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The Bay

Podcast · www.kqed.org/podcasts/thebay · US · EN
Hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra

The Bay is a news and analysis podcast from KQED, hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, that talks with local journalists about Bay Area and California news. It has about 1,000 episodes released Monday, Wednesday and Friday, typically 15 to 25 minutes long. Estimated downloads are 20,000 to 80,000 per episode, with a rate range of about $400 to $2,000 per mid-roll ad.

Why brands sponsor The Bay

Engaged Bay Area news audience of three weekly analytical episodes from KQED

  • Three episodes a week from KQED, with over 1,000 episodes in the archive.
  • Listeners include a large share of adults over 35 who follow regional politics and policy, estimated.
  • Apple Podcasts shows 444 ratings averaging 4.7 out of 5 stars.
Best forlocal services and regional brandscivic and nonprofit campaignsfinancial and real estate services
Watch forPolitical content runs heavy in recent episodes, so brand safety review is advisable.

Brand fit report

Content

Topics, IAB taxonomy
News55%
Politics35%
Business and Finance10%
Formats
interview, explainer, roundtable discussion
Tone
analytical, informative
Language
English
Production
Studio production
Typical length
15 to 25 minutes

Audience

Commercial intent20/100
Comments asking for links, prices or where to buy
Sentiment60/100
Estimated from titles, descriptions and engagement
Est. downloads per episode20k–80k
Estimated, confidence 60%: Apple ratings_count of 444 (band 200 to 1,000 shifted up for show age and cadence of three episodes a week), 1,000 episodes, KQED network publisher, Podcast Index popularity 9, and daily news niche.
Audience asks aboutWhat do the upcoming California propositions mean for me?How are local government and transit decisions affecting the Bay Area?What is the impact of federal actions on San Francisco and the region?
Age
10%18-24
25%25-34
25%35-44
40%45+
Gender
50%women
50%men
Countries
🇺🇸 United States95%
Other5%
LanguagesEnglish 100%

Commercial

0%of the last 20 episodes had a sponsor
None seenno sponsor mentions in the last 20 episodes
Brands seen
None yet
Categories promoted
None yet
Affiliate links
No

No sponsor mentions found in the feed

Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability

Profanitylow
Adultlow
Drugslow
Violencelow
Politicshigh

Family friendly
Recent titles cover California ballot propositions, federal administration actions and transit measures, which is political content flagged as high for political suitability.

We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.

Where to listen

Benchmark score: 39 / 100

Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.

Consistency Latest episode within the usual cadence0 / 50
Activity Episodes in the last 90 days, weekly is full marks30 / 30
Reach Estimated downloads per episode, 20k is full marks20 / 20

Recent episodes

Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 3 days ago, a new one about every 1 days.

Bay Area-raised host Ericka Cruz Guevarra talks with local journalists about what’s happening in the greatest region in the country. It’s the context and analysis you need to make sense of the news, with help from the people who know it best. New episodes drop Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings.
The Bay's own show description from the podcast feed

Do you make The Bay? Claim or remove this page.

About The Bay

The Bay is a news and analysis podcast from KQED, the public media organization in San Francisco. Host Ericka Cruz Guevarra talks with local journalists about what is happening across the Bay Area and California, with recent episodes focused on statewide ballot propositions, transit, housing and federal actions in the region, according to the show description and episode titles in the feed.

The show has published about 1,000 episodes since October 2019 and releases on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, with a median episode length of roughly 17 minutes. On Apple Podcasts it has 444 ratings averaging 4.7 out of 5 stars. Audience size is an estimate: based on ratings and the show's cadence, we estimate 20,000 to 80,000 downloads per episode, and listeners are likely adults who follow regional news and politics. No sponsors were seen in the feed.

At an estimated 20,000 to 80,000 downloads per episode, a host-read mid-roll ad would be priced at roughly $400 to $2,000 per episode. That buys access to a regional news audience and suits local services, civic campaigns and financial brands that want a credible news context.

Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. The Bay can edit or remove this page at any time.

Questions about The Bay

How much does The Bay charge for a podcast sponsorship?

Based on estimated downloads of 20,000 to 80,000 per episode, a host-read mid-roll ad is estimated at roughly $400 to $2,000 per episode. Final pricing depends on placement and terms agreed with the show.

What is The Bay about?

The Bay is a KQED news podcast hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. It features conversations with local journalists about Bay Area and California news, politics and policy, with analysis of current events.

How do I contact The Bay about sponsoring an episode?

The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can be booked through Starbooked.

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