Rephonic
Artwork for The Brian Lehrer Show

The Brian Lehrer Show

WNYC
New York City
Donald Trump
Iran
Democratic Socialists Of America
United States
World Cup
New York
Democratic Party
Supreme Court
Brexit
Israel
Artificial Intelligence
Social Media
Medicaid
FEMA
Ebola
Rent Stabilization
Birthright Citizenship
Housing Policy
New Jersey

Brian Lehrer leads the conversation about what matters most now in local and national politics, our own communities and our lives.

PublishesDailyEpisodes2031Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsDaily NewsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Brian Lehrer Show

Latest Episodes

John Cassidy, staff writer at The New Yorker talks about how analysts, politicians, and every day people are calculating the cost of the Iran War.

Photo: A pedestrian walks past a billboard depicting US President Donald Trump inside a catering conta... more

David Gelles, reporter on The New York Times climate team and leader of the Times' "Climate Forward" newsletter and events series, talks about his reporting on the economic effect of this summer's strong storms, and the weather effects of El Niño, wh... more

Jon Ronson, journalist, filmmaker, "This American Life" contributor and the author of The Psychopath Test and his latest, The Castle: Adventures in a World of Unraveling Men (‎Riverhead Books, 2026), talks about his new book, an exploration of the cr... more

Samantha Delouya, CNN Business reporter, shares her reporting on young New Yorkers moving in with seniors, nuns, and other unlikely roommates as the city's median asking rent hits $4,200.

Photo: Christina Vögerl (r) sits with her convent sisters in ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Ben Furnas
Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives
Transportation Alternatives
Episode: Making Safer Streets Following Three E-Biker Deaths
Roni Caryn Rabin
Health Reporter for The New York Times
The New York Times
Episode: When Cannabis Use is a Problem
Ann Powers
Music critic and NPR correspondent
NPR
Episode: Your Dolly Parton Tributes
Yeganeh Torbati
New York Times correspondent covering Iran and the region; co-author of Stolen Revolution, Betrayal and Hope in Modern Iran
The New York Times
Episode: Iran War Impasse
Nancy Jiang
Student at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism; summer intern for The City Reporter; co-author of the article
The City Reporter / Newmark J School, CUNY
Episode: NYC's 'K-Shaped' Economy
John Ourand
Sports correspondent at Puck News
Puck News
Episode: The Soaring Price of Sports Teams
Adam Segal
Council on Foreign Relations expert on security issues, technology development, and Chinese policy
Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: China's 'Soft Power' Strategy and AI
Cayla Bamberger
Education and Youth Issues Reporter for the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
Episode: Students Weigh in on School Issues
Julie Menin
New York City Council Speaker
New York City Council
Episode: Speak with the Speaker: E-Bike Regulation, the City Budget and More

Host

Brian Lehrer
Host of The Brian Lehrer Show

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.8k ratings
  • Best show! But please no more Elie Mystal

    Fantastic show, listen daily and Brian’s journalistic prowess is always on display, thorough respectful but tough. Please also consider removing Elie Mystal as a guest. I agree with everything he says but his delivery is atrocious listening for radio. He’s constantly screaming and behaves as if he’s a toddler, enacting in childish imitations and literally yelling into the mic. Maybe maya wiley or Emily bazelon instead?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    cet blaine
    United States2 months ago
  • Unrelated content

    Why are there associated programs in the feed? Brian Lehrer’s show is great, but hard to find among so much other stuff.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Maajic
    United States5 months ago
  • Balanced, Rational, Humble, Human!

    Brian Lehrer is a TREASURE!!! He covers the issues of the day with smarts and humility, helping people with different viewpoints find common ground. Listen every day and you’ll be a better informed New Yorker!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    swerz
    United States6 months ago
  • It was ok, but it has become become ever more smug and condescending.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    PDR
    8 months ago
  • A New York Institution

    I have long since left nyc, my hometown, but I could never quit the Brian Lehrer show. A well produced thoughtful gem of News Radio. Even the callers bring such insight, which goes to show, when you establish a standard people rise to meet it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Shani from St. Albans
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some critiques note biases or pacing issues with certain guests.
Listeners value the accessible, in-depth policy discussions and live calls.
The host is consistently thoughtful, fair, and well-informed.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#79
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#220
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#42
Finland/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#42
Colombia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#44
South Korea/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#89
Israel/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Soaring Price of Sports Teams
Q: How do media rights and streaming contracts impact the long-term value of these franchises?
Media rights and streaming deals are central; as networks consolidate live sports to attract subscribers, the value of live rights becomes a critical driver of future franchise worth, even as some traditional deals fade.
The Soaring Price of Sports Teams
Q: What are the main forces pushing team values higher beyond branding and on-court performance?
A combination of private equity participation, AI-backed wealth, and the lure of stable, high-value assets, along with the strategic shift to monetizing media rights and streaming, all contributing to higher valuations.
The Soaring Price of Sports Teams
Q: When you saw the news of that sale for over $12 billion, did the number shock you? Was the deal itself surprising?
The figure was shocking in scale, but the surprise largely came from how quickly the deal closed and the window it created for other franchises to set new records; it highlighted the rapid escalation in franchise valuations driven by investor interest.
Kindergarten Vaccine Opt-Outs Hit a Record High
Q: But on measles, there have already been more measles cases this year in the US than all last year. Is that simply because vaccine rates are down or is it more complicated than that?
Julie Rovner explains that while lower vaccination rates are a major factor, the situation is multifaceted, involving local exemptions, herd immunity thresholds, and regional variations in vaccine coverage; she also notes ongoing debates about the best immunization schedules and the public-health implications of shifts in policy.
When Cannabis Use is a Problem
Q: Is cannabis really a healthier alternative to alcohol for some people, and can this be measured?
The guest acknowledged it's a complicated comparison; there isn't enough evidence yet to say cannabis is definitively healthier for everyone, and the harms of alcohol are better documented, making direct comparisons difficult.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Brian Lehrer Show

What is The Brian Lehrer Show about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show covers a wide range of policy-centered topics tied to urban life, national politics, and public policy. Episodes frequently analyze local governance, immigration, climate and energy policy, education and equity, technology regulation, press freedom, and how national debates play out in cities like New York. listeners often hear expert context from journalists, academics, and policymakers, with a strong emphasis on civic participation, accountability, and practical implications for residents. A standout trait is the blend of live call-ins, deep-dive interviews, and data-informed city planning discussions that connect national issues to local impact, making it useful for strategists, researchers, and decision-makers exploring policy,... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Brian Lehrer Show?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Brian Lehrer Show. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Brian Lehrer Show and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Brian Lehrer Show get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Brian Lehrer Show, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Brian Lehrer Show?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Brian Lehrer Show, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Brian Lehrer Show have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Brian Lehrer Show has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Brian Lehrer Show?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Brian Lehrer Show:

1. Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast
2. The New Yorker Radio Hour
3. On the Media
4. All Of It with Alison Stewart
5. FAQ NYC

How many episodes of The Brian Lehrer Show are there?

The Brian Lehrer Show launched 21 years ago and published 2031 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Brian Lehrer Show?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Brian Lehrer Show?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Brian Lehrer Show from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Brian Lehrer Show?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Brian Lehrer Show. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Brian Lehrer Show?

Recent guests on The Brian Lehrer Show include:

1. Ben Furnas
2. Roni Caryn Rabin
3. Ann Powers
4. Yeganeh Torbati
5. Nancy Jiang
6. John Ourand
7. Adam Segal
8. Cayla Bamberger

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days