Hosted by BBC World Service · 🇺🇸 US · EN · 1,000 episodes
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Witness History is a short BBC World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories. When you subscribe to Witness History, you’ll be taken inside turning points in world affairs, from West Africa’s fight back against Boko Haram in 2015, to the behind-closed-doors talks that led to the US-Cuba “thaw” and the surprise announcement of restored relations.You’ll discover what it was like to experience disasters and how people recovered from them, including the Tabasco floods in Mexico, Portugal's worst train disaster, and the huge clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. You’ll explore culture and ideas too: Sweden’s Expedition Robinson, often credited as the first
BBC World Service hosts Witness History, a society show with 1,000 episodes published.
On 15 July, over 300 people were killed and more than 2,100 injured when rogue soldiers commandeered warplanes, tanks and helicopters in a failed coup attempt against President Tayyip Erdogan. Some of the fiercest fighti
For generations, Inuit communities lived across the Arctic, travelling with the seasons and relying on the land. But in the mid-20th century, Canadian government policies, including relocations, moved many into permanent
In 1967, American lineman JD Thompson was working on overhead power lines in Jacksonville, Florida, when his colleague Randall Champion accidentally grasped a live cable. Seeing his friend dangling high above the ground,
In 1916, Zurich was a beacon for refugees. Fleeing the death and destruction of World War I, artists and free-thinkers from all over Europe fled to the neutral Swiss city. And it was here that the people who would start
On 9 July 2011, a new flag was raised in the city of Juba as South Sudan became the world's newest nation. It followed a peace deal that ended a long and bloody civil war in Sudan, which had killed more than two million
On the afternoon of 10 July 1976, there was an explosion at the ICMESA chemical factory near Seveso, in northern Italy. A cloud containing a poisonous gas called dioxin spread over the town. For days, residents didn't re
In the 1970s, thousands of immigrant workers living in "foyers" or workers' hostels across France stopped paying rent. They were protesting against rent hikes and living conditions in the foyers, known for their tiny box
In 1995, the British Band Oasis released one of their biggest hits as a single from their number one album: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory. The song Wonderwall was a departure from their usual music, but it has gone on
In 1962, cameras were allowed into the White House for the first televised tour of the American president’s renovated residence. And acting as the guide was one of the country’s most famous first ladies, Jackie Kennedy.
Between 1984 and 1986, to celebrate 100 years since it was dedicated, the Statue of Liberty underwent a multi-million-dollar restoration project. The statue was a gift to the USA by France, to celebrate 100 years of Amer
In 1946, Mexican American Raoul Cortez launched the first US radio service in Spanish. Based in San Antonio, Texas, he used charm and creativity to win over advertisers in a time when Hispanic consumers weren't seen as a
In 1955, Rosa Parks made civil rights history in the US when she refused to give up her seat on the bus. Segregation laws in Montgomery, Alabama, meant that when a bus was full, black passengers had to stand and give up
In September 1997, the remains of a Native American chief were returned to the United States, more than a century after his death in England. Chief Long Wolf, a Lakota leader, died in 1892 while touring with Buffalo Bill
On 18 March 1959, Hawaii was brought into the United States of America as the 50th state with the passing of the Hawaiian Admission act. Five months later, on 21 August it was officially proclaimed the 50th state by Pres
For more than 25 years, Rata de dos patas has been one of Mexico’s most recognisable - and unusual - songs. A relentless string of insults, it was made famous by the singer Paquita la del Barrio. Composer Manuel Eduardo
In July 1916, Britain led an Allied offensive against German positions on the Western Front near the Somme river in France. The British army suffered 60,000 casualties on the first day. By the end of the battle in Novemb
In 1981, Australia launched a fight against skin cancer with help from a yellow cartoon seagull and a catchy jingle. The Slip Slop Slap campaign was created by an advertising team of Phillip Adams, Peter Best and Alex St
In June 2016, voters in the UK were asked whether they wanted to remain in the European Union or leave. It was a decision that would divide the country and reshape relations with its closest neighbours. As the result eme
It's 10 years since a Hong Kong bookseller who was detained for selling material critical of China’s leaders, was released and went public. In 2015, Lam Wing-Kee and four other men who published and sold books went missi
In 1975, a mysterious outbreak of illness struck children in the United States, triggering a medical breakthrough. Prof Allen Steere uncovered a bacterial infection which was spread by blood‑sucking ticks. It was formall
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Witness History is hosted by BBC World Service. The show is categorised under society (culture) and has published 1,000 episodes.
Witness History has published 1,000 episodes.
Witness History regularly covers society, culture, personal. It sits in the society category, with a culture focus.
Witness History is accessible for guests with genuine society expertise. A personalised, episode-aware pitch will still outperform a generic one every time.
Witness History hasn't explicitly signalled guest openness in recent episodes. That doesn't rule out pitching. your hook just needs to be especially compelling and relevant to their recent content.
Episodes of Witness History average 10 minutes. a focused format where a clear narrative arc and tight preparation matter most.
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