New WWII series brings the human cost of history into sharper focus.
Regional Director at Hearst Networks Africa highlights the importance of human-centred storytelling in shaping cultural reflection and historical understanding.
Johannesburg, South Africa – April 16, 2026 – At the premiere of the HISTORY Channel’s new documentary series, ‘World War II with Tom Hanks’, Naz Khan, Regional Director at Hearst Networks Africa, highlighted the importance of presenting the conflict through a human-centred lens, describing the production as an opportunity to move beyond dates, figures and military milestones to focus on the lived experiences behind the history.
Speaking to Infinite Media PR, Khan said the series, which starts on the HISTORY Channel (DStv 186) on 26 May, re-examines WWII through the lens of a new century, showing its emotional and social consequences on ordinary people. She moved beyond the numbers to show the true cost of conflict, focusing on the families, individuals, and communities whose lives were forever changed by violence.
| “A lot of war stories get told in the dates and the figures, but not from a story of the human cost and the human perspective.” |
Khan noted that this approach is especially relevant for contemporary audiences, as it encourages viewers to reflect not only on the events of the past, but also on the patterns that continue to shape the present. She stressed that societies often witness destructive decisions unfolding in real time while assuming that someone else will intervene when history repeatedly demonstrates the cost of silence and inaction.
| “Until we take responsibility and make our voices heard, we will keep repeating the same story century after century.” |
She also expressed hope that younger viewers will come to see history as more than an academic subject, but rather as a record of human experience. In her view, this is particularly important in African and South African contexts, where many stories have historically been framed through the perspective of those who held power, often at the expense of local voices and lived realities.
Expanding on this point, Khan challenged outdated narratives about Africa’s past, pointing to evidence of thriving precolonial trade and established systems of living long before European arrival. She said she hopes young people will be encouraged to question inherited versions of history and participate more actively in shaping and sharing narratives from their own perspectives.
| “I hope that young viewers will realize that history as a subject and a concept is about the recording of a person’s experience.” |
Khan further underscored the role of younger generations in broadening cultural discourse through digital platforms and citizen-led storytelling. She said that when more people contribute to their own perspectives, the result is a richer, more representative conversation that enables communities to learn from one another more meaningfully.
Addressing the broader cultural value of the premiere, Khan said productions of this nature should contribute far beyond entertainment. She reflected on the immense human toll of World War II, noting that while millions of lives were lost, the deeper significance lies in understanding the personal devastation behind those numbers. For her, storytelling of this kind has the power to transform history from something distant and clinical into something immediate, human, and relevant.
| “As long as those facts and figures stay in the books, that’s all they remain — something clinical and something for us to remember.” |
Khan said she hopes the series narrated by Tom Hanks will encourage audiences to engage more thoughtfully with the realities of conflict, both past and present. Rather than viewing such stories only as historical retrospectives, she believes they should prompt reflection on what is taking place across the world today and inspire a greater willingness to listen to the experiences of others with empathy and seriousness.
For more than eighty years, the Second World War has been viewed as the most devastating and defining conflict in human history. “World War II with Tom Hanks” offers definitive retelling of the war, with rarely seen archival material, evocative storytelling, and insights from leading historians.
| “Can we stop and just hear what another person’s experience is and see the person behind the story?” |
In positioning the series within today’s media landscape, Khan’s message was clear: meaningful historical storytelling remains essential not only for remembrance, but for responsibility. By placing human experience at the centre of the narrative, the new series opens the door to deeper public conversation about memory, perspective and the consequences of looking away.
Catch ‘World War II with Tom Hanks’ every Tuesday at 21h05, starting 26 May, on the HISTORY Channel (DStv 186).
