Channel 4’s foreign affairs programme Unreported World marks its 25th anniversary this week, reflecting on a track record of propelling foreign journalism to worldwide audiences ahead of its latest season launching in October.

It comes as the broadcaster announces the slate for its upcoming season, featuring episodes looking at the unsolved murders of the Arab community in Israel, South Africa’s Slay Queen phenomenon and Colombia’s drug war.

First airing on September 8th 2000, Unreported World has since delivered over 300 globe-spanning episodes in more than 85 countries, all with the mission statement of shedding light on under-reported international stories.

Included in its extensive back catalogue are eyewitness reports from countries experiencing conflict or ongoing civil wars and political unrest, from Gaza and Sudan to Myanmar and Syria – alongside Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka. In the past year alone, the series has received critical acclaim for reporting inside Gaza and Krishnan Guru-Murthy’s rare access documentary in Sudan.

Channel 4 says the enduring success of the programme lies in its strong digital viewing figures. In 2011, a response to high demand saw Channel 4 make the 21st season of the show available online, geo-unblocked worldwide.  The brand now counts 1.9 million social followers combined across all its bespoke platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

In 2017, the official Unreported World YouTube channel was launched, its subsequent performance highlighting mass appeal for long-form international news content. The brand has just reached the milestone of 1.5 million YouTube subscribers, with over 195 million views of Unreported World content, over 1.5 billion minutes watched and 3.1 billion impressions.

Unreported World’s audience has extended beyond the UK, with the programme rewarded for its commitment to more lesser-known reporting by building a loyal viewership in the same areas covered by its authentic on-the-ground storytelling, often overlooked by others. The top 5 nations engaging with Unreported World content on YouTube include the USA (30 per cent), South Africa (13.3 per cent), India (5.8 per cent) and Canada (4.3 per cent) alongside the UK (7.3 per cent).

The Unreported World TikTok account has also experienced impressive growth in the last year with 2 million viewers globally, 1.8 million of which were new.

Produced by Quicksilver Media for 19 years, the series is now produced in‑house by Channel 4 News at ITN, speaking to the deep and ongoing connection Unreported World maintains with the UK’s independent production sector.

Unreported World’s purpose is central to Channel 4’s remit to champion unheard voices and shine a light on unrepresented groups within society, and crucially to reach younger audiences. 50% of Unreported World’s YouTube audience is within the 25-44 age category, with a further 15 per cent in the 18-24 bracket.

Louisa Compton, Channel 4’s Head of News, Current Affairs, Specialist Factual and Sport, said: “At a time when journalism is under attack like never before with truth, trust and transparency continuing to be eroded worldwide, Unreported World stands firm. In stark contrast to the media organisations pulling back from foreign reporting, Unreported World is a jewel in the crown of Channel 4’s current affairs output, and a testament to our unwavering commitment to bold, creative foreign affairs that audiences stand by. For 25 years, the series has brought viewers face-to-face with global realities that others overlook, and it will continue to do so with the new series.”

Unreported World has been commissioned by Nevine Mabro since 2021.

Mabro commented: “It’s an honour to work on Unreported World. It’s led the way in international storytelling and journalism for 25 years with its immersive, gripping, on the ground reporting from across the world. Its unique range of stories, crafted by incredible reporters, directors and producers, have brought so many untold international stories to audiences in the UK. The incredible success of the programme now on digital platforms – to a global audience – is testament to the quality of the filmmaking and journalism at the heart of this award winning series.”

Ed Fraser, Managing Editor, Channel 4 News, said: “For 25 years, Unreported World has been home to some of the most important foreign reporting on television. We are immensely proud of the films and the fearless journalism produced by the team — storytelling at its finest that combines bravery, tenacity and an ability to  keep going no matter the obstacles in the way to take viewers to the heart of stories where others fear to tread.”

Mairi Brewis, Head of MediaCo and Responsibility Partnerships, YouTube UK & Ireland said: “ITN’s Unreported World is a true pioneer, being one of the earliest adopters of YouTube for the global distribution of British long-form documentaries. It stands as a brilliant example of how broadcasters and YouTube can work together to take vital international storytelling to new heights. The channel has evolved into a powerful vehicle for reaching younger, more diverse global audiences, using digital-first formats to ensure these important stories resonate around the world.”