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Bay Curious

KQED
San Francisco
California
KQED
San Francisco Bay
Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
Oakland
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
World War II
Climate Change
BART
Proposition 2
Alameda
Presidio
Sex Work
Gold Rush
Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs
Affordable Housing
Housing Crisis
Golden Gate Park

Bay Curious is a show about your questions – and the adventures you find when you go looking for the answers. Join host Olivia Allen-Price to explore all aspects of the San Francisco Bay Area – from the debate over "Frisco", to the dinosaurs that once roamed California, to the causes of homelessness. Whether you lived here your whole life, or just arrived, Bay Curious will deepen your understandin... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes548Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Places & TravelHistorySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Bay Curious

Latest Episodes

The Bay Area has long been associated with countercultural movements — whether it was the Beats of the 1950s, the hippies of the 1960s or the Black Panthers of the 1970s. But often overlooked in that long tradition of local subcultures is the emergen... more

The California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, requires state and local agencies to consider the environmental impact of public and private projects. Prop 45 on the 2026 California ballot would change CEQA by speeding up environmental reviews for... more

Proposition 44 on the 2026 California ballot would require private non-profit health clinics serving the lowest income Californians to spend 90% of their revenue on medical services. If they do not, they would pay fees.

Additional Resources:

• Re... more

Proposition 43 on the 2026 California ballot would increase the vote threshold to pass new local taxes earmarked for special causes.

Additional Resources:

• Read the transcript for this episode

• Catch up on all of Prop Fest 2026

• Sign up ... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Laura Klivans
KQED climate reporter
KQED
Episode: Prop 45: Faster Environmental Reviews for Certain Projects
Lesley McClurg
KQED Health Correspondent
KQED
Episode: Prop 44: Health Clinic Spending Requirements
Guy Marzorati
KQED politics and government correspondent
KQED
Episode: Prop 43: Special Tax Voter Threshold
Josh Rau
Stanford University Finance Professor and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution
Stanford University/Hoover Institution
Episode: Prop 42: Bans New State Taxes on Investments and Personal Property
Marisa Lagos
KQED political correspondent and co-host of Political Breakdown
KQED
Episode: Prop 42: Bans New State Taxes on Investments and Personal Property
Izzy Bloom
Reporter from KQED Politics Desk
KQED
Episode: Prop 39: Requires Voters Show ID to Cast A Ballot
Adhiti Bandlamudi
Housing reporter at KQED
KQED
Episode: Prop 1: Affordable Housing Bond
Nancy Pelosi
Former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
United States Congress
Episode: Bay Curious Presents: The Speaker
Carly Severn
KQED's senior editor of Audience News
KQED
Episode: The Best Scary Movies Set in the Bay Area

Host

Olivia Allen-Price
Host of Bay Curious

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Love this show

    I look forward to each installment and have listened to it since it started. Such interesting stories about the fabulous Bay Area!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dembelkee
    United States2 months ago
  • So interesting!

    Look forward to this show every week! Keep teaching me things about the place I love to call home!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    EZMC213
    United States5 months ago
  • What’s not to love?

    As a Bay Area native who now lives outside of California, I love listening to Bay Curious for its creative storytelling and robust history that keeps me connected to the Bay. Keep up the outstanding work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BayAreaOkie
    United States5 months ago
  • Disappointing

    I've tried for some time to find the value in this podcast. I'm very interested in the subject as a local historian. However the use of journalists to summarize academic or learned perspectives is rarely a good idea, especially here. The journalists get things wrong, draw strange conclusions to fill in blanks and ignore nuance. And of course the voice affectations and intent to keep an honest tone (rather than focus on the content, getting it right and presenting something for the listener to co... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Stay Fat
    United States5 months ago
  • Drawbridges of Alameda

    I’m a huge fan of Bay Curious for several years now. The episode on the drawbridges of Alameda was unexpectedly… lovely.

    Thank you !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MessyEm
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many appreciate the mix of historical context with fresh reporting.
Listeners praise the local-focus and storytelling quality.
Positive feedback often mentions accessibility and community feel.
Fans highlight the show's ability to surface lesser-known Bay Area stories.
Some critiques note variable pacing or editorial style across episodes.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

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Prop 42: Bans New State Taxes on Investments and Personal Property
Q: What is Prop 42 about?
Prop 42 prohibits new state personal property taxes and retroactive taxes on monetary assets, aiming to protect retirement accounts and potentially block a wealth tax, while opponents argue it undermines the ability to tax wealth in the future.
Prop 43: Special Tax Voter Threshold
Q: What exactly does Prop 43 change for measures placed on the ballot by citizens?
Prop 43 would require a two-thirds approval for any local special tax placed on the ballot by citizen signatures, effectively restoring the higher standard that existed before recent court decisions expanded the ability to pass these taxes with a simple majority.
Prop 43: Special Tax Voter Threshold
Q: How much support do you think something should have to pass?
Two-thirds support for special taxes that are earmarked to specific uses, especially when placed on the ballot via signature gathering, to ensure broad consensus and guard against rushed local tax increases.
Prop 2: The Rainy Day Fund
Q: How would Prop 2 affect debt repayment?
Prop 2 would allow money set aside to pay down debts to be used for a broader range of debts, including federal unemployment loans from the COVID period, expanding the state's ability to reduce obligations.
Prop 2: The Rainy Day Fund
Q: Who supported or opposed Prop 2 and why does that matter for voters?
Support comes largely from Governor Newsom and the California Democratic Party, arguing the measure strengthens budget stability; opposition from some Republicans and anti-tax groups contends it shortchanges taxpayers by reducing refunds when revenues are high.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Bay Curious

What is Bay Curious about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Bay Curious delivers compact, story-driven explorations of the San Francisco Bay Area, blending history, culture, and infrastructure with on-the-ground reporting. Episodes span urban legends, public works, Indigenous histories, transportation networks, and local subcultures, often anchored by questions from listeners. A notable strength is the show's ability to connect niche Bay Area topics—like beaver-street climbing history, ferries, or public art—to broader themes such as community memory, design, and regional identity, all through a consistently accessible storytelling voice and expert guests. The format tends to favor exploratory journalism that educates while celebrating local curiosity, making it appealing to listeners who want bite-... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Bay Curious?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Bay Curious:

1. The Bay
2. East Bay Yesterday
3. KQED's The California Report
4. KQED's Forum
5. Political Breakdown

How many episodes of Bay Curious are there?

Bay Curious launched 10 years ago and published 548 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Bay Curious?

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What guests have appeared on Bay Curious?

Recent guests on Bay Curious include:

1. Laura Klivans
2. Lesley McClurg
3. Guy Marzorati
4. Josh Rau
5. Marisa Lagos
6. Izzy Bloom
7. Adhiti Bandlamudi
8. Nancy Pelosi

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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