Brian Lehrer, the Mayor of NYC Radio, on Voting, Local News and 36 Years of Improv Journalism

Brian Lehrer has hosted WNYC's flagship morning show since 1989, and has interviewed every New York mayor since David Dinkins. In this rare in-depth conversation, the notoriously private broadcaster opens up about his life, his craft, and the state of journalism and democracy in 2025. Plus, will he vote in this mayoral election?Brian's picks:Book: "The Bee Sting" by Paul Murray Park: Inwood Hill Park in Upper Manhattan Podcasts:Regular listening:WNYC's own podcasts (The New Yorker Radio Hour, On the Media, Radiolab)Slate Political GabfestVarious New York Times podcastsFor professional monitoring:Charlie Kirk Hasan PikerIn this episode:Guest: Brian Lehrer, journalist and host, WNYC RadioOn the 2025 NYC Mayoral Race:Why voters respond more to emotion than policy — and what that means for democracyHis impressions of Curtis Sliwa, Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo as people, not just politiciansWhether New Yorkers should fear socialism, and how to cover this topic responsiblyWhat New York voters are really yearning forOn Journalism in Crisis:Why he tells young journalists to "fall in love with local news"How WNYC is weathering the loss of 100% of federal fundingThe existential crisis facing small public radio stations nationwideNavigating the tension between "multiple-sides-ism" and calling out misinformationPersonal Journey:Growing up in Queens with parents who rose from poverty in the South BronxHis first political memory: watching the Kennedy-Nixon debate at age 8Why he chose to live in Inwood and finds sanctuary in Inwood Hill ParkHow the show has helped him cope during difficult personal timesThe Art of Live Radio:The "artful improv" of juggling guests, callers, texts, and breaking news simultaneouslyWhy he moved audience engagement from comment sections to Twitter to text messagesWhat he hopes listeners will discover when they revisit his archives in 50 years