of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) and th
Friendship Vs Polarization
Roger Berkowitz, founder and academic director of the Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities and professor of Politics, Philosophy, and Human Rights at Bard College and the author of A World We Share: Hannah Arendt and the Power of Friendship in a Broken World (Yale University Press, 2026) draws on the work of Hannah Arendt to argue that the ability to be friends and disagree is the key
'Let's Go Liberty!'
Maitreyi Anantharaman, cofounder and staff writer at Defector, discusses the New York Liberty, in the midst of their playoff run and semifinal series against the Atlanta Dream. She talks about their chances of winning this series and more analysis of the WNBA season.Photo: New York players Breanna Stewart (30), Han Xu (21), and Sabrina Ionescu (20) react during a timeout during the WNBA second rou
An Israeli and a Palestinian Choose to Talk
Jonathan Dekel-Chen, visiting professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and Jaser AbuMousa, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and senior policy advisor at the International Peace Institute, both suffered major traumas on October 7th, 2023 and its aftermath. They discuss their personal devastation, as well as why they are engaging in dialogue and what th
DoorDash, AI and More
Sam Levine, Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), touts the city's settlement with DoorDash over worker pay, plus recounts his testimony before the City Council on artificial intelligence.Photo: A Doordash delivery person rides their bike on Church Avenue in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn on December 04, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago
30 Issues in 30 Days: AI and Data Centers in NY-17
Timmy Facciola, founder of the local news outlet Judge Street Journal, which focuses on New York politics, unpacks Mike Lawler and Cait Conley's positions on AI and data centers.Photo: People protest artificial intelligence and data centers ahead of a New York City Council Committee hearing on the risks and regulation of artificial intelligence. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Hosted b
Your Favorite TV Shows of the Century
The New York Times recently released a list of the top 100 television series of the 21st century as compiled by many influential TV figures. Listeners call in to share their own favorites.Photo: (L-R) Actors Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Dean Norris accept the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series award for 'Breaking Bad' onstage during the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Award
30 Issues in 30 Days: Pres. Trump and Mayor Mamdani in NY-17
Timmy Facciola, founder of the local news outlet Judge Street Journal, which focuses on New York politics, talks about the how Mike Lawler is positioning himself in relation to President Trump on issues like immigration and antisemitism, and how Cait Conley is framing her policy positions in relation to the left wing of the Democratic Party.Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania
Are Federal Disability Rights At Risk?
Rose Broderick, disability in health care reporting fellow at STAT News, shares her reporting on major federal rollbacks of landmark disability protections such as Section 504, as well as broader trends in federal disability rights.Photo: Disability rights activists and caregiving advocates hold a vigil in front of the US Capitol to urge Congress to include full federal funding for home and commun
Socialism, Today
Bhaskar Sunkara, president of The Nation, founding editor of Jacobin, publisher of Catalyst: A Journal of Theory and Strategy, former vice-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America and the author of The Socialist Manifesto: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme Inequality (Basic Books, updated 2026) and co-author of The Blueprint: How Socialism Can Work in the Real World (Verso, 2
Sticking With Old Devices
Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly, an assistant editor at The Atlantic, talks about her recent article in The Atlantic on "upgrade holdouts" as listeners share the old tech they hold onto, and why.Photo by AIDEPCUL, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International via Wikimedia Commons. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pers
30 Issues in 30 Days: Affordability in NY-17
Timmy Facciola, founder of the local politics news outlet Judge Street Journal, talks about several key affordability issues that came up in the debate between U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler and his Democratic challenger Cait Conley, including energy, tariffs, and housing.Photo: Cait Conley, who is challenging U.S. Representative Mike Lawler to represent New York’s 17th Congressional District, speaks to su
Integration for NYC Schools is Back in the Conversation
New York Times Magazine writer Nikole Hannah Jones's article about her family's experience with New York City public schools has brought the system's persistent segregation and inequality back into the forefront of education conversations. Alex Zimmerman, reporter at Chalkbeat, New York talks about the issues her article brought forth, her challenge to the mayor to do something and what the city d
The Uphill Legal Battle for Cornell Victim
New York laws present unique challenges for the prosecution of sex crimes. Santul Nerkar, courts reporter for The New York Times, discusses how these laws exacerbate the already complicated legal case for Cornell's Jane Doe.Photo: A student walks past Cornell Police headquarters on the Cornell University campus on September 30, 2026, in Ithaca, New York.. (Photo by Spencer Platt via Getty Images)
Why Do Cases Like the Cornell Fraternity Rape Lawsuit Keep Happening?
Moira Donegan, columnist at Guardian US and co-host of the podcast In Bed With The Right, talks about the Cornell fraternity rape lawsuit, the cycle of outrage and inaction she says follows cases like it, and why they keep happening.Photo: Photo: Students walk on the campus of Cornell University on September 29, 2026, in Ithaca, New York. (Photo by Spencer Platt via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplec
Brian Lehrer Weekend: Nikole Hannah Jones on Hard School Choices, Ask Mayor Mamdani, Millennial Optimism
Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Nikole Hannah-Jones on Hard School Choices (First) | Ask Mayor Mamdani (Starts at 24:59) | Millennial Optimism (Starts at 58:23)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and us
Gov. Hochul Appoints NYS Attorney General Tish James to Cornell Case
Gov. Hochul announced that she is appointing New York's Attorney General Letitia James to oversee the Cornell sexual assault case that's been headline news. Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist talks about why the governor made this move and what comes next.Photo: Cornell University from atop McGraw Tower looking southeast, 2006. (sach1tb, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2
30 Issues in 30 Days: Pres. Trump in the New York Governor's Race
Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist talks about the relationships that Gov. Hochul and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman have with President Trump.Photo: US President Donald Trump greets New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman on stage as he delivers remarks at the Nassau County Police Academy Center for Training and Intelligence in Garden City, New York, o
Meet the Parks Commissioner
New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner Tricia Shimamura reflects on her first summer as Parks commissioner and talks about her priorities for the department.Photo: Washington Square Park sidewalk surrounded with park benches and green landscaping in Washington Square Park in New York City on a rainy spring day. (Boogich via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsW
Exposing Hidden Sources of Higher Prices
Lindsay Owens, the executive director of the Groundwork Collaborative and the author of Gouged: The End of a Fair Price–and What That Means for Your Wallet (Viking, 2026) talks about the proliferation of "junk fees" and the hidden risks of loyalty programs, plus the use of data and algorithms to hike prices. Photo: A shopper opens an empty wallet inside a shopping mall, visually representing
Longing for Millennial Optimism
Casey Michael Henry, writer, talks about his recent New York Times Magazine essay on nostalgia for the optimism of millennial culture.=> "Things Are So Bad, People Are Longing for Cringey Millennial Culture" (New York Times Magazine, Sept. 22, 2026) Photo: Hipster girl blows big bubble from bubble gum in 2016. (nemke via Getty Photos) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm
Who's Running This Place: Agita over AI in NY
Every Thursday from 1 to 2 PM on WNYC, through Election Day, WNYC senior political reporter Brigid Bergin hosts a pop-up local politics call-in show called Who's Running This Place. You can find out more on WNYC.org, and stay tuned to this podcast feed. We'll be sharing Brigid's conversations here every Thursday evening. New York Assemblymember Alex Bores discusses his efforts to sound the al
30 Issues in 30 Days: NYS Utility Costs
Jack Arpey, New York State politics reporter for Spectrum News 1 New York, talks about the issue of utility rates in New York State and what Gov. Kathy Hochul and her Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman are promising to do to lower costs."As politicians squabble over utility rates, how much power does a governor have?" (Spectrum News 1 New York, Sept 17)Photo: Person adjusting a wall thermostat w
On AI, Trump Calls for 'Self-Regulation'
At a White House lunch this week, tech executives signed a voluntary safety pact on AI. Gabby Miller, AI and tech congressional reporter at Politico, discusses the details of the agreement.Photo: US President Donald Trump, seated next to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (2L) and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg (L), speaks during a meeting with technology executives about artificial intelligence, in the East Room
Title IX Discrimination and Women's Sports
Maggie Mertens, journalist, author of Better Faster Farther: How Running Changed Everything We Know About Women (Algonquin, 2024) and host of "The Forecast: Seattle’s Weekly Women’s Sports Show" on KVRU 105.7FM, talks about her Slate article on the Trump administration's stated goal of "protecting" women's sports, while cutting the staff at the Department of Education that would investigate violat
Talking to Kids About the Cornell Case
Listeners call in to share how they're talking to their high school and college-aged kids about the alleged gang rape at Cornell University, and all the issues it's bringing up about consent, bystanders and the role of colleges in keeping students safe.Photo: Students walk on the campus of Cornell University a day after on September 30, 2026, in Ithaca, New York. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Imag
30 Issues in 30 Days: ICE & Detention Centers
Mike Hayes, WNYC/Gothamist reporter covering New Jersey and the author of The Secret Files: Bill De Blasio, The NYPD, and the Broken Promises of Police Reform (Kingston Imperial, 2023), talks about another key issue from Sunday's debate between U.S. Rep. Tom Kean, Jr and his Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett -- deportations, ICE and the proposed detention center in Roxbury.Image: Debate screen
City Hall News
Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps Mayor Mamdani's appearance on the show, plus discusses her story on the revamp of the Hunts Point market that fell apart in the South Bronx, and the mayor's new plan on how to combat antisemitism.Photo: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a news conference to announce a lawsuit challenging the federal government's new public charge ru
Campus Sexual Assault and The Lawsuit Against Cornell
Alexandra Brodsky, civil rights lawyer and author of Sexual Justice: Supporting Victims, Ensuring Due Process, and Resisting the Conservative Backlash (Henry Holt 2021), unpacks a recent lawsuit against Cornell University alleging the administration of negligence in their investigation and handling of a reported gang rape, and what the Cornell case tells us about the state of Title IX and sexual a
Wild NYC: The Shoreline
As part of the yearlong series "Wild NYC," Marielle Anzelone, urban botanist and ecologist and the founder of NYC Wildflower Week, and Rob Pirani, senior director for Engagement and Policy/Program and director of the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program at the Hudson River Foundation, discuss the wildlife all around the waterfront.Photo: A great egret takes flight during the World Series of Birding,
Ask Mayor Mamdani
Zohran Mamdani, New York City mayor, takes questions from listeners and talks about this week's news in the city. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
30 Issues in 30 Days: Mideast & Israel
Mike Hayes, WNYC/Gothamist reporter covering New Jersey and the author of The Secret Files: Bill De Blasio, The NYPD, and the Broken Promises of Police Reform (Kingston Imperial, 2023) talks about another key issue from Sunday's debate between U.S. Rep. Tom Kean, Jr and his Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett -- Congress and the U.S. role in the Middle East and with Israel.Photo: Protesters agai
António Guterres' UN Work on Climate Change
David Gelles, reporter on the New York Times climate team who leads The Times’s Climate Forward newsletter and events series, talks about outgoing UN Sec. Gen. António Guterres' efforts to achieve results in combatting climate change. Photo by Xuthoria, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International via Wikimedia Commons. November 20, 2025 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company.
Literature and Life
Elizabeth Alexander, president of The Mellon Foundation, poet, educator, memoirist and scholar and the author of Signals Across Vast Distances: Essays and Tales (WW Norton, 2026), talks about the guidance she's found from literature and how the arts can heal political divides.Photo: Elizabeth Alexander attends The Gordon Parks Foundation Awards Dinner and Auction 2026 at Cipriani 42nd Street on Ma
30 Issues in 30 Days: New Jersey's 7th
Mike Hayes, WNYC/Gothamist reporter covering the New Jersey governor's race and the author of The Secret Files: Bill De Blasio, The NYPD, and the Broken Promises of Police Reform (Kingston Imperial, 2023), talks about a key issue from Sunday's debate between U.S. Rep. Tom Kean, Jr and his Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett.Image: Debate screenshot via C-SPAN Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWiz
Nikole Hannah-Jones on Hard School Choices
Nikole Hannah-Jones, domestic correspondent for The New York Times Magazine, co-founder of the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting and founder of the Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard University, talks about the personal decisions she made regarding her daughter's education, and what her daughter's years in New York City public schools have revealed about the city's segr
Malcolm Gladwell on Americans & Guns
Malcolm Gladwell, host of the podcast Revisionist History and author of several books, including his latest, The American Way of Killing: The Invention of an Epidemic (Little, Brown and Company, 2026), asks why the U.S. suffers from higher rates of gun violence than any other wealthy country.Photo: A display of guns for sale is seen at Coliseum Gun Traders Ltd. in Uniondale, New York on September
Your Nor'Easter Stories
Downed trees, flooding, lost power: Listeners call in to share how they made out in this weekend's slow-moving nor'easter, as well as how they entertained themselves and the kids while stuck inside.Photo: A nor'easter passes over lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center, seen from the 86th-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building on September 26, 2026, in New York City. (Gary Hershorn
Brian Lehrer Weekend: 30 Issues Child Care; Grading Mamdani; Cleaning AI Slop
Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.30 Issues in 30 Days: Child Care in NYS (First) | Mayor Mamdani's 'Broken Windows' Promise (Starts at 30:19) | The Professionals Cleaning AI Slop (Starts at 56:07)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for info
The US, China and the World Order
Ishaan Tharoor, global affairs columnist at The New Yorker and Edward Murrow Press Fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations, talks about this week's UN General Assembly, the meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jingping and President Trump's take on globalism.Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the 81st session of the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly at U.N
30 Issues in 30 Days: Childcare in New York
WNYC's senior political correspondent Brigid Bergin, host of "Who's Running This Place," and Shoshana Hershkowitz, campaign manager, Empire State Campaign for Child Care, discuss the landscape of child care in New York State, and the policy proposals on the issue that each of the gubernatorial candidates, Governor Kathy Hochul and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, have put forth.Photo: Gov.
Biden's Record on Gaza
Akbar Shahid Ahmed, diplomatic correspondent at The Washington Sun and the author of Crossing The Red Line: Biden, His Advisors, and Israel’s War in Gaza (W.W. Norton, 2026), talks about the Biden administration's support for Israeli attacks on Gaza in retaliation for October 7th.Photo: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on February 8, 202
How to Prepare for the Nor’easter
The tri-state region has its eyes on this season’s first nor'easter. John Davitt, chief meteorologist for Spectrum News NY1, tells us about the conditions to expect, what makes it a "nor’easter," and how to prepare.Photo: Flash flooding from 4 to 7 inches of rain in Flatbush, Brooklyn on September 29th, 2023. (Wil540 art, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International via Wikimedia) Ho
30 Issues in 30 Days: Redistricting
Dan Vicuña, senior director of voting rights and redistricting at Center for Inclusive Democracy, discusses how this year's redistricting efforts may make the midterms elections less representative, and what each party is arguing with respect to redistricting.Photo: Oliver Larkin, Democratic candidate for Congress in Florida’s 23rd district, speaks during an emergency town hall that he held to add
World Leaders Are in New York for UNGA, But Not Putin
David Corn, Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones, and author of many books, including his latest, How Russia Won: Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and the Fight for America (HarperCollins, 2026), offers analysis of the day's news, including the conspicuous absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin at UNGA, who hasn't attended in over a decade, and his new book that looks at connections between
A 'Front Row Seat' to the News'
Tim Scheld, retired WCBS news director; adjunct professor Montclair State University and the author of My Front Row Seat (Sunbury Press, 2026), recounts his work leading the WCBS 880 newsroom through major news events, like the Columbine shooting and TWA Flight 800, and offers his take on why responsible reporting remains essential.Book cover art courtesy of Sunbury Press Hosted by Simplecast, an
The Professionals Cleaning Up AI Slop
Listeners, especially graphic designers and lawyers, call in to share their stories of being hired to clean up AI slop that clients have made, how they have been treated in the process and how they think AI will affect the future of their professions.Stock Photo by: elenabs via iStock / Getty Images Plus Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec
30 Issues in 30 Days: How Elections Work
Zachary Roth, managing editor at Democracy Docket, talks about the rules that govern elections: the state of mail-in ballots, laws around voter intimidation, and other issues that are becoming more prominent in election governance across the country.Photo: A polling station in Des Moines, IA on November 8, 2022. (Phil Roeder [Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic] via Wikimedia Commons) Hosted
Mayor Mamdani's 'Broken Windows' Promise
Amanda Jack, director of policy with criminal law reform at The Legal Aid Society, talks about the rise in low-level NYPD summonses in the latest Mayor's Management Report and what it says about Mayor Mamdani's promise to move away from broken windows policing. Photo: Close up of the NYPD logo on a police car. (Tim Drivas Photography via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz co
Anti-MAGA Insights
Sarah Longwell, political strategist, CEO and Publisher of The Bulwark, host of The Focus Group podcast and the author of How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time (St. Martin’s Press, 2026), talks about what she's learned from focus groups on building an opposition to MAGA Republicans. Photo: WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 29: President Donald Trump and MAGA merchandise is displayed for sale from a
A Rancher Takes on Wildfire Management
Anna Sale, creator and host of the podcast Death, Sex & Money and the new video series People Trying, made in partnership with The National Geographic Society, talks about her new series, about how people who work directly with land and water approach climate-related dilemmas, and Shelly Kelly, rancher who runs the Sandhills Task Force in rural Nebraska, discusses her work to manage wildfire r
Call Your Senator: Sen. Andy Kim
U.S. Senator (D NJ), Andy Kim, talks about his work in the Senate and the issues in New Jersey. Photo: Representative Andy Kim, (D-NJ), speaks during a House Small Business Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, (Erin Scott/Bloomberg) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data f
30 Issues in 30 Days: Medicare for All
Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent, KFF Health News and host of the What the Health? podcast, talks about how health care policy is playing out in the midterm elections, including which Senate candidates are running on "Medicare for all," and which candidates have different approaches. Stock photo by FatCamera/E+ via Getty Images. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See
Mayor Mamdani's 'Report Card' and Meeting with President Trump
Katie Honan, senior reporter at The City Reporter and co-host of FAQ NYC, talks about Mayor Mamdani's meeting with President Trump, plus his first "Mayor's Management Report." Photo: President Donald Trump and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani walk out following their meeting at Gracie Mansion on September 21, 2026, in New York City. (Spencer Platt via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWi
Your Signs of Fall
To mark the fall equinox, we hear from listeners about what signs they look for to know that fall is starting and summer is ending in New York. Photo: An autumn day in Central Park. (Linda Fletcher [Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International] via Wikimedia Commons) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use
World Leaders Gather at the U.N.
Mark Leon Goldberg, editor-in-chief and publisher of UN Dispatch and host of the podcast "Global Dispatches," previews the UNGA as world leaders gather at the United Nations.Photo: Khalilur Rahman, president of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly UNGA, announces the opening of the 81st session of the UNGA at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 8, 2026. (Zhang Fengguo/Xinhua via Getty Im
Goodbye Regents Exams?
New York State is changing high school graduation requirements. Michael Elsen-Rooney, reporter at Chalkbeat New York, explains what is happening to the Regents exams and the unanswered questions that remain about requirements for diplomas.Photo: Algebra I Regents exam practice material is used in math class on Friday, May 15, 2026, at Lansingburgh High School in Troy, N.Y. (Will Waldron/Albany Tim
Climate Week Begins
Amy Westervelt, climate journalist and host of the Drilled podcast, and author of BROUGHT TO YOU BY: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Conned the Public, and Broke Democracy (Bloomsbury, 2026), previews the UNGA climate priorities, plus discusses her recent ProPublica investigation into how fossil fuel companies have funded climate research at top universities, and how the same companies have con
Learning to Drive in New York and New Jersey
With New York ranked the best state in the country for teen drivers for the third year in a row, and New Jersey coming in third, according to a new WalletHub study, listeners call in to share their stories of learning to drive as a teen, teaching a teen to drive, and where in New York and New Jersey the road test is easiest.Photo: Rear view of car with handwritten sign reading Student Driver, warn
Brian Lehrer Weekend: Public Charge; Vision Zero; Apps
Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.What to know about the Trump administration's new "public charge" rule, which will make it more difficult for immigrants applying for visas and green cards if they have used public benefits like SNAP or Medicaid (First) | The Mamdani administration's new Vision Zero plan (Starts at 24:25) | Are you tired of having to downlo
Family Sues Texas AG and Doctors Over Abortion Ban
Shefali Luthra, reproductive health reporter at The 19th, talks about her reporting on the lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, which claims a woman died from pregnancy-related conditions because of the abortion ban. Plus, how states with abortion bans are seeing increasing pregnancy-related deaths.Photo: Abortion rights adovcates gather in front of the J Marvin Jones Federal Buildin
AI and NYC Jobs
Greg David, contributor and reporter covering fiscal and economic issues for The City Reporter and director of the business and economics reporting program and Ravitch Fiscal Reporting Program at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, talks about the effects of AI on NYC's job market and overall economy.Photo: An AI ad is displayed on the 2 train on September 14, 2026 in New York City. (Michae
How Much Surveillance Are We Comfortable With?
Surveillance technology isn't just used by major corporations; it's also used by our fellow phone-wielding citizens. Willy Staley, story editor at The New York Times Magazine, talks about how the rise of social media and boom in private surveillance technology like Ring cameras and Meta glasses have started to shift social norms surrounding how we think about privacy. Photo: Amazon-owned Ring
What's in Your Storage Locker?
David Owen, staff writer at The New Yorker, talks about the business of storage lockers and why so many Americans have them.Photo: Stop and Stor, Self storage warehouse, Queens, New York. (Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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