Rephonic
Artwork for Disaster Area

Disaster Area

Jennifer Matarese
Pan Am Flight 103
San Francisco
Lockerbie
Terrorism
1906 Great Earthquake
North Hollywood Shootout
Dan-Air Flight 0034
Eschede Train Disaster
Society Of the Snow
Peshtigo Fire
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571
Chinese Exclusion Act
Chinatown
Muammar Gaddafi
Aviation Safety
Disaster Preparedness
Enrico Caruso
Ice Train 884
Syracuse University
Gun Violence

A podcast about disasters throughout history - what caused them, how people survived, and how we've responded to keep those disasters from happening again.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes281Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureHistory

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Disaster Area

Latest Episodes

NOTE: This was released in May of 2025, but due to life being what it is, I didn't get to finish the final two parts of the episode. So I am rereleasing this episode this week, and the next two weeks I will release the following two episodes. I have ... more

2001 was not the only year in which something tragic occurred on September 11th. On that day in 1974, eighty-two people would board a plane from Charleston, South Carolina, to Charlotte, North Carolina. Only ten would survive.

Videos:

• 9/11/74:... more

King Henry I of England had grand plans for the future of his sole legitimate male heir, William Aetheling. None of those plans would come to pass.

Articles and books:

• The Sinking Of The White Ship 1120

• The White Ship, by Charles Spencer more

On a cold April night in 1865, the calm across the waters of the Mississippi River was shattered by a sudden explosion - one which destroyed a steamboat and most of the Confederate POWs crowded on its decks.

Videos:

• Remember the Sultana

• The... more

Key Facts

Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Strange and Unexplained with Daisy Eagan
Strange and Unexplained with Daisy EaganStrange and Unexplained with Daisy Eagan
Criminology
CriminologyEmash Digital & Mike Ferguson, Mike Morford
Swindled
SwindledA Concerned Citizen

Host

Jennifer Matarese
Host with deep-dive research into historical disasters and public health, often blending personal anecdotes and commentary.

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 2k ratings
  • Thank you

    I’ve been listening since the podcast started, easily my favourite. You make nightshifts go by faster! Thank you

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    chelsealynn1421
    Canadaa month ago
  • Love it

    I love to listen to historical stuff and this podcast I love to listen too. Those who says it’s political need to get over yourself. She’s stating facts and then gives her opinion on things. God forbid a woman give her opinion he’ll let alone have an opinion. 🙄. (Yes I’m being sarcastic lol) People need to get over themselves. Keep creating an amazing podcast! I’ve been recommending your podcast to everyone!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lunarose187
    United States2 months ago
  • lovely stuff

    i never leave reviews but the 1/5 star reviews because of your (correct) political opinions were so annoying i needed to do something. incredible work, i’ve thoroughly enjoyed every episode i’ve listened thus far :)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dishwashings
    United States3 months ago
  • New. Had to stop listening

    You have a lovely voice, and I was excited to listen to the episode! Unfortunarely I turned it off because your intro was a bit long, and there's no need to mention all your social media outlets or talk about how donations will buy you snacks — listeners already know all of this in today's social media world. Get to the episode at the get-go- chat midway.

    I give you five stars for being a female entrepreneur doing something you love.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LvMyWesties
    United States4 months ago
  • So great

    I absolutely love this podcast! I love historical disasters and I have done multiple high school projects from episodes on here, and have gotten A’s on them. Thank you SO MUCH for this podcast and keep on making great episodes Jennifer!

    P.S. My AP Historical Tragedies teachers is now hooked on this podcast lol!

    Edit: some people will hate me for this but the episode where you talked about the SS Princess Sophia and you started taking about the German wings pilot and went to your own mental h... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alex Tyrrell
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the host's deep research and clear storytelling, which makes obscure disasters engaging.
Some drop-off on long digressions, but many praise the host's subject-mavoring voice and thoroughness.
A niche favorite for history buffs who want both factual detail and personal perspective in disasters.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#241
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#216
Australia/History

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per EpisodeGender SkewLocation
InterestsProfessionsAge Range
Household IncomeSocial Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Disaster Area

What is Disaster Area about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A history-focused show exploring disaster events across time, unpacking causes, survival, and responses to prevent repeats. Episodes mix detailed case histories with personal storytelling, often tying incidents to broader social, political, and public health themes. The host's thorough research and engaging narration are frequently highlighted, though some listeners note lengthy digressions and occasional political commentary. Noteworthy is the creator's willingness to blend rigorous analysis with personal perspective, and the show's breadth—from maritime catastrophes to medical mishaps and mass shootings, appealing to listeners who enjoy deep dives into historical crises and their lessons for today.

Where can I find podcast stats for Disaster Area?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Disaster Area. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Disaster Area and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Disaster Area get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Disaster Area, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Disaster Area?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Disaster Area, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Disaster Area have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Disaster Area has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Disaster Area?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Disaster Area:

1. Generation Why: True Crime
2. Against The Odds
3. Strange and Unexplained with Daisy Eagan
4. Criminology
5. Swindled

How many episodes of Disaster Area are there?

Disaster Area launched 10 years ago and published 281 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 Disaster Area?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Disaster Area?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Disaster Area from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Disaster Area?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Disaster Area. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days