Radley Balko

ProofPodcast

Proof is fearless journalism with a healthy dose of empathy.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

EarwitnessPodcast

She did an incredible job — better than I could have done — and uncovered a ton of important new evidence.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Crooked City: Youngstown, OhioPodcast

I'll listen to just about anything hosted by Mark Smerling. This is one of his best.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Public DefenselessPodcast

But if you are into this stuff, as I am, it's endlessly informative.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Tides of HistoryPodcast

Speaking of nerdy stuff, this podcast by historian Patrick Wyman is excellent.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

AdmissiblePodcast

It's as haunting and damning an indictment of the criminal justice system as you'll find.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Bear BrookPodcast

The first season of this outstanding podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio attempts to identify and figure what happened to four bodies found in a barrel in a state park.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

SerialPodcast

But I think you could make a strong case that the third season, documenting a year in the criminal court system in Cleveland, Ohio, is the most important podcast season yet recorded.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

CriminalPodcast

Though it's often categorized as "True Crime," Criminal is thoughtful, nuanced, and addictively interesting.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

In the DarkPodcast

Another landmark investigate podcast.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

I'm Not a MonsterPodcast

Baker is a seasoned reporter and a gifted storyteller, both of which make it difficult to stop listening to this one. I finished it in a few days.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Everything Is AlivePodcast

That's the goofy premise of this hilarious, surprisingly informative, often moving podcast.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Fall of CivilizationsPodcast

I can't think of a podcast in which the narrators' voice is a better fit with the subject matter.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

A History of Rock Music in 500 SongsPodcast Andrew Hickey

I've learned a lot from this podcast.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Trump, Inc.Podcast

This is the gold standard of audio journalism. Just top-notch stuff.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

The History of RomePodcast

So you have to be pretty into the history. But if you are, it's incredibly nourishing.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Dolly Parton's AmericaPodcast

Dolly Parton's America is a wonderful dive into the career and influence of (almost) everyone's favorite country music icon.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

WitnessedPodcast

I particularly liked three seasons of this series from from Campside Media.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Alphabet BoysPodcast

No one owns the FBI informant beat like Trevor Aaronson.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Chameleon: Dr. DantePodcast

It's an absolutely bonkers story.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Mike Birbiglia's Working It OutPodcast

A fascinating glimpse into the comedy workd.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

The Taskmaster PodcastPodcast

Host Ed Gamble chats with current and former taskmaster contestants about a given episode and its component tasks.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Dan Snow's History HitPodcast

Another terrific history podcast, this time with British historian Dan Snow.

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Bone ValleyPodcast

King is a dogged and thorough reporter, and despite the clear injustice he's laying out, his narration is calm and measured.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

The Coldest Case in LaramiePodcast

Barker followed the facts where they led her, even as they took her someplace she didn't expect.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

SuspectPodcast

Shaer, who narrates the podcast, explores familiar themes like inadequate defense counsel, prosecutorial tunnel vision, and racial bias in a tight, disciplined arc.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

CrimetownPodcast

I wish this one would come back for more seasons.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

The AncientsPodcast

But I've found most of them to be consistently great.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Real DictatorsPodcast

Host Paul McGann traces the arc of various dictators with narratives that typically span four to six episodes per dictator.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

California CityPodcast

An gobsmacking story from journalist Emily Guerin about how California real estate developers conned people

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

RevolutionsPodcast

I'm still making my way through Revolutions, also from Duncan, which tells the story of various revolutions throughout history, from Haiti to France to the Bolsheviks and Simon Bolivar. It's also great.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

Hidden BrainPodcast

Think of it as a science-backed self-help podcast disguised as a wonky show about the brain.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

The DailyPodcast

Collectively, these roughly half hour episodes are the best cheat sheets on current events around.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

UnrulyBook David Mitchell

Uh, David Mitchell, the British comedian, has a book came out, I think maybe a year or two ago called Unruly, which somehow manages to make a history of of medieval age British royalty, uh, interesting and funny. Um, and so it's kind of a review of sort of all the early British or English kings, um, but in his kind of style. Uh, which I found it very endearing.

Answering The Ezra Klein Show's closing question, three books to recommend, in “Trump Is Building His Own Paramilitary Force” (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-radley-balko.html). Quoted from the episode's YouTube auto-captions.

2025-08-27·youtube.com ↗

Ernie's SecretPodcast

From Wesley Lowery, Ernie's Secret is a historical investigation of the legacy of Ernest Withers

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

The Kids of Rutherford CountyPodcast

A terrifying investigation into how one judge oversaw the illegal jailling of countless kids in a suburb of Nashville

"Listen to these podcasts, 2024 edition": podcasts he enjoyed over the past year, in The Watch.

2024-05-01·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

MurdervillePodcast

I'll start this one by disclosing that my wife Liliana Segura is co-narrator and co-reporter on this one, along with her colleague Jordan Smith.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

A Tradition of ViolencePodcast

If you're looking for the definitive oral history of how criminal gangs came to dominate the L.A. Sheriff's Department, this is it.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗

UnreformedPodcast

Unreformed is a needed reminder that people whose lives were ruined by explicit, unambiguous, unapologetic, state-sponsored racism still live among us.

"Listen to these podcasts": his recommendations of criminal-justice and other podcasts, in The Watch.

2023-04-26·radleybalko.substack.com ↗