Documentaries & Specials
Each month, the BBC World Service offers new documentaries and specials selected specifically for U.S. audiences, with in-depth, relevant reporting. Typically one-hour, or two half-hours on a similar topic, they offer great content for any time of day, and satisfy audiences' needs for deeper narratives and more reflective listening.
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The Forum: Magazines
Air window: August 23 - September 19, 2025
One hour
Magazines grew out of some of the early forays that the invention of printing made possible, such as pamphlets and almanacs. To begin with, magazines were the preserve of an elite who could afford to pay for them. But as time went on, the cost of paper fell, printing technology became more streamlined, literacy improved and would-be publishers spotted an opportunity to connect with audiences hungry for information and entertainment.
Magazines found a place to appeal to all types of interest, in the same way that the internet does today. In their heyday the y attracted some of the best writers such as Charles Dickens and Ernest Hemingway, sometimes acting as a vehicle to establish literary careers. Later magazines were to be come the go-to place for quality photography and design.
Falling advertising revenues have largely contributed to the decline of printed magazines, as well as editions moving online. However some have found a way of reinventing themselves in the 21st century.
Iszi Lawrence is joined by a panel of guests to discuss the rise and evolution of magazines, including the Lebanese consultant Samir Husni who founded the Magazine Innovation Centre at the University of Mississippi in the United States.
World Book Club: Sherlock Holmes Special
Air window: September 6 - October 5, 2025
One hour
Join us for a special episode of World Book Club as we journey into the fog-shrouded moors of Devon to explore The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle— arguably the most iconic and enduring novel in the Sherlock Holmes canon. First published in 1902, this gothic masterpiece has captivated readers for over a century and remains a cornerstone of detective fiction.
World Questions: Greece
Air window: September 13 - October 10, 2025
One hour
Jonny Dymond is joined by a panel of leading Greek politicians and analysts who will debate their country's big issues. The program is recorded in front of a live audience, who put their questions to the panel in Athens.
Digital Dolittles: Talking to the animals?
Air window: September 20 - October 17, 2025
One hour
Humans have always dreamed of talking to other animals. Some hold out the promise that AI and new technologies could help us to communicate with elephants, bats or whales in their own sonic terms. We listen in and ask, Is that really possible? And if so, what would we say?
The Global Jigsaw: Nuclear tensions in the Middle East
Air window: October 4 - October 31, 2025
One hour
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hasn’t just threatened to redraw the map of Europe - it has transformed the global security landscape. The ripple effects have been felt way beyond the borders of the continent, reigniting fears not felt since the Cold War - of a new nuclear arms race.
In this episode of The Global Jigsaw we take stock of the narratives in the nuclear hotspot of the world - the Middle East. We go back to the beginnings of nuclear ambitions in the region, assess the reasons why countries want to go nuclear and weigh up the consequences for the world today.
World Questions: Peru
Air window: October 11 - November 7, 2025
One hour
Peru’s economy bounced back from the pandemic and is now one of the fastest growing in the world. But organized crime is surging, homicides have soared and complaints of extortion have almost quadrupled in the last three years. Political instability is a long-running problem and most of Peru’s Presidents this century have been jailed for corruption. Can the country achieve more stability and build its democracy at the same time? Can Peru restore law and order without sacrificing human rights?
And in a country where twenty-five percent of the population is indigenous, and which stretches from arid Pacific plains to the Amazon rainforest and the peaks of the Andes, how can it exploit its resources and protect its extraordinary diversity?
The Evidence: Weight loss jabs - A medical game changer?
Air window: October 18 - November 14, 2025
One hour
Medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy are proven to be highly effective for weight management. They are also increasingly being found to treat other conditions and reduce the risk of disease, promising health benefits far beyond the treatment of obesity. But these drugs generally need to be continued for weight loss to be maintained, so there are big questions to be answered about their use and significant challenges to overcome around access and availability.
In front of a live audience at the Wellcome Collection in London, Claudia and her guests explore the potential and negatives of weight loss injections and ask whether they really are the next wonder drug.
A People’s History of Gaza
Air window: October 25 - November 21, 2025
One hour
An oral history of Gaza, from the creation of the Strip in 1948 to the eve of the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, told through the experiences of ordinary people - a teacher, a doctor, a smuggler, a bird-watcher, a musician and others. Tim Whewell finds out how Gazans survived exile, invasions, wars and blockade, how hopes for peace rose and fell, how they lived, worked and died over 80 years - under Egypt, Israel, and Hamas.
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