Are the preachers of this era included in the generality of the noble Hadith: "There will be among my Ummah a people called Al-Qussas (storytellers/preachers), whose deeds will not be raised to Allah as long as they are in those gatherings of theirs"?

The aforementioned hadith (definition) has a weak chain of transmission. Some of the early Muslims (Salaf) disliked storytelling for several reasons: that the people were focused on emulation and adherence (to the Sunnah (definition)); that reliable reports from previous generations were rare; that preoccupation with stories distracted from the important matters of reciting the Qur’an and understanding the religion; that the Qur’an and Sunnah were sufficient without other things whose authenticity could not be confirmed; that some people introduced into the religion what was not part of it; and that the majority of storytellers did not seek accuracy due to their limited knowledge and piety.

However, if a scholar preaches, and one who knows the authentic from the inauthentic tells stories, then there is no dislike. And whoever is free from the afflictions of self-admiration, corrupt intentions, seeking worldly gains, and affectation and pretension, then he is upon good.