Sam Sanders (journalist) facts for kids

Sam Sanders (born August 1984) is an American journalist and podcast host. He is well-known for hosting engaging podcasts. Sam is a co-host of the Vibe Check podcast. He also hosts and produces The Sam Sanders Show for NPR station KCRW. Before this, he launched and hosted NPR's It's Been a Minute. He also hosted Into It, a culture podcast from Vulture.

Sam's Early Life and Education

Sam Sanders was born in New Braunfels, Texas. He grew up in the San Antonio area. His parents are Regina and Ruben Sanders. He has three older brothers.

Sam went to Samuel Clemens High School in Schertz, Texas. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music and political science. This was from the University of the Incarnate Word in 2007. Later, he earned a master's degree in public policy. He got this from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Sam's Career in Journalism

While in graduate school, Sam became interested in radio journalism. He worked as an intern at the WBUR program On Point.

He joined NPR in 2009 as a Kroc Fellow. He then worked as a field producer and covered breaking news. In 2015, he joined NPR's Election unit. He covered the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign. He also helped start the NPR Politics Podcast. In 2017, he created and hosted It’s Been a Minute. This was a popular culture podcast and radio show at NPR.

After 12 years, Sam left NPR in 2022. He joined Vulture to host a pop culture podcast called Into It. The company that owned Vulture, Vox Media, stopped the show in October 2023.

In August 2022, Sam launched a new podcast. It was with Sirius XM's Stitcher and called Vibe Check. This podcast focuses on news and culture from a Black and queer perspective. Sam co-hosts it with Zach Stafford and Saeed Jones.

In October 2024, Sam returned to public radio. He launched The Sam Sanders Show on NPR station KCRW in Los Angeles. This show covers pop culture and things people enjoy in their free time. The show started on air and YouTube with guests Joel Kim Booster and Sasheer Zamata.

Sam's Personal Life

Sam Sanders lives in Los Angeles, California. He lives with his two dogs, Zora and Wesley Snipes. Sam is open about being part of the LGBTQ+ community.