The Documentary Podcast Podcast
Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can make sense of the world. Home of the best documentaries from the BBC World Service.
Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world. Home of the best documentaries from the BBC World Service.
From the impact of drought on crops, tourism and trade, to Africa's first film city, to the Romanian teenagers who built a DIY internet...we go beyond the headlines.
Each week we look at the stories shaping our world and hear voices connecting people from across the globe, asking how news stories are shaping their lives. We also follow spiritual journeys, examine the world through the lens of its media and focus on solutions to global problems.
Episodes to download
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Heart and Soul: Ladino - Saving Greece’s ancient Jewish language
Fri 23 Feb 2024
How the language of Thessaloniki’s Jews disappeared
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Assignment: Pakistan - journalists under fire
Thu 22 Feb 2024
Journalists in Pakistan speak of coming under threat for criticising the authorities
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Trending: The new fight for land rights
Wed 21 Feb 2024
How indigenous Malaysians are using technology and social media to assert land rights
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Two Years of War: Voices from Russia
Tue 20 Feb 2024
Oleg Boldyrev on how ordinary Russians are dealing with life in a country at war.
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In the Studio: Vik Muniz
Mon 19 Feb 2024
Brazilian artist Vik Muniz likes to trap and fool his audience with trickery and illusion
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World Wide Waves '24
Sun 18 Feb 2024
For this year's World Radio Day, we celebrate women in community radio
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Bonus: The Global Jigsaw - Does Russia’s election matter?
Sat 17 Feb 2024
Putin’s re-election is certain, but there is still a lot at stake for the Kremlin
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BBC OS Conversations: The earthquake in Turkey and Syria – one year on
Sat 17 Feb 2024
Reuniting with a family trying to rebuild their lives.
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Bonus: HARDtalk - Alexey Navalny: The interview
Fri 16 Feb 2024
Stephen Sackur interviewed Alexey Navalny in 2017.His death has been reported by Russia.
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Heart and Soul: The killer's counsel
Fri 16 Feb 2024
Psychiatrist Gwen Adshead reflects on her faith and working with violent offenders
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Assignment: Tempting fate - Istanbul's earthquake dilemma
Thu 15 Feb 2024
Emily Wither reports from Istanbul on the threat of an earthquake striking the city
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Trending: The Mexican mayor and a deepfake scandal
Wed 14 Feb 2024
How a mayor in Mexico became embroiled in a deepfake audio scandal
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Reporting Greece
Tue 13 Feb 2024
We investigate the increasing threats to journalists’ ability to report freely in Europe.
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In the Studio: Jon Foreman
Mon 12 Feb 2024
Land artist Jon Foreman takes us through the creation of a new work in Pembrokeshire
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Bonus: The Global Story
Sun 11 Feb 2024
Could Taylor Swift swing the US election? – The Global Story
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Bonus: Sportshour at the Super Bowl Las Vegas edition
Sat 10 Feb 2024
The inspirational and personal stories behind the Las Vegas Super Bowl
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BBC OS Conversations: Deepfake attacks
Sat 10 Feb 2024
How an AI scam phone call has had a lasting effect on a family.
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Heart and Soul: Religion in the 21st century - Buddhism (episode 3)
Fri 9 Feb 2024
What does it mean to be a Buddhist today?
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Assignment: Is Ireland’s reputation for tolerance under threat?
Thu 8 Feb 2024
Tensions are rising in Ireland over the increasing number of refugees
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Bonus: Killer drug: Fentanyl in Mexico and the US
Wed 7 Feb 2024
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid made in Mexico is destroying lives in Mexico and the U.S.A.
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Trending: Serbia’s real life ‘bots’
Wed 7 Feb 2024
Does Serbia’s ruling SNS party command the online activity of a small army of citizens?
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In the Studio: Awais Khan - Overcoming writer’s block
Mon 5 Feb 2024
Discovering Awais’s radical solution to find the right words.
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Bonus: The Global Story
Sun 4 Feb 2024
Elon Musk says Chinese electric vehicles could destroy competition - The Global Story
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BBC OS Conversations: Leaving Gaza
Sat 3 Feb 2024
Life in a Gaza hospital and the guilt of leaving loved-ones behind.
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Heart and Soul: Religion in the 21st Century - Hindus (episode 2 of 3)
Fri 2 Feb 2024
What does it mean to be a young Hindu in 2024?
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Assignment: Spain, the kiss and the culture war
Thu 1 Feb 2024
Has feminism gone too far? A world cup kiss that set a match to Spanish gender relations
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Trending: Power
Wed 31 Jan 2024
Trending investigates a sprawling network of fake social media accounts in Uganda.
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The Israeli hostages
Tue 30 Jan 2024
People who survived the 7 October attacks in Israel by Hamas describe how events unfolded
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In the Studio: Shoeshine Caddie
Mon 29 Jan 2024
A new documentary about homelessness by filmmaker, Leonard Manzella.