Best San Francisco Public Press Podcasts (2025)

1
Annie Saunders, Editor, Tech Brew 24:32

Play Pause

2d ago24:32

24:32

Annie Saunders has been a tech journalist for several years now, but her diverse career background, local news, commodities, food, had her questioning why we'd even invite her on this show. No need to question yourself, Annie. Generalists make great tech journalists, as is evidenced by the reporting on AI, EV transportation, and climate tech for Mo…

1
The Silent Killer — Chronic Hepatitis B Threatens the Health of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. 29:29

13d ago29:29

29:29

About the ‘Silent Killer’ Series The San Francisco Public Press examined recent efforts to step up diagnosis, vaccination and treatment for hepatitis B. Chronic hepatitis B affects an estimated 305,000 people in California, with the vast majority of cases affecting people in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Deep racial and cultural …

1
Julie Bort, Editor, Startups & Venture Capital, TechCrunch 39:53

1M ago39:53

39:53

Julie Bort has been in tech journalism long enough to have had not one, but two tenures of 13 plus years – first at Network World and then at Business Insider, now editor of VCs and startups at TechCrunch. You might be surprised to learn that one of the most prolific voices in B2B Tech reporting nearly became a teacher, and you'll definitely be sur…

1
Jeremey Owens, Editor-in-Chief, San Francisco Business Times 45:24

2M ago45:24

45:24

Jeremy Owens just landed a new gig as the latest editor in chief of the San Francisco Business Times. In this market, that's a minor miracle. Jeremy joined us to talk about that change, his early plans for the outlet's mission, and why he thinks San Francisco is the New Orleans of the West. That's a new one for this episode of Pressing Matters from…

1
Sidelined After Service: What Federal Cuts Mean for Veterans 31:47

2M ago31:47

31:47

Veterans and advocates are sounding the alarm as massive federal job cuts and plans to eliminate 83,000 positions at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — championed as “efficiency reforms” by the Trump administration — threaten to strip away critical services. In this episode, we take an in-depth look at the human toll of sweeping layoffs and …

1
How Do We Respond to Attacks on Public Media, DEI and Democracy? 56:00

3M ago56:00

56:00

The San Francisco Public Press on April 30, 2025, hosted a fireside chat recorded for this “Civic” episode about attacks on diversity, democracy and media with Ricardo Sandoval-Palos, the public editor at PBS, and Lila LaHood, executive director of the San Francisco Public Press.In addition to discussing how journalists can do better covering issue…

1
Progress or Political Theater? Factions Disagree on How to Clean Up San Francisco Street Conditions 29:31

3M ago29:31

29:31

San Francisco's mayor and police department are facing praise and scorn for cracking down on homelessness and visible substance use amidst shelter and treatment bed shortages and jail overcrowding.By San Francisco Public Press

1
Matt Kapko, Reporter, CyberScoop 32:50

3M ago32:50

32:50

Are you ready for RSA 2025? Matt Kapko of CyberScoop is, and he definitely doesn't want to hear about AI, although he and I–and everyone listening to the podcast today–all know he will. In addition to AI, Matt joined us to talk about his early days singing in a punk rock band in Orange County, his time in a string of hyperlocal newspapers, and more…

1
Fred Vogelstein, Co-Editor and Co-Founder, CrazyStupidTech 53:34

4M ago53:34

53:34

Fred Vogelstein wanted to be a Moscow bureau chief. He did manage to get to Berlin as a student in the months after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, but he still hasn't been to Moscow. Instead, Fred became one of the most influential technology reporters of his generation, with stints at the Wall Street Journal, Wired, The Information, US News, and Fo…

1
Journalists Are Fighting Back Against Investors Dismantling Newspapers Around the Country 29:31

5M ago29:31

29:31

Join the San Francisco Public Press for a screening of “Stripped for Parts” in San Francisco on Thursday, March 13. Details and tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/film-stripped-for-parts-american-journalism-on-the-brink-tickets-1250795746749 Website for the film: https://strippedforpartsfilm.com/Rick Goldsmith’s production company: https://kovno…

1
Thousands Across Bay Area Are Mobilizing Against Mass Deportation 40:13

5M ago40:13

40:13

San Francisco's immigrant communities are facing a crisis as the Trump administration threatens mass deportations. For four decades, San Francisco has been a refuge for immigrants seeking a better life and a battleground for justice when federal policies target vulnerable communities. Today, legal aid networks, rapid response teams, and mass protes…

1
RE-RELEASE: Ukrainians in SF Are Anxious and Angry 29:43

5M ago29:43

29:43

This week marks three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the conflict shows no signs of ending. On the eve of this grim anniversary, Russia launched its largest drone attack yet, causing widespread destruction and civilian casualties. Days later, the U.S. voted against a U.N. resolution calling for Russia’s withdrawal. In this episode, w…

1
Catherine Sbeglia Nin, Managing Editor, RCR Wireless News 32:41

5M ago32:41

32:41

Unlike most of our previous guests, Catherine Sbeglia Nin didn't set out to be a reporter. She was a doctoral candidate in film theory. When realizing she was miserable, she figured she'd find other ways to tell stories after dipping her toes in the journalism waters. RCR Wireless, one of the magazines of record for Telco Wireless and networking, o…

1
Patrick Seitz, Senior Writer, Investor's Business Daily 37:31

6M ago37:31

37:31

It's pretty rare these days to find anyone in tech media who has been at the same outlet for a quarter century. But Patrick Seitz has been covering the fascinating world of tech, finance, and the stock market for exactly that: 25 years at Investors' Business Daily. A Chicago-area native who cut his teeth covering courts and crime, Pat switched to c…

1
A New Aggressive Anti-Abortion Group Was Founded in San Francisco 30:05

6M ago30:05

30:05

Ever since the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, emboldened anti-abortion activists have used increasingly aggressive efforts to shut down abortion access in San Francisco. In October, an anti-abortion crusader entered the local Planned Parenthood brandishing a gun. And a new anti-abortion movement that launched in San Francisco is gaining popula…

1
Thank you for listening 2024 2:49

7M ago2:49

2:49

Thank you for listening. To support this work, visit: https://www.sfpublicpress.org/donate/By Liana Wilcox, Lila LaHood

1
Michael Krigsman, Host and Publisher, CXOTalk 32:07

7M ago32:07

32:07

Michael Krigsman doesn't call himself a journalist. Yes, he has produced 800 podcasts and videos in the past 11 years as the founder and host of CXOTalk, but he doesn't have a journalism degree or any editorial training, and his pieces are a mix of editorial and sponsored. That said, Michael does have an innate sense of story. He's not afraid to ch…

1
LGBTQ Latin Americans Offer Safety From Hostile Substance Use Recovery Groups 39:10

7M ago39:10

39:10

LGBTQ Latin Americans come to San Francisco seeking relief from oppression and hostility. But when they join substance use disorder support groups, many encounter scorn — especially if they’re transgender. When one San Francisco couple heard that transgender Latin Americans were facing hostility in peer support groups, they formed their own. Now LG…

1
Why the Navy Conducted Radiation Experiments on Humans - Exposed episode 2 32:28

8M ago32:28

32:28

The Navy conducted radiation experiments on humans at San Francisco's Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, turning hundreds of servicemen and shipyard workers into unwitting “volunteers” for Cold War scientists’ biology and safety research. Check out the full series at https://sfpublicpress.org/exposedBy Rebecca Bowe, Mel Baker

1
A Community of Color Contends With the Navy’s Toxic Legacy - Exposed episode 1 37:42

8M ago37:42

37:42

Decades after the Navy closed a Cold War radiation research lab at San Francisco's Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, the mess isn't completely cleaned up. Neighbors in Bayview-Hunters Point are demanding accountability for the toxic legacy amid charges of environmental racism. Check out the full series at https://sfpublicpress.org/exposed…

1
Special Civic episodes coming Monday 2:18

8M ago2:18

2:18

Watch for a special investigative 2 episode podcast dropping Monday, November 25th.By Lila LaHood

1
Esther Ajao, News Writer, TechTarget 35:16

8M ago35:16

35:16

At the age of eight, Esther Ajao did something braver than most of us will do in our entire lives. Having spent her early years in her native Nigeria, raised by an extended family of grandparents and uncles, Esther moved across the ocean to Brooklyn to reunite with her mother, who had moved to America when Esther was just six months old. Removed fr…

1
Latinx in SF Use Tech for Post-COVID Trauma Recovery 31:44

8M ago31:44

31:44

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, San Francisco’s Latinx residents experienced higher rates of infection and deaths, and greater losses of income and homes compared with other ethnic groups. Widespread depression and anxiety resulting from the trauma led to a grassroots effort to heal the community. That’s when a UCSF psychiatrist asked t…

1
Should SF’s Great Highway Be a Park or a Roadway? 37:32

9M ago37:32

37:32

San Francisco’s proposition K is the most heated issue in this year’s local election. It asks whether the city should close a segment of the Great Highway, a coastal thoroughfare, to car traffic, so it could later become a park. Residents are divided: some welcome the idea of a park for families and community gatherings, while others worry that it …

1
Berkeley Measure Z: Extending the 2014 soda tax 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Berkeley’s Measure Z — also known as the soda tax — is an initiative that aims to extend the 2014 ballot measure to continue the tax on sugar sweetened beverages.By Erin Lim

1
Proposition G: Making Housing Truly Affordable for Seniors in San Francisco 25:58

9M ago25:58

25:58

Affordable housing is too expensive for many in San Francisco, leaving people in untenable living situations: rentals they can’t afford, overcrowded single room occupancy hotels, or tents on the street. Proposition G tries to combat that issue by proposing the creation of a fund to subsidize 550 to 600 units of affordable housing for extremely low …

1
Oakland Measure OO: Updating the Public Ethics Commission 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Oakland’s Measure OO is a new initiative to change the structure of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission.By Yosmay del Mazo

1
Oakland Measure NN: Increasing funding for violence prevention services 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Oakland’s Measure NN is a new proposal aimed at funding public safety through a tax on property owners.By Anthony Ivy

1
Oakland Measure MM: Funding wildfire prevention 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Oakland Measure MM is a new initiative that aims to fund wildfire prevention in parts of the city with high fire risk.By Eliza Peppel

1
Richmond Measure J & L: Reforming elections 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Richmond’s Measure J and Measure L both focus on election reform.By Demetrius Johnson

1
San Francisco Prop O: Funding low-cost reproductive care 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition O would strengthen access to abortions in San Francisco.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop N: Offering emergency workers student loan forgiveness 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition N would create a fund to help police officers, firefighters, paramedics, sheriffs, nurses and 911 dispatchers employed by the city pay off their student loan debt.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop M: Adjusting taxes on businesses 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

SF Prop M would overhaul SF Business Tax System . The city would rely less on taxing a company’s payroll for staff working here, and more on revenue that businesses earn within the city.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop L: Taxing ride-hail companies to fund public transit 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition L would tax ride-hail companies, including those that operate self-driving cars.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop K: Closing the Upper Great Highway to cars 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition K would start a process that could permanently close part of San Francisco’s Great Highway to traffic.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop J: Monitoring spending on youth programs 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition J would create an oversight body to monitor city government spending on programs helping children and young people.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop I: Expanding retirement for nurses and dispatchers 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition I would improve retirement packages for 9-1-1 dispatchers, as well as nurses who transition from temporary to full-time roles.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop H: Lowering the retirement age for firefighters 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition H would lower the retirement age for San Francisco firefighters from 58 to 55.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop G: Creating a new affordable housing fund 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition G would reduce rent in hundreds of units serving extremely low-income seniors, families and people with disabilities.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop F - Allowing retired police officers to continue working 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition F allows retirement eligible police officers to stay on the job while receiving both their salary and pension for up to five years.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop E: Creating a commissions task force 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition E would create a five member task force to assess San Francisco’s many commissions and recommend whether any should be altered or eliminated to improve local governance.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop D: Consolidating City Hall commissions 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition D would dramatically alter governance in San Francisco, slashing City Hall commissions from the current 130 to a maximum of 65, retaining 20 major commissions.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop C: Creating an inspector general position 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition C aims to fight corruption in the San Francisco government by creating an inspector general to investigate fraud, waste and abuse.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop B: Paying for health facilities and public spaces 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition B would let San Francisco borrow up to $390 million to build new infrastructure and upgrade existing buildings, roads, and public spaces.By KALW

1
San Francisco Prop A: Paying for school improvements 2:00

9M ago2:00

2:00

Proposition A would let the San Francisco Unified School District borrow up to 790 million dollars to upgrade, repair and retrofit its properties.By KALW

1
California Prop 36: Increasing penalties for certain crimes 1:30

9M ago1:30

1:30

If passed, California Proposition 36 would enforce harsher penalties for certain crimes to address concerns about shoplifting and drug possession.By KALW

1
California Prop 35: Funding Medi-Cal services 1:30

9M ago1:30

1:30

If passed, California Proposition 35 would require the state to use money from a tax on health insurance plans towards payments to doctors who serve Medi-Cal patients.By KALW

1
California Prop 34: Mandating prescription drug profits to fund patient care 1:30

9M ago1:30

1:30

If passed, California Proposition 34 would require some California health providers to use profits from prescription drug sales to directly fund patient care.By KALW

1
California Prop 33: Removing limits on rent control 1:30

9M ago1:30

1:30

If passed, California Proposition 33 would let cities remove current limits on rent control.By KALW

1
Bonus: San Francisco Propositions November 2024 25:22

9M ago25:22

25:22

In the November, 2024 election San Francisco voters are being asked to decide whether to approve a wide range of issues in the form of 15 local ballot propositions, including ones on a major overhaul of the city’s commission system, bond measures and other program funding, changes to the business tax system, and incentives to bolster the ranks of p…