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Artwork for KQED's Forum

KQED's Forum

KQED
California
Mental Health
Climate Change
Donald Trump
San Francisco
Trump Administration
ICE
Healthcare
Immigration Enforcement
Iran
Bay Area
Oakland
Poetry
Kaiser Permanente
Tariffs
Venezuela
United States
Sound Effects
2026
Long COVID

Forum tells remarkable and true stories about who we are and where we live. In the first hour, Alexis Madrigal convenes the diverse voices of the Bay Area, before turning to Mina Kim for the second hour to chronicle and center Californians’ experience. In an increasingly divided world, Mina and Alexis host conversations that inform, challenge and unify listeners with big ideas and different viewpo... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes3317Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsNews CommentaryPolitics

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Artwork for KQED's Forum

Latest Episodes

In the last month, about a dozen authors wrote to Forum saying they’d been messaged by a fraudster claiming to be Mina Kim. In exchange for a “small fee,” they’d be invited to talk about their book on the show. This is a new kind of impersonation sca... more

When President Trump sent troops into Iran, he did so without a green light from Congress. Now he faces a deadline on May 1 to either end the war in Iran or secure official approval from Congress. That timeline is laid out under the War Powers Resolu... more

The Supreme Court this week heard a case about Roundup, a weedkiller widely used in agriculture — and that tens of thousands claim has caused their cancer. Now a new investigation from Mother Jones reveals that Roundup is used across California by th... more

What happens when your hard drive gets fried and every photo documenting your kid’s life, or that novel you didn’t back up, or that cache of old emails documenting your first love affair is lost? After the scream of agony, who do you call? That’s wha... more

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Recent Guests

Alex Stamos
Cybersecurity expert, Chief Product Officer at Corridor, Stanford lecturer
Corridor, Stanford University
Episode: Anthropic’s New AI Mythos Is a Cybersecurity Game-Changer
Jordan Matsudaira
Professor, School of Public Affairs, American University; former deputy undersecretary and chief economist at the DOE
American University
Episode: Paying for Graduate School Is Going To Get Harder
Aissa Canchola Bañez
Policy Director
Protect Borrowers
Episode: Paying for Graduate School Is Going To Get Harder
Jessica Blake
Policy Reporter
Inside Higher Ed
Episode: Paying for Graduate School Is Going To Get Harder
Eileen Fry-Bowers
Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions
University of San Francisco
Episode: Paying for Graduate School Is Going To Get Harder
Suzan Song
Psychiatrist and humanitarian policy advisor; author of Why We Suffer and How We Heal
George Washington University; private practice
Episode: Rethinking Healing: Insights from Survivors of Extreme Trauma
Adrienne Freeman
Assistant Director for Communications for Fire and Aviation Management, US Forest Service
US Forest Service
Episode: CA Prepares for Early Wildfire Season Amidst Slashing of US Forest Service
Emma Baccellieri
Sports Illustrated staff writer and co-author of Court Queens
Sports Illustrated
Episode: Celebrating the Players That Made Women's Basketball
Jordan Robinson
Sports journalist, podcast host, and co-author of Court Queens
Court Queens (Book) / Women's Hoops Show
Episode: Celebrating the Players That Made Women's Basketball

Hosts

Mina Kim
Co-Host of Forum, focusing on storytelling and chronicling the Californians' experience.
Alexis Madrigal
Co-Host of Forum, known for convening diverse voices and facilitating engaging discussions.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 854 ratings
  • Ok when not discussing politics

    Great podcast with an array of good real life topics. The host and guest cover interesting subjects at depth. A narrative for leftist politics is deep with a little bit of an intrusive victim complex.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Aqui_16
    United States6 months ago
  • Please Alexis do not interrupt the guests while they were speaking

    Please do not interrupt the guest while they were speaking. You have them on because they have a level of knowledge that you do not have.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    boomer and proud of it
    United States8 months ago
  • Garbage

    I tried to listen to this and felt like I was getting dumber with every minute. Not worth the time. Hosts seem very low IQ.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    RA989
    United States8 months ago
  • g0dforbidi!!!

    what happened to asking follow up questions? are these hosts allergic to it?

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    silly_goose!
    United Statesa year ago
  • State media with a pro-genocide slant

    Posing as a current events discussion show, Forum managed to studiously ignore the largest news story of 2023-present, the so called “Israel-Gaza war.” Zero Palestinian guests were ever asked onto the program, which instead took its cues from the editorial staff of neo-conservative magazine The Atlantic (that same publication that once sold us Bush’s Iraq War, and whose editor recently colluded with Trump’s state department in a private chat about bombing Yemen). When Forum finally began to addr... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    melodie-c
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Some criticisms center on perceived biases in discussions, particularly concerning political viewpoints.
There's a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusivity, with guests featuring a wide range of voices.
Many appreciate the thoughtful and timely topics covered, particularly in relation to local issues.
Listeners value the engagement with current events, though there are mixed feelings about recent changes to the show's format.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#108
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#129
Philippines/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#192
Taiwan/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#196
Japan/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#224
Brazil/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#245
China/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Paying for Graduate School Is Going To Get Harder
Q: You have them in three buckets, loans, Pell Grants, and Do No Harm. Can you give us an overview of that landscape?
Jessica Blake explains the three main changes: loan caps that limit graduate borrowing, the expansion of Pell Grants to short-term training through Workforce Pell, and a new Do No Harm metric that ties program outcomes to continued access to federal loans, potentially cutting programs that don't produce higher earnings.
Anthropic’s New AI Mythos Is a Cybersecurity Game-Changer
Q: What are the implications for startups and the broader tech ecosystem?
There is concern that large incumbents controlling access to advanced models could squeeze startups, but there's also hope that measured access and responsible governance can foster a healthier ecosystem if large players support startups and share defensive insights.
Anthropic’s New AI Mythos Is a Cybersecurity Game-Changer
Q: How should industry and government respond in the absence of clear regulation?
Respond by accelerating defensive patching, moving to more ephemeral and scalable architectures, and encouraging trusted academic evaluations of Mythos' capabilities to establish credible benchmarks while maintaining responsible use.
Anthropic’s New AI Mythos Is a Cybersecurity Game-Changer
Q: What is Mythos capable of, and why is it seen as a potential risk and a defense simultaneously?
Mythos can identify vulnerabilities at a level that rivals or exceeds human testers and can also generate patches, enabling faster defense. The dual risk is that such power could be exploited by bad actors to automate cyberattacks, while the same tool could be used defensively to shore up defenses.
What Will it Take to End the War in Iran?
Q: What is the likelihood of a grand bargain versus a smaller, transactional deal?
The experts suggested there is a gap between rhetoric and reality; a grand bargain is uncertain, with discussions leaning toward a smaller, more transactional outcome, potentially accompanied by temporary memorandums rather than a full-fledged agreement.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Frequently Asked Questions About KQED's Forum

What is KQED's Forum about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content is centered around stimulating conversations that explore a wide array of news and current events, particularly issues relevant to the Bay Area and California. The episodes examine topics ranging from the commercial surrogacy industry to the dynamics of political parties, the latest in technology, as well as cultural discussions surrounding identity and community. Listeners can expect a mix of interviews with industry experts, journalistic insights, and opportunities for audience interaction, all contributing to a rich and informative experience. The hosts often highlight underrepresented voices, creating a platform for diverse perspectives on pressing societal matters.

Where can I find podcast stats for KQED's Forum?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for KQED's Forum. 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 KQED's Forum and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does KQED's Forum get?

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What are the audience demographics for KQED's Forum?

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How many subscribers and views does KQED's Forum have?

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Which podcasts are similar to KQED's Forum?

These podcasts share a similar audience with KQED's Forum:

1. Political Breakdown
2. City Arts & Lectures
3. Bay Curious
4. KQED's The California Report
5. Fresh Air

How many episodes of KQED's Forum are there?

KQED's Forum launched 21 years ago and published 3317 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 KQED's Forum?

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 KQED's Forum?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for KQED's Forum from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on KQED's Forum?

Recent guests on KQED's Forum include:

1. Alex Stamos
2. Jordan Matsudaira
3. Aissa Canchola Bañez
4. Jessica Blake
5. Eileen Fry-Bowers
6. Suzan Song
7. Adrienne Freeman
8. Emma Baccellieri

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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