The Campbell Conversations

6:30 AM Saturdays & 6:00 PM Sundays | Local stations FM 89.9 & FM 90.3

Campbell Conversations Logo

The Campbell Conversations is an interview-based public affairs radio program, created, hosted, and produced by Grant Reeher, Director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. The show airs on WRVO Public Media Saturdays at 6:30 AM and again on Sundays at 6:00 PM, and is also available as a downloadable podcast. WRVO Public Media is the largest regional NPR-affiliate in Central New York, with a listening area spanning 22 counties and southern Ontario.

The half-hour program features extended, in-depth interviews in which Reeher goes beyond and behind the current news cycle to explore important questions concerning public affairs. Guests include notable people from Central New York — writers, politicians, activists, public officials, and business professionals — whose work affects the public life of the community, as well as nationally-prominent figures visiting the region to talk about their work. It is also a recognized go-to place for candidate debates during election cycles. The program enjoys a regular audience among political, non-profit, educational, and other policy-related social networks.

Among the program’s recognition's and awards are a “Best Special Program” award from the Syracuse Press Club, and a “Best Interview” award from the New York State Associated Press.

“In the Campbell Conversations, we try to provide the extra space for the depth I am always hungering for as a listener,” said Reeher. “I hope listeners will find the guests’ commentary as interesting as I do when I have the privilege of talking with them.” The Campbell Conversations are conversations in the public interest.

**Disclaimer: Any reference in this website to any person, or organization, or activities, products, or services related to such person or organization, or any linkages from this web site to the web site of another party, do not constitute or imply the endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Campbell Public Affairs Institute or Syracuse University.

Link to WRVO for all interviews

Campbell Conversations

Eliot Spitzer on the Campbell Conversations
This week on the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with former New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer. (Sat, 24 Jul 2021 06:00:17 -0400)

Sam Jackson on the Campbell Conversations
Far-right movements have been more visible in recent years, and on this week's episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with Sam Jackson who has studied these movements. Jackson is an assistant professor in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity at the University at Albany. He recently published the book, "Oath Keepers: Patriotism and the Edge of Violence in a Right-Wing Antigovernment Group". (Sat, 10 Jul 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Stewart Weaver and Maurice Isserman on the Campbell Conversations
On this week's episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with Maurice Isserman and Stewart Weaver, the authors of, "Fallen Giants: A History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes." Isserman is the Rogers Professor of American History at Hamilton College, Weaver is a Profesor of European History at the University of Rochester. (Sat, 03 Jul 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Sen. Rachel May and Assem. Will Barclay on the Campbell Conversations
It was a strange year for the New York State Legislature, to say the least. Business being conducted remotely due to the pandemic, a huge budget deficit, followed by a surplus, a record budget, and a governor facing multiple investigations. This week, Grant Reeher looks back at the legislative session with State Sen. Rachel May (D-Syracuse), and State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Pulaski). (Sat, 26 Jun 2021 02:41:00 -0400)

Thomas Babilon and Janet Burman on the Campbell Conversations
The Republican primary for Mayor of the City Syracuse is June 22nd. On this week's episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with candidates Thomas Babilon and Janet Burman about their visions and goals for the future of the city. (Sat, 12 Jun 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Khalid Bey and Michael Greene on the Campbell Conversations
The Democratic primary for Mayor of the City of Syracuse is June 22, with early voting starting June 12. On this week's episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with the two candidates running in the primary. Khalid Bey is currently a Syracuse Common Councilor At Large – President Pro-Tem, and Michael Greene who is also a Syracuse Common Councilor At-Large. (Sat, 29 May 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Sharon Owens and Stephanie Pasquale on the Campbell Conversations
Two distinct and intertwined issues facing the city of Syracuse are the tearing down of section I-81 that runs through the city and what replaces it, and the rebuilding and redevelopment of the highways' on-the-ground footprint. Grant Reeher speaks with two city leaders who hold top positions in Blueprint 15, a non-profit formed in partnership with the city which is taking the lead on the second of those issues. Sharon Owens is the Deputy Mayor of Syracuse and Blueprint 15's Board President and Stephanie Pasquale is Blueprint 15's interim CEO and a Director of Neighborhood Advancement at the Allyn Family Foundation. (Sat, 22 May 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh on the Campbell Conversations
On this week's episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. They discuss the current state of vaccination progress in the area, the status of the Skyline Apartments and issues surrounding the tearing down and redevelopment of I-81. (Sat, 15 May 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Lanessa Chaplin on the Campbell Conversations
In this week's episode of the Campbell Conversations, we continue our series on the tearing down and redevelopment of I-81 with our guest Lanessa Chaplin. She's an attorney and and assistant director at the New York Civil Liberties Union. Chaplin has been one of the local leaders who have raised concerns about what might replace the I-81 area. (Sat, 08 May 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Larry Vale on the Campbell Conversations
On this episode of the Campbell Conversations, we bring you another conversation as part of an intermittent series on the tearing down of I-81 in Syracuse and the rebuilding and redevelopment of its on-the-ground footprint. Grant Reeher speaks with Larry Vale, Ford Professor of Urban Design and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He's also the author of, "Purging the Poorest: Public Housing and the Design Politics of Twice-Cleared Communities". (Sat, 01 May 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Ruth Ben-Ghiat on the Campbell Conversations
On this episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University. She's the author of the new book, "Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present". (Sat, 24 Apr 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Rachel May and Will Barclay on the Campbell Conversations
With the New York State budget completed, Grant Reeher speaks with Democratic State Senator Rachel May and Republican Assemblyman Will Barclay to evaluate the $212 billion dollar budget. (Sat, 17 Apr 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Jaleel Campbell and Elizabeth Dunbar on the Campbell Conversations
Despite COVID-19, maybe even bacause of it, interesting things are happening at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse. This week, Grant Reeher speaks with the museum's executive director and CEO, Elizabeth Dunbar, and Syracuse artist Jaleel Campbell, who has a solo exhibition at the museum titled "Homecoming." (Sat, 10 Apr 2021 02:02:00 -0400)

Ryan McMahon and Dr. David Page on the Campbell Conversations
On this episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher talks about the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in Onondaga County with Ryan McMahon, Onondaga County Executive, and Dr. David Page, whose medical practice focuses on geriatric care. Page is the current President of the Onondaga County Medical Society, and serves as board chairman of the Health Advisory Committee for the Onondaga County Health Commissioner. (Sat, 03 Apr 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Lizabeth Cohen on the Campbell Conversations
The tearing down of I-81 and the rebuilding and redevelopment of its on-the-ground footprint has been called a "once in a generation opportunity" for the city of Syracuse; it also carries risk. On this week's episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with Lizabeth Cohen, the Howard Mumford Jones Professor of American Studies at Harvard University and the author of, "Saving America's Cities: Ed Logue and the Struggle to Renew Urban America in the Suburban Age." (Sat, 27 Mar 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Marta Tellado on the Campbell Conversations
Consumers of products, services and information seem to be under more threats than ever before. Many of the sources of protection from government, the media and independent organizations have been weakened. Grant Reeher speaks with Marta Tellado, who is on the front lines of the struggle to protect and empower consumers with her position as the President and CEO of Consumer Reports. (Sat, 20 Mar 2021 06:00:00 -0400)

Novelist Nguyen Phan Que Mai on the Campbell Conversations
On this episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with Vietnamese poet, novelist and journalist Nguyen Phan Que Mai. Her new novel, "The Mountains Sing" is an epic and harrowing multi-generational story of a family in Vietnam going both backwards and forwards in time from its centerpoint in 1972. (Sat, 06 Mar 2021 06:00:00 -0500)

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh on the Campbell Conversations
On this week's episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with Ben Walsh. He's just begun his fourth year as Mayor of the city of Syracuse, and recently gave his State of the City address. Grant talks to Walsh about many of the topics that were in Walsh's wide-ranging address. (Sat, 20 Feb 2021 06:00:00 -0500)

Anthony Brindisi on the Campbell Conversations
On this week's episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with Anthony Brindisi, the former Democratic Congressman who just conceded his race for reelection in the 22nd District against Republican challenger Claudia Tenney. The 22nd District includes Chenango, Cortland, Madison and Oneida counties and parts of Broome, Herkimer, Tioga and Oswego counties. (Sat, 13 Feb 2021 05:00:00 -0500)

Charles Fluharty on the Campbell Conversations
Many prominent voices both inside and outside of government are calling on President Biden to focus more attention on rural issues, and even appoint a rural czar to coordinate the effort. On this episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with Charles Fluharty, founder and President Emeritus of the Rural Policy Research Institute at the University of Iowa's College of Public Health. It's the only US national policy institute solely dedicated to assessing the rural impacts of public policies. (Sat, 06 Feb 2021 06:00:00 -0500)