MUMBAI: The six documentary programmes with the most votes in BBC World’s Best Of The Year: Documentary online poll have been announced. Throughout November, BBC World viewers have had the opportunity to vote for the most outstanding documentary programme shown on the channel this year, from a selection of 15 documentaries – many of which are award-winning BBC productions.
Voting closed on 4 December, and the six documentary programmes that received the most votes will be shown across two weekends at the end of December.
Being Indian with 18.95 per cent of votes came out on top. This airs on 30 December at 8 pm with repeats on 31 December at 11 am, 4 pm. Being Indian follows the lives of four children from widely differing backgrounds, in a country with a fast moving economy and half its population under the age of 35. The programme delves into what the social change and mobility really means for children of India today. This episode follows Biru Malik, a nine-year-old, who lives with his family in one bedroom. One of his family's main jobs is to prepare funeral pyres and cremate bodies on the banks of the Ganges.
Another documentary The World Uncovered: Sex Crimes And The Vatican got 16.36 per cent of votes. This airs on 30 December at 5:45 pm with repeats on 31 December at 7:45 am, 1:45 pm. This programme examines a secret document which sets out a procedure for dealing with child sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church. Crimen Sollicitationis was enforced for 20 years by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he became the Pope. It instructs bishops on how to deal with allegations of child abuse against priests and has been seen by few outsiders. Critics say the document has been used to evade prosecution for sex crimes.
Kill Or Cure? The Deadly Sleep got 15.04 per cent of votes. This airs on 30 December at 9 pm, and 31 December at 6 pm. Sleeping sickness is one of the most deadly of the forgotten diseases. Experts thought it had been eradicated, but it's back with a vengeance and now mobile field teams are out in the bush in the Democratic Republic of Congo, carrying out tests to try to beat the disease.
BBC World’s editorial team selected the original shortlist of 15, based on viewer panel research and feedback, spread of subject matter and global availability.
