15 Best California Storytelling Podcasts

1. Snap Judgment

Play Video
Website Apple Spotify YouTube Episodes
Snap Judgment mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's raw, musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. It's storytelling... with a BEAT.MORE Ranking #12 in Apple Charts (US)
Host Glynn Washington
Producer/Network Snap Judgment and PRX
Email ****@snapjudgmemt.org
Location Oakland, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.7/5Apple Reviews 12.3KFacebook 116.9KTwitter 25.2KInstagram 8.4K Avg Length 40 min Format Long form Get Email Contact Get access to full database of 2.7M podcastsCreate podcast lists, export in spreadsheet or CSV file with email contacts and start your podcast outreach in minutes.Sign Up for Free with Email Continue with Google

2. LeVar Burton Reads

Play
Apple Spotify YouTube Episodes
The best short fiction, handpicked by the best voice in podcasting and presented in 3D immersive audio. In every episode, host LeVar Burton (Roots, Reading Rainbow, Star Trek) invites you to take a break from your daily life, and dive into a great story. LeVar's narration blends with gorgeous soundscapes to bring stories by Stephen King, Toni Morrison, Nnedi Okorafor, Kurt Vonnegut, Ken Liu and more to life. So, if you're ready, let's take a deep breath...Our immersive audio is best with headphones! If you'd prefer to listen without immersive audio, visit levarburtonpodcast.com/mono.MORE Ranking #46 in Apple Charts (US)
Host Levar Burton
Producer/Network LeVar Burton and Stitcher
Email ****@gmail.com
Location Los Angeles, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 18.6KFacebook 19.6KTwitter 45.1KInstagram 29K Avg Length 41 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

3. The California Report Magazine

Play
Website Apple Spotify YouTube Episodes
Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.MORE Host Sasha Khokha
Producer/Network KQED
Email ****@kqed.org
Location San Francisco, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.6/5Apple Reviews 127Facebook 265.2KTwitter 86.7KInstagram 234.9K Avg Length 31 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

4. Story Worthy

Play Video
Website Apple Spotify YouTube Episodes
Each week Hollywood's most talented people in the entertainment industry share true, personal stories on the Story Worthy Podcast. Story Worthy celebrates 14 years of podcasting in July 2024 and has over 800 episodes recorded. Christine Blackburn is the creator, host and producer of Story Worthy, Story Smash the Storytelling Game Show, and My Life In 3 Songs exclusively on Spotify. Listen to the entire episode wherever you hear podcasts. If you get a chance, will you please give Story Worthy 5 stars and a good review on Apple Podcasts?  https://bit...MORE Host Christine Blackburn
Producer/Network Christine Blackburn
Email ****@gmail.com
Location Los Angeles, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.1/5Apple Reviews 584Twitter 2.3KInstagram 3.3K Avg Length 50 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

5. SportStories

Play
Website Apple Spotify Episodes
SportStars Magazine is a high school sports media company based in Northern California. And for its first podcast, it's turning the storytelling over to its sources. Each episode we'll take aim at finding the best anecdotes involving a specific athlete, coach, team or classic game. What was really said in the huddle with 15 seconds left? What's a coach's favorite memory about a player? What's the best prank played on a rival? Listen as we find the story BEHIND the story.MORE Producer/Network SportStars Magazine
Email ****@SportStarsMag.com
Location Concord, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.8/5Apple Reviews 4Twitter 8KInstagram 7.5K Avg Length 41 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

6. UnFictional

Play
Website Apple Spotify Episodes
In this season of Unfictional, Stories of Transformation, and the ways in which the world — and all of us — have fundamentally changed since the pandemic began. One man watched his children suddenly turn into grown-ups, while another upended every part of his life. Someone else had to learn to live with hardship and found their true identity along the way, all while living in two worlds. Meanwhile, a subculture ascends, one reporter explores Olvera Street, and another finds an old notebook filled with memories from his time in a cabin. It's UnFictional, hosted by Bob Carlson.MORE Host Bob Carlson
Producer/Network KCRW
Email ****@kcrw.org
Location Santa Monica, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.1/5Apple Reviews 1KFacebook 4.3KTwitter 2.9KInstagram 227.9K Avg Length 27 min Format Medium form Since Sep 2010 Get Email Contact

7. Place and Purpose

Play
Website Apple Spotify YouTube Episodes
Greg Sarris and Obi Kaufmann are storytellers for whom the chaos of the modern world is tempered by a deep connection to land, home and community. In this ground-breaking, 12-part, video-podcast, these two esteemed chroniclers of California's ancient wonder, explore the deepest questions of hope, culture, beauty, justice, time, and ecology. Recorded and broadcast live once per month, themes of the series revolve around the passing seasons and reflect on whether or not so many patterns of the past are unraveling in wake of a fast-approaching future...MORE Hosts Greg Sarris, Obi Kaufmann
Producer/Network Greg Sarris and Obi Kaufmann
Email ****@placeandpurpose.live
Location Los Angeles, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 17Facebook 134Instagram 599 Avg Length 75 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

8. Excursions in History, by Ken Bruce

Play
Website Apple Spotify Episodes
Kenneth R Bruce was known as 'Mr. Bruce' to thousands of history students that attended his classes at DeAnza College in Cupertino, California. His storytelling teaching style and unique perspectives on American history not only made his classes the largest and most popular lectures, but led to numerous awards and accolades. Mr. Bruce, who passed away in 2023, developed his own recording studio for capturing recorded narratives of key anecdotes in world history. The audio recordings in this pod cast represent Mr. Bruces collections of audio lessons, preserved for the whole world to enjoy.MORE Host Ken Bruce
Producer/Network Ken Bruce
Email ****@gmail.com
Location Cupertino, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 1 Avg Length 39 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

9. Lantern Theatre

Play
Website Apple Spotify Episodes
Lantern Theatre is a professional theatre company based out of Dana Point, California. All of our works are written in house and performed by professional actors. Out style is Shakespeare meets South Park. We strive to write in an elevated style, but our dramas inevitably succumb to the well-timed fart joke. MORE Producer/Network Lantern Theatre
Email ****@gmail.com
Location Dana Point, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 22Facebook 134 Avg Length 39 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

10. Aux on Fire Radio

Play
Website Spotify Episodes
Located right off of Hops Highway in beautiful Vista, California-- Aux on Fire Radio is an exploration in storytelling, and local music broadcasting. We invite guests to participate in storytelling, along with the opportunity to share narratives that revolve around a monthly theme. Hosted by Victor Arnoldo Perez, Aux on fire Radio is a Podcast that records live broadcasts in San Diego, California and beyond!! This platform forms partnerships with local businesses, restaurants, wineries, and lounges in Southern California.MORE Email ****@yahoo.com
Location San Diego, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Avg Length 21 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

11. Plan And Story

Play
Website Apple Spotify YouTube Episodes
'Plan And Story' podcast hosted by Carman Tyra continues storytelling traditions in a generation driven by emergent strategies and change. Rooted and broadcasting from the Muwekma Ohlone Bay Area in California, some stories will intersect, diverge, or be heard as they are still developing. May hearing these stories spark joy and community.MORE Host Carman Gaines
Producer/Network Carman Tyra
Email ****@gmail.com
Location San Jose, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Instagram 98 Avg Length 25 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

12. It's Funny Now Storytelling

Play
Website Spotify YouTube Episodes
Stories you are glad didn't happen to you.The best storytellers and comedians tell their stories they don't wish on anyone else. The pathetic, the cringe, the embarrassing, disgusting, shameful, terrifying, ridiculous; you name it, our performers have it all and it's funny now.MORE Email ****@gmail.com
Location Santa Monica, California, United States
Estimated listeners
Facebook 1.3KInstagram 873 Avg Length 13 min Format Short form Get Email Contact