About the show: Dialog, which airs at 9 a.m., focuses on a variety of topics from local, state and national politics, to social issues and examining the daily news. Since December, 2002, Leffler has interviewed people ranging from local politicians to presidential candidates on Lockport radio. His interviewees have included Democratic presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche, Author Dean Koontz, and Wal-Mart buster, Al Norman.  Dialog is different from other talk shows in the Buffalo market in two ways. First, Dialog deals more with Lockport and Niagara County than any talk show on any other station. Second, Dialog takes a critical look at the Bush administration and other right-wing politics and politicrats. If you're looking for another right-wing Clinton-bashing talk show, look elsewhere.

About the host: Scott Leffler is the host of the local call-in talk show, Dialog, on AM 1340, WLVL. A former reporter and editor with the Lockport Journal, Leffler has been a member of the local media for more than four years. Married with two daughters, the 30-year-old Leffler is a Niagara County native. He grew up in the Town of Niagara, attending the now-defunct Military Road Elementary School before attending Edward Town Junior High and Niagara Wheatfield Senior High School (class of 92). He has a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science from Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio (class of 96) and has both formal and informal training in print and electronic media. Leffler and his family live in the city of Lockport. He attends Emmanuel United Methodist Church and is a member of Lockport's City Democratic Committee. His interests include tennis, hockey and politics. But not all at the same time.

History: The Dialog started just over two years ago - on December 16, 2002. Scott's first guest ... on his first day ... was Lockport Police Chief Neil Merritt. Having the chief of police as his first guest was both an arranged tactical move ... and a goof-up .... at the same time. Scott was employed full-time by the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, the local newspaper. The management (and some of the employees) of the paper had a long-standing feud with Merritt, but Scott was fortunate that he got along just fine with the chief. Having Merritt as his first guest was designed to tell the listening audience, “This isn't going to be the Union-Sun & Journal show.” Interesting to note, however, is that while Scott and the chief had discussed the chief being the guest on the 16th, it was never “confirmed,” and Scott had planned on doing a show about Al Gore's appearance on Saturday Night Live two days previous. Then a few minutes before 9, Merritt showed up at the WLVL studios on Michigan Street and a show was born. And it's a good thing Scott didn't want it to be the Union-Sun & Journal show because in July of 2003, Greater Niagara Newspapers cut 27 positions, including Scott's (which it filled three days later). So now Scott is employed full-time and solely by WLVL – to do daily Dialog and to serve as production director. "Sources say" Scott's going to be with WLVL for a while.

Previous guests: link

Have an idea for a guest? Why not email me and let me know. Couldn't hurt. Might help.

 

copyright 2002 – 2005 Scott Leffler, scottleffler.com