Rephonic
Artwork for Witness History

Witness History

BBC World Service
Icelandic Women's Strike
Carnation Revolution
Christopher Columbus
Columbus Lighthouse
Dominican Republic
Crimea
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
Gender Equality
Canada
Two-Headed Dogs
Organ Transplantation
Vladimir Demikhov
Soviet Union
LGBT Rights
Honduras
Transgender Activism
Human Rights
Military Coup
Whistler Blackcomb
Black Sea

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from t... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes2023Founded16 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryPersonal JournalsSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Witness History

Latest Episodes

The 1977 murder of Father Rutilio Grande sent shockwaves through El Salvador. The 48-year-old Jesuit priest was an outspoken champion of the poor in the deeply divided central American nation.

In the immediate aftermath of his murder, the Archbisho... more

In May 1974, scratch cards went on sale for the first time in the US State of Massachusetts.

Free giveaway and coupon games from stores had been commonplace across the USA during the 1950s and '60s – but players could easily cheat.

The mathematic... more

In the 1980s, scientists made a discovery that would eventually lead to the development of drugs now used worldwide to treat diabetes and to help people manage obesity through weight loss injections.

One of the key scientists behind this breakthroug... more

Sonny Roberts, a Jamaican carpenter, arrived in Britain in the 1950s. It was a time of racial disharmony, including the Notting Hill riots and the murder of Kelso Cochrane. In this tense atmosphere, black musicians struggled to make a name for themse... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The History Hour
The History HourBBC World Service
The Documentary Podcast
The Documentary PodcastBBC World Service
The Inquiry
The InquiryBBC World Service
Lives Less Ordinary
Lives Less OrdinaryBBC World Service

Recent Guests

John Koza
Computer scientist known for inventing the instant scratch card and later contributions to genetic programming.
Scientific Games
Episode: The man who invented the scratch card
Svetlana Mojsov
Scientist who discovered glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)
Episode: GLP-1: A breakthrough for diabetes and obesity
Cleon Roberts
Daughter of Sonny Roberts, recounting his impact on music history
Episode: The UK’s first black-owned music studio
Anneli Høier
Literary agent
Episode: Wallander and the rise of Nordic Noir
Jim O'Neill
Former economist at Goldman Sachs who coined the BRIC acronym
Goldman Sachs
Episode: How BRICS got its name
John Stanfield
Aged 105, the only British witness to the Japanese Surrender Ceremony in Beijing during World War II
Episode: Japan surrenders in Beijing
Mark Wielage
Technical editor for Video Review Magazine in the 70s and 80s
Episode: The home video war
Mike Koss
Software developer who worked on the program
Microsoft
Episode: The birth of the Excel spreadsheet
Lukhanyo Calata
Son of Fort Calata, one of the Cradock Four
Episode: The Cradock Four killings

Host

Rachel Naylor
Presenter of the Witness History Podcast

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 2.8k ratings
  • Highly Recommended

    Short, informative accounts of events often now generally forgotten. Keeping these stories alive.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TWRunner
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Thank you!

    I just heard the story about the Jewish girl who fled to the Philippines in World War II. What a wonderful woman! So glad that she made it to the United States. And what a beautiful story. Thank you for bringing it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jslt69
    United Statesa month ago
  • How the Philippines Saved Jews During World War II

    Thank you for sharing in such an engaging fashion this most uplifting story, one that is generally not well known!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    675 AV
    United States2 months ago
  • Brilliant!

    I absolutely love this podcast! BBC World Service at its finest. I love the totally random mixture of stories and voices shared here, and in such manageable bitesize chunks. From the (surprisingly recent) history of ciabatta, to the feud that led to the creation of the Puma brand, there’s nothing else quite like it. One request though: PLEASE stop playing the “from the brilliant and bizarre” ad at the end of episodes. It’s great the first time you hear it, but listening to it multiple times a we... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KeenBean321
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • One Man’s escape from McCarthysm

    Thank you for bringing such lost stories and facts into light. I enjoyed this podcast. Currently living in west part of Germany it held even more meaning to me. Keep up the great work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TravenAdventure
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

There are suggestions for improved outreach or inclusion of diverse perspectives in the storytelling, particularly from non-Western viewpoints.
The concise formats provide easily digestible content, allowing for quick learning and exploration of various historical events.
Listeners appreciate the engaging and informative storytelling style that brings history to life through eyewitness accounts.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The UK’s first black-owned music studio
Q: Do you think your father has been somewhat overlooked by music history?
Yes, I think he has been overlooked, especially since he returned to Jamaica, which may have contributed to the lack of recognition in the UK.
Jorge Luis Borges: 'Father' of Latin American fiction
Q: What do you think, say, about Beckett, the man who in 1961 shared the international public?
I thoroughly dislike him. He is a very, very boring place.
Jorge Luis Borges: 'Father' of Latin American fiction
Q: Has it altered your perception of favored objects?
When I look at my friends, I'm really thinking of them in the terms their faces were when I went blind.
Jorge Luis Borges: 'Father' of Latin American fiction
Q: Has your blindness been part of your creative process?
Yes, it has made me work the more, think the more, dream the more.
Japan surrenders in Beijing
Q: What did it feel like?
John described the ceremony feeling magnificent, surrounded by beautiful decorations, but with a sense of noise and tension as the Japanese were called forward to surrender their swords.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Witness History

What is Witness History about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Fascinating stories from the past come alive through first-hand accounts, making historical events accessible and engaging. Episodes span a wide range of topics, including significant historical milestones, cultural movements, and personal narratives, offering unique insights into the lives of notable figures and ordinary people during pivotal moments in history. With a consistent format that delivers richly detailed yet concise content, listeners can expect to explore diverse events—from scientific breakthroughs to wartime experiences—in just nine minutes each day. This podcast is particularly innovative, as it combines archival audio with contemporary storytelling to create a vivid historical tapestry that appeals to history enthusiasts a... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Witness History?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Witness History. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Witness History and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Witness History get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Witness History, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Witness History?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Witness History, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Witness History have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Witness History has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Witness History?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Witness History:

1. The History Hour
2. The Documentary Podcast
3. The Inquiry
4. Lives Less Ordinary
5. From Our Own Correspondent

How many episodes of Witness History are there?

Witness History launched 16 years ago and published 2023 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Witness History?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Witness History?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Witness History from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Witness History?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Witness History. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Witness History?

Recent guests on Witness History include:

1. John Koza
2. Svetlana Mojsov
3. Cleon Roberts
4. Anneli Høier
5. Jim O'Neill
6. John Stanfield
7. Mark Wielage
8. Mike Koss

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days