The Documentary Podcast

by BBC World Service
1,508
Personal Journals #30

A window into our world, through in-depth storytelling from the BBC. Investigating, reporting and uncovering true stories from everywhere. Award-winning journalism, unheard voices, amazing culture and global issues.

From the debate over abortion in the US, to voices from the Middle East conflict, to climate change in Somalia, The Documentary investigates major global stories.

We delve into social media, take you into the minds of the world’s most creative people and explore personal approaches to spirituality. Every week, we also bring together people from around the globe to discuss how news stories are affecting their lives.

A new episode most days, all year round. From our BBC World Service teams at: Assignment, Heart and Soul, In the Studio, OS Conversations, The Fifth Floor and Trending.

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Recent Reviews
  • Lalindia
    Mixed quality
    I often like these shows but the episode on the Malayalam film industry had the supposed expert not knowing the name of the language of the film industry she was going to talk about. Embarrassing.
  • Visen
    Embarrassing
    I just listened to a documentary about a break dancer, who is presumably white, who is going going through the tough time of dealing with “important feelings” about appropriation of this “art form”. Then I stopped the podcast. Idiocracy is here.
  • avm1406
    3 million
    Kavita Puri’s new show on the bengal famine is outstanding….binge worthy and deeply moving. The music is beautiful yet evocative of this terrible tragedy deliberately and callously created by the colonial British chiefly Churchill.
  • blindGuyJoe
    2/11/2024
    Can you believe, a blind guy like me, yet I could see, the art by the sea.
  • NeverBored.
    Fabulous research and interviews.
    Polar Silk Road podcasts are sensational. I listen to all the Documentary pods.
  • Elvis bleezy
    lol
    the title of the current episode is “Kenya’s free money experiment.” at first glance I seriously read it as “Kanye’s free money experiment.” lololllllllll
  • Comendadordehoje
    Billion Dollar scam
    Generally The Documentary is a terrific podcast and I give it five stars but for this one which gets one. What is most annoying is the glottal or vocal fry of the journalist who did the “billion dollar scam” episode. The baby talk along with the vocal fry strikes immense dissonance with the nature of the podcast and, moreover, a serious organization like the BBC. It grates on the ears and the mind. PLEASE, can we ask these journalists to speak in their normal voice and without this contrived affectation that originated in Hollywood? It’s nauseating, interferes with the content and had me turning off the episode. Thank you.
  • 😉💙🙃
    12 November 2022 Qatar
    How do expats feel about the classes and their rights? Qatar is highly supported by the expat’s that keep the country running, and allow these women their positions in society. These women are living a fairytale. The toll must eventually be payed for this extortion of others, nothing is free…
  • honolululistenet
    Speaking in a echoing tin can
    Such intriguing content,But quite difficult to listen to due to poor sound quality.
  • Don'tTakeThisNickname
    Family arguments episode
    I was surprised your interviewer didn’t at least ask your Florida guest to clarify some of his assertions about Covid the state. All the data seem to show Florida in the middle or better for US states, and some states with strict measures doing far worse. I understand it wasn’t meant to be a challenging interview but why not set the record straight?
  • Donalddragon
    Cheating scandal
    I watch the olympics exactly zero minutes. I don’t pay attention at all. Yet I’m transfixed by the ongoing series on the Paralympic cheating scandal and can’t wait for the next episode. It is a sign of excellence of the entire podcast and the bbc commitment to excellence, and also the amazing work of that particular series.
  • Fiddle Fan
    Topics
    Intellectually challenged in para-Olympics. Really? Why?
  • susician
    Lol
    North Korean communists in Saigon? I think I missed that in history class. But seriously, I like the unique deep dives on this podcast.
  • vessel10
    In depth
    Really appreciated episode titled “Bad business”. In depth and truly interesting. First episode of this podcast I really enjoyed and would enjoy more hard core documentaries that are not about covid, race, LGBT issues, or the disenfranchised. Although these issues are important, they have to be kept into context of other very important developments and analysis in our global society. Thank you.
  • Mevashel
    All bad news
    The most depressing podcast
  • Nicolettesurlaplage
    Dance Divas
    Loved this podcast, parts one and two. Admired the decision to feature the creative female POC behind dance music revolutions across two decades. Learned so much. Well done!
  • ravenarchangel25
    Coronavirus: Loss of smell
    It was nice to listen to people sharing their lasting COVID symptoms even after recovering which I, myself, had been having difficulty in accepting. There are certain instances when my friends and family do not believe that my sense of smell has really been compromised, which has made me sort of question my own judgements. I felt more relieved to know that I am not the only one going through the same.
  • sitoth1st
    Supplementing Knowledge
    Enjoy most podcasts on this stream....current events and unique subjects....
  • hjhhhgft
    Stop with the covid stuff
    Would be a great channel, except it’s all focused on covid.
  • LiveuptoitAmerica-MLKjr
    Normally Non-Divisive
    I was enjoying the rather apolitical nature of the podcast (in comparison to American news outlets) up until A Constitutional Conversation.
  • tuneherout
    Declining interest
    Good podcast, like the diverse topics... stopped listening recently because it’s all just covid stories.
  • bandit84lumber
    Covid
    Great podcast, but sick of Covid stories!! Give me something new!!
  • hazelbnr
    Another welcome perspective
    As a US citizen, my observation and experience is that Donald Trump was created,and encouraged as a candidate by media outlets of all stripes. Cha ching cha ching. I don’t see an end to this in the near future. The question posed by the reporter says it all: After choosing him (Trump)as a candidate, where do you go?
  • Cenizo99
    Excellence in podcasting.
    Always worthwhile. I learn from each episode. Thank you.
  • Jbecker987
    Misrepresenting US thinking
    Responding to election episode.....I don’t understand why you are giving these conspiracy theorists who are hypocritically interpreting the results of the election which are the mirror image of the result in the trump /Clinton elections this much oxygen. Everything they said is right out of the MAGA handbook 77 M Americans have not been brainwashed by Fox News and Qanon and your lack of meaningful pushback with facts is disappointing. The young lady who finally stood up was the lone breath of fresh air. Need to do better! Jcb
  • Bibiyas
    Reza’s Story
    Your program is so wonderful. Reza’s story has a happy ending but there are so many refugees stuck in Lesbos..when will the governments of our world wake up and stop treating their citizens and especially these refugees as garbage!!??
  • mincraft is gret
    Soft Jihad assignment
    Nadine alluded to name calling and how it stifles discussion. Surely calling people ‘islamaphobic’ should be seen in the same light. I respect everyone’s right to their faith. Contemporary Islamic countries do not allow Muslims to leave Islam, force Islamic teaching on their children, legalize the husband’s right to have sex with his wife against her will, to beat her, and the courts recognize a woman as only worthy of half the testimony of a man. If we treated any other segment of the population, by ethnicity or race, in this way it would be considered a cause of great concern. But misogyny wins because of political correctness towards Islam. Those opposed to Islam in our society might better pursue the rights of women as a platform for integrating Islam into our societies.
  • crazyleggs77
    Balance in reporting
    In order to provide some balance to the “Black America Speaks” podcast you could interview black Americans with a different view of the problem such as Larry Elder or Candace Owens. I will look forward to hearing this podcast from the BBC. However, I am not holding my breath.
  • sdweller
    Real news
    This podcast is a breath of fresh air during a time when so much news/info is so biased. Real stories presented in a fair and balanced way, fantastic!
  • wolfie/wolf
    True history on slavery
    Do a true history about Africa slave trade. Who sold the slaves to the white man? Their own Kings and chiefs! And Arab Muslim slave traders. How many white slaves were sold to African by the Barbary pirates? Who led the way to ending slavery? Not just in Africa but around the way! Britain and the Western Civilization. Do a real documentary not just half.
  • V. Campbell
    Listen, enjoy, and expand.
    Fascinating in depth stories focusing on issues that shape and influence people’s lives deeply around the globe. I listen regularly now, as I’m hooked on the deep dives and very personal accounts of the lives of diverse people and places covered here. Have a listen!
  • telmonPA
    Insightful Broad perspective
    The Documentary provides lovely, intimate stories about real people around the world.
  • Texan Dean
    Liberal Bias Reporting
    Every podcast has a liberal bias to how a subject is presenter
  • Perri Perrita
    Well produced, entertaining
    Always learn something. The episode on Judy Garland was exceptionally well done.
  • :( Person Raided:(
    Easily drawn in
    Genuinely interesting subject material. Polished and put-together.
  • BillBlaster1
    Interesting Subject Matter
    A very well-researched and presented podcast, with professional presenters and it is usually less than 45 minutes in length. Occasionally, the subject will be political, but it is the current events and historical events I enjoy most.
  • cmoemoemoe
    Best. Podcast. Ever.
    I usually never write reviews for anything but I just have to say, this podcast is incredible. I subscribe to more than 30 podcasts and listen to about 3 a day, but this one takes the cake. It’s my favorite podcast by far. They always talk about something interesting, they go to cool places and interview fascinating people who have unique experiences and it’s just a fantastic way to learn something new. I’ve actually done research (PhD) on some of the topics covered, and traveled to a lot of the places and I have to say the coverage is perfect. And I cannot believe how many episodes there are!!! I will never be able to listen to them all. Thank you so much to the people who make this podcast.
  • camping crafter
    Wonderful!
    I can not begin to thank you for all that I’ve learned from this podcast! It is so carefully researched and the topics cover a whole world of interests and ideas. Thank you to your whole team!
  • SnappyDani
    Phenomenal
    Absolutely outstanding.
  • amoi66
    Incredible❗️
    This podcast takes me to places I have never been. It’s sometimes an emotional journey. One of the most important podcast for the curious mind. Love it!
  • Tttl44
    Solid deep research - great production values
    Each of the documentaries are looking at topics you might have a surface knowledge of and they look at them from a slightly different angle. Solid reporting, deep investigation, thought provoking docs. Good stuff. Quality journalism and good production values are not dead. Thanks BBC for supporting this kind of thoughtful work.
  • ReluctantHellion6667
    Deep Dives in Small Packages
    I subscribed to listen to a story I didn’t hear the end to, but now I have easy to digest deep looks at specific subjects. They are all over the map literally and in subject matter.
  • Mantis79
    Stories w/ strong Political Agenda
    Pleasant to listen, but every story has a hidden liberal agenda. I’m getting tired of it already.
  • Never clean enough
    Amazing!
    So good! In our seemingly inward looking world, we need to have access to in-depth news from all over the world. We are all interconnected!
  • dablanton
    Worth listening to.
    This podcast is great. Diverse topics that are pan global and fantastically interesting. Thank you BBC!!!!
  • Akloki
    Where are you going: Cardiff
    ‘Where are you going: Cardiff’ is the straw that broke the camels back. It’s not the shameless pandering, it’s not even the smug self righteous tone, it’s the lack of “journalistic integrity.” BBC represents these random “man on the street” interviews as chance encounters when they are clearly not. The “interviews” are done with willing coached participants and the answers are parroted from memorized scripts. If you posses an IQ higher than 40, this bad playhouse 90 episode is just insulting.
  • clint wolf
    Fantastic
    Terrific, very interesting documentaries. Thanks.
  • pernipicus
    Biased and random
    The current new episode is on Mongolian hip hop, hmmm I’ll pass. Show is biased in some episodes I’ve listened to as well.
  • Jack_McCoy
    Endlessly Fascinating
    Every week, this podcast delivers interesting audio documentaries from across the BBC. There’s shows about the Cold War and spycraft, about different countries, about economics, survival, investigative journalism, sex, famous incidents or figures in history, and more. There’s so much breadth and depth here that you’re bound to find something you’ll like — plus there’s a huge archive of great shows from past years. If you’ve got a podcast app on your phone or tablet, this show needs to be in your feed.
  • Diplomat Brat
    December 25 show
    This is a fantastic podcast, incredibly insightful and informative! I just bummed that of all the topics to cover on Christmas Day, Melania is not one of them. There are so many way more interesting and decent people out there that deserve coverage in a pod. Merry Christmas.
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