On Over to You, we hear your views, criticisms and praise for the BBC World Service’s programming.
Presenter Qasa Alom puts your questions and comments to the presenters and the programme makers. We also take listeners behind the scenes to give an in-depth look into how programmes and editorial decisions are made.
We’d love to hear from you by email on overtoyou@bbc.co.uk (mailto:overtoyou@bbc.co.uk), or leave us a message on +441449609000
Presenter: Qasa Alom
Producer: Jill Achineku
Executive producer: Robert Nicholson
A Whistledown production for BBC World Service
Young people have grown up with more ways of finding and consuming news than any generation before them. In this episode of Over To You, we look at the BBC World Service’s efforts to reach the next generation while continuing to serve its existing audience. Journalism and media students from around the world share their news habits, while BBC audience research reveals what younger people say they want from journalism. We hear about What in the World, a programme created with younger audiences in mind, and discover the changes BBC Swahili has made after almost 70 years of broadcasting.
17 Sept 2026
The sound of a story
Words, sounds and music all help create the pictures we imagine when we listen to the radio. We explore how World Service reporters and programme makers bring stories and places to life for listeners.
We hear how they use description and the sounds around them to make us feel part of a story, and how sound can transport us from the streets of Kansas City to the remote landscape of the Antarctic. We explore how sound can be shaped when the real world alone is not enough, and the role music plays in adding another dimension to a story. Plus, listeners share their views on the use of audio across the World Service.
20 Aug 2026
What makes an expert?
What makes someone an expert, and how do BBC producers decide who has the right expertise to appear on air? In this episode of Over To You, we hear listeners’ views on who they trust and why. We go behind the scenes with The Engineers and CrowdScience to find out how programmes choose their contributors, and explore the editorial principles behind using experts on the BBC. Plus, as more of us encounter experts through TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, we ask how social media is changing who we see as an authority. We also speak to BBC Verify about how it assesses expertise and decides who and what audiences can trust.
Who has been a guest on Over to You
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Rebecca Glashow
head of BBC News Persian
executive editor of World Service documentaries
BBC news editor
BBC Learning English
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.4 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
4.5 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 39 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
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