"Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know" is a New York City-based interview podcast that gets inside the minds of the people shaping our world - from rising political heavyweights to policy architects to cultural influencers. Drawing on more than two decades of reporting experience on television and radio, and on his role as Columbia University’s Professor of Local Journalism, host Juan Manuel Benítez combines sharp policy questions with unexpected personal curiosity, exploring not just what his guests think, but how they think. Each conversation reveals the books, music, experiences, and obsessions that drive decision-makers, creating intimate portraits of public figures that satisfy both news junkies and anyone curious about the human side of power. It's journalism that remembers people are people first.
All content for Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know is the property of Juan Manuel Benítez and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
"Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know" is a New York City-based interview podcast that gets inside the minds of the people shaping our world - from rising political heavyweights to policy architects to cultural influencers. Drawing on more than two decades of reporting experience on television and radio, and on his role as Columbia University’s Professor of Local Journalism, host Juan Manuel Benítez combines sharp policy questions with unexpected personal curiosity, exploring not just what his guests think, but how they think. Each conversation reveals the books, music, experiences, and obsessions that drive decision-makers, creating intimate portraits of public figures that satisfy both news junkies and anyone curious about the human side of power. It's journalism that remembers people are people first.
Brian Lehrer, the Mayor of NYC Radio, on Voting, Local News and 36 Years of Improv Journalism
Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know
40 minutes 28 seconds
3 weeks ago
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?
Guest: Brian Lehrer, journalist and host, WNYC Radio
On the 2025 NYC Mayoral Race:
Why voters respond more to emotion than policy — and what that means for democracy
His impressions of Curtis Sliwa, Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo as people, not just politicians
Whether New Yorkers should fear socialism, and how to cover this topic responsibly
What New York voters are really yearning for
On 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 funding
The existential crisis facing small public radio stations nationwide
Navigating the tension between "multiple-sides-ism" and calling out misinformation
Personal Journey:
Growing up in Queens with parents who rose from poverty in the South Bronx
His first political memory: watching the Kennedy-Nixon debate at age 8
Why he chose to live in Inwood and finds sanctuary in Inwood Hill Park
How the show has helped him cope during difficult personal times
The Art of Live Radio:
The "artful improv" of juggling guests, callers, texts, and breaking news simultaneously
Why he moved audience engagement from comment sections to Twitter to text messages
What he hopes listeners will discover when they revisit his archives in 50 years
Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know
"Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know" is a New York City-based interview podcast that gets inside the minds of the people shaping our world - from rising political heavyweights to policy architects to cultural influencers. Drawing on more than two decades of reporting experience on television and radio, and on his role as Columbia University’s Professor of Local Journalism, host Juan Manuel Benítez combines sharp policy questions with unexpected personal curiosity, exploring not just what his guests think, but how they think. Each conversation reveals the books, music, experiences, and obsessions that drive decision-makers, creating intimate portraits of public figures that satisfy both news junkies and anyone curious about the human side of power. It's journalism that remembers people are people first.
