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Panorama (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Panorama is a BBC Television
current affairs
documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby
, Robin Day
, David Dimbleby
and Jeremy Vine
. In 2011, it still retains a peak time transmission slot on BBC One
, but without a regular presenter.
, it focuses on investigative journalism
. Daily Mail
reporter Pat Murphy was the original presenter, who only lasted one episode after accidentally broadcasting a technical mishap. Max Robertson
then took over for a year. The programme originally had a magazine format and included arts features. Richard Dimbleby
took over in 1955 and presented it during the late 1950s and 1960s.
His son, David Dimbleby
, went on to present the programme from 11 November 1974 – the 21st anniversary of the show. Other past presenters include: Sir Robin Day
, Sir Ludovic Kennedy
and Sir Charles Wheeler
. The programme is currently presented by Jeremy Vine
. On 13 December 2010 it was announced that the programme will be relaunched in the new year with no regular presenter.
, and broadcast on Das Erste
. Panorama started there in 1961 and is one of the leading political magazine shows.
's "Aujourd'hui C'est Toi" ("Today It's You"), which has run since 1971. Prior to this, from 1968, Rachmaninov's Symphony No.1
in D Minor, 4th Movement, was used, and before that the theme was Robert Farnon's "Openings & Endings".
taking mescaline
under medical supervision. The resulting programme was never broadcast, though the footage and transcripts were later released.
by Martin Bashir
, which occurred after her separation, when she openly discussed the rumours surrounding her personal life. The programme's filming and planning was subject to extreme secrecy, with Richard James Ayre
, the Controller of Editorial Policy, authorising a series of clandestine meetings between Bashir and Diana.
. Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Alan Fry of Scotland Yard's
anti-terrorist unit SO13
said that the Real IRA
attack on the BBC Television Centre
could have been a revenge attack for the broadcast.
, and featured an animated retelling of the Xenu
incident in Scientology doctrine.
On 14 May 2007, an episode titled Scientology and Me
was broadcast. The journalist John Sweeney
presented the edition, showing how the Church reacted to his journalistic investigations, including its reaction when he put to members that some people describe the organisation as a "cult". At one point during an interview, the presenter lost his temper with a member of the Church of Scientology; an edited portion of this incident was subsequently released by the Church on YouTube and DVD in an attempt to publicize it and raise controversy. However, the 2007 Scientology episode was Panoramas highest audience since it moved to Monday evening.
A follow-up programme, The Secrets of Scientology
, was broadcast on 28 September 2010, presenting proof that the Church had harassed Sweeney during the making of the earlier documentary, with the specific intention of making him react in the way he eventually did, in addition to numerous interviews with former high-ranking members of the organisation who had been subject to harassment.
"The Secrets of Seroxat" (2002); "Seroxat: Emails from the Edge" (2003); "Taken on Trust" (2004) and "Secrets of the Drug Trials" (2007).
"The Secrets of Seroxat" elicited a record response from the public as 65,000 people called the BBC helpline and 1,300 people emailed Panorama directly.
The leading mental health charity Mind collaborated with Panorama in a survey of those who emailed the programme. Anonymous findings from the 239 responses were sent to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
(MHRA).
The second Panorama programme on Seroxat, "Emails from the Edge", included a report of the survey to which the 239 people responded. It showed widespread experiences of suicidal feelings and other severe reactions, very bad withdrawal symptoms and lack of warnings from doctors. Following the broadcast users/survivors and Mind protested outside the offices of the MHRA.
On 29 January 2007, the fourth documentary in the series about the drug Seroxat was broadcast. It focused on three GlaxoSmithKline
paediatric clinical trials on depressed children and adolescents. Data from the trials show that Seroxat could not be proven to work for teenagers. Not only that, one clinical trial indicated that they were six times more likely to become suicidal after taking it. In the programme, Panorama revealed the secret trail of internal emails which show how GlaxoSmithKline manipulated the results of the trials for its own commercial gain. Access to the documents has been gained as GlaxoSmithKline fights a fraud trial in the US.
Some of these previously secret Glaxo documents featured in the programme were leaked into the internet following the programme's broadcast.
, involving:
The Football Association has asked for any evidence as it tries to rid such action from football.
in 1962, which sets out a procedure for dealing with child sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church. It 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. Critics claim the document has been used to evade prosecution for sex crimes.
The United States Department of Justice
has imposed gagging orders that prevent discussion of the allegations. US and other media have reported little on this issue.
and many protesters being assaulted. Police also used the controversial “kettling
” technique to detain people for hours.
Abbas Al Lawati, a reporter for Gulf News
, who was on the Mavi Marmara during the Gaza flotilla raid
, criticized Panoramas reporting of the raid in the documentary, "Death in the Med", stating that it was either a result of "weak journalism" or "deep bias". Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire, who had also participated in the Free Gaza flotilla, has also accused the programme of a "lack of truth" and "bias" in a letter to the BBC, describing its effects on the families of those who died as a "grave injustice".
"The BBC Trust has ruled that a Panorama documentary about the Israeli boarding of the Mavi Marmara was "accurate and impartial" overall..."
's involvement in the cover up of the Catholic sex abuse cases. The program was broadcast three days before the first visit of the Pope to the United Kingdom in almost three decades.
. The initial reaction of the documentary was shock and horror and was one of the most watched programmes that evening. It also set the news agenda for the following day and for the papers.
The fallout from the programme led many to question why such institutional care was still being provided in England for people who should be living more independent lives in the community. In June 2011 the Association of Supported Living issued a strong press statement, which was followed up in writing to every MP in the country, calling for community based supported living services to replace institutional services for people with learning disabilities.
moved the programme from its traditional prime time 8.10 pm slot on Monday evenings back to 9.30 pm, following the Nine O'Clock News
. Despite many protests about this move in the media, Panorama remained in this slot until 1997, although two of Grade's successors, Alan Yentob
and Michael Jackson
, were known to be unhappy about running 70 continuous minutes of news from 9 pm. In May 1997 the Acting Controller of BBC One, Mark Thompson
, did move Panorama back half an hour to 10 pm, to make way for the sitcom Birds of a Feather
, which opened the BBC to criticism that it was side-lining serious content in favour of lighter programming.
In 2000, the programme was moved again, with the 10 pm timeslot no longer available due to the moving of the BBC News
from 9 pm to the later slot. Panorama was moved to Sunday nights, following the news, usually shown at around 10.15 pm – labelled by some critics as a "graveyard slot". The number of editions made per year was also cut back, which attracted press criticism for the BBC in general and its Director-General
Greg Dyke
in particular, as Dyke was the driving force behind the schedule changes. The incoming Controller of BBC One, Lorraine Heggessey
, defended the move, claiming that the programme's audience would have "dwindled" had it remained on Monday nights.
In January 2007 Heggessey's successor, Peter Fincham
, moved Panorama back from Sunday nights to a prime time Monday evening slot at 8.30 pm, although it was now shorter than it had previously been, running to just half an hour. This decision was at least partly in response to a demand from the Board of Governors of the BBC
for the channel to show more current affairs programming in prime time.
"Scientology and Me"
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby
Richard Dimbleby
Richard Dimbleby CBE was an English journalist and broadcaster widely acknowledged as one of the greatest figures in British broadcasting history.-Early life:...
, Robin Day
Robin Day
Sir Robin Day, OBE was a British political broadcaster and commentator. His obituary in the Guardian stated that "he was the most outstanding television journalist of his generation...
, David Dimbleby
David Dimbleby
David Dimbleby is a British BBC TV commentator and a presenter of current affairs and political programmes, most notably the BBC's flagship political show Question Time, and more recently, art, architectural history and history series...
and Jeremy Vine
Jeremy Vine
Jeremy Guy Vine is a British author, journalist and news presenter for the BBC. He is known for his direct interview style and exclusive reporting from war-torn areas throughout Africa...
. In 2011, it still retains a peak time transmission slot on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
, but without a regular presenter.
History
Panorama was launched on 11 November 1953 on the BBC Television ServiceBBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
, it focuses on investigative journalism
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
. Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
reporter Pat Murphy was the original presenter, who only lasted one episode after accidentally broadcasting a technical mishap. Max Robertson
Max Robertson
William Maxwell Robertson was a sports commentator, radio and television presenter and author. He is best remembered for his forty years of tennis coverage on BBC Radio.-Biography:...
then took over for a year. The programme originally had a magazine format and included arts features. Richard Dimbleby
Richard Dimbleby
Richard Dimbleby CBE was an English journalist and broadcaster widely acknowledged as one of the greatest figures in British broadcasting history.-Early life:...
took over in 1955 and presented it during the late 1950s and 1960s.
His son, David Dimbleby
David Dimbleby
David Dimbleby is a British BBC TV commentator and a presenter of current affairs and political programmes, most notably the BBC's flagship political show Question Time, and more recently, art, architectural history and history series...
, went on to present the programme from 11 November 1974 – the 21st anniversary of the show. Other past presenters include: Sir Robin Day
Robin Day
Sir Robin Day, OBE was a British political broadcaster and commentator. His obituary in the Guardian stated that "he was the most outstanding television journalist of his generation...
, Sir Ludovic Kennedy
Ludovic Kennedy
Sir Ludovic Henry Coverley Kennedy was a British journalist, broadcaster, humanist and author best known for re-examining cases such as the Lindbergh kidnapping and the murder convictions of Timothy Evans and Derek Bentley, and for his role in the abolition of the death penalty in the United...
and Sir Charles Wheeler
Charles Wheeler (journalist)
Sir Charles Cornelius Wheeler CMG was a British journalist and broadcaster. Having joined the BBC in 1947, he became the corporation's longest serving foreign correspondent, serving in the role until his death...
. The programme is currently presented by Jeremy Vine
Jeremy Vine
Jeremy Guy Vine is a British author, journalist and news presenter for the BBC. He is known for his direct interview style and exclusive reporting from war-torn areas throughout Africa...
. On 13 December 2010 it was announced that the programme will be relaunched in the new year with no regular presenter.
International versions
Panorama set an example for the German magazine show of the same name, which is produced by NDRNorddeutscher Rundfunk
Norddeutscher Rundfunk is a public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR transmits for the German states of Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein...
, and broadcast on Das Erste
Das Erste
Erstes Deutsches Fernsehen , marketed as Das Erste , is the principal publicly owned television channel in Germany...
. Panorama started there in 1961 and is one of the leading political magazine shows.
Theme music
The theme music is an adaptation of Francis LaiFrancis Lai
Francis Lai is a French accordionist, and composer noted for his film scores.While in his twenties, Francis Lai left home and went to Paris where he became part of the lively Montmartre music scene...
's "Aujourd'hui C'est Toi" ("Today It's You"), which has run since 1971. Prior to this, from 1968, Rachmaninov's Symphony No.1
Symphony No. 1 (Rachmaninoff)
Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 13, is a music piece by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, written at Ivanovka, an estate near Tambov, Russia, between January and October 1895...
in D Minor, 4th Movement, was used, and before that the theme was Robert Farnon's "Openings & Endings".
Presenters
- Max RobertsonMax RobertsonWilliam Maxwell Robertson was a sports commentator, radio and television presenter and author. He is best remembered for his forty years of tennis coverage on BBC Radio.-Biography:...
1953-4 - Richard DimblebyRichard DimblebyRichard Dimbleby CBE was an English journalist and broadcaster widely acknowledged as one of the greatest figures in British broadcasting history.-Early life:...
1955–1965 - Sir Robin DayRobin DaySir Robin Day, OBE was a British political broadcaster and commentator. His obituary in the Guardian stated that "he was the most outstanding television journalist of his generation...
1966–2000 - David DimblebyDavid DimblebyDavid Dimbleby is a British BBC TV commentator and a presenter of current affairs and political programmes, most notably the BBC's flagship political show Question Time, and more recently, art, architectural history and history series...
1974– - Robert KeeRobert KeeRobert Kee CBE is a British broadcaster, journalist and writer, known for his historical works on World War II and Ireland....
1982– - Jeremy VineJeremy VineJeremy Guy Vine is a British author, journalist and news presenter for the BBC. He is known for his direct interview style and exclusive reporting from war-torn areas throughout Africa...
January 2007– - No Presenter December 2010–
Mescalin
In 1955, Panorama filmed Christopher MayhewChristopher Mayhew
Christopher Paget Mayhew, Baron Mayhew was a British politician who was a Labour Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1950 and from 1951 to 1974, when he left the Labour Party to become a Liberal...
taking mescaline
Mescaline
Mescaline or 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine is a naturally occurring psychedelic alkaloid of the phenethylamine class used mainly as an entheogen....
under medical supervision. The resulting programme was never broadcast, though the footage and transcripts were later released.
Spaghetti tree
Panorama broadcast a famous hoax film about the harvesting of the spaghetti crop on April Fool's Day, 1957.Princess Diana interview
Arguably the most famous Panorama programme of all was the 1995 interview of Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
by Martin Bashir
Martin Bashir
Martin Bashir is a British journalist and media personality, currently with NBC News as a contributor for its Dateline program, and an afternoon anchor for MSNBC, hosting Martin Bashir...
, which occurred after her separation, when she openly discussed the rumours surrounding her personal life. The programme's filming and planning was subject to extreme secrecy, with Richard James Ayre
Richard James Ayre
Richard Ayre is a member of the BBC Trust, the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. He is a former member for England of the OFCOM Content Board and chair of its Broadcast Review Committee...
, the Controller of Editorial Policy, authorising a series of clandestine meetings between Bashir and Diana.
Omagh bombing
One of the most controversial broadcasts of recent time was the "Who bombed Omagh?" programme, which named those suspected of involvement in the Omagh bombingOmagh bombing
The Omagh bombing was a car bomb attack carried out by the Real Irish Republican Army , a splinter group of former Provisional Irish Republican Army members opposed to the Good Friday Agreement, on Saturday 15 August 1998, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Twenty-nine people died as a...
. Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Deputy assistant commissioner is a rank in London's Metropolitan Police Service between assistant commissioner and commander. It is equivalent to deputy chief constable in other British police forces and wears the same insignia: a pip above crossed tipstaves within a wreath.The rank was introduced...
Alan Fry of Scotland Yard's
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
anti-terrorist unit SO13
Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch
The Anti-Terrorist Branch was a Specialist Operations branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service, formed to respond to terrorist activities within the capital....
said that the Real IRA
Real Irish Republican Army
The Real Irish Republican Army, otherwise known as the Real IRA , and styling itself as Óglaigh na hÉireann , is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation which aims to bring about a united Ireland...
attack on the BBC Television Centre
4 March 2001 BBC bombing
At 12:30 AM on Sunday 4 March 2001, the Real IRA detonated a car bomb outside the BBC's main news centre within BBC Television Centre, on Wood Lane in the White City area of West London....
could have been a revenge attack for the broadcast.
Scientology
In 1987, the Panorama programme, Scientology: The Road to Total Freedom?, for the first time exposed on broadcast television the secret upper-level doctrines of the Church of ScientologyChurch of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
, and featured an animated retelling of the Xenu
Xenu
Xenu ,also spelled Xemu, was, according to the founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of his people to Earth in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and killed them using hydrogen bombs...
incident in Scientology doctrine.
On 14 May 2007, an episode titled Scientology and Me
Scientology and Me
Scientology and Me was a television documentary broadcast 14 May 2007 as part of the BBC's Panorama series. Reporter John Sweeney visited the United States to investigate whether the Church of Scientology was becoming more mainstream...
was broadcast. The journalist John Sweeney
John Sweeney (journalist)
John Sweeney is an award-winning journalist and author, currently working as an investigative journalist for the BBC's Panorama series.- Investigative journalism :...
presented the edition, showing how the Church reacted to his journalistic investigations, including its reaction when he put to members that some people describe the organisation as a "cult". At one point during an interview, the presenter lost his temper with a member of the Church of Scientology; an edited portion of this incident was subsequently released by the Church on YouTube and DVD in an attempt to publicize it and raise controversy. However, the 2007 Scientology episode was Panoramas highest audience since it moved to Monday evening.
A follow-up programme, The Secrets of Scientology
The Secrets of Scientology
The Secrets of Scientology is a documentary which was broadcast on 28 September 2010 as part of the BBC's Panorama documentary strand. Presented by John Sweeney it is a follow up of his 2007 investigation into the Church of Scientology and features interviews with former high-ranking members of the...
, was broadcast on 28 September 2010, presenting proof that the Church had harassed Sweeney during the making of the earlier documentary, with the specific intention of making him react in the way he eventually did, in addition to numerous interviews with former high-ranking members of the organisation who had been subject to harassment.
Panorama and Seroxat
Since 2002, Panorama has made four programmes about the anti-depressant Seroxat:"The Secrets of Seroxat" (2002); "Seroxat: Emails from the Edge" (2003); "Taken on Trust" (2004) and "Secrets of the Drug Trials" (2007).
"The Secrets of Seroxat" elicited a record response from the public as 65,000 people called the BBC helpline and 1,300 people emailed Panorama directly.
The leading mental health charity Mind collaborated with Panorama in a survey of those who emailed the programme. Anonymous findings from the 239 responses were sent to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is the UK government agency which is responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices work and are acceptably safe....
(MHRA).
The second Panorama programme on Seroxat, "Emails from the Edge", included a report of the survey to which the 239 people responded. It showed widespread experiences of suicidal feelings and other severe reactions, very bad withdrawal symptoms and lack of warnings from doctors. Following the broadcast users/survivors and Mind protested outside the offices of the MHRA.
On 29 January 2007, the fourth documentary in the series about the drug Seroxat was broadcast. It focused on three GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
paediatric clinical trials on depressed children and adolescents. Data from the trials show that Seroxat could not be proven to work for teenagers. Not only that, one clinical trial indicated that they were six times more likely to become suicidal after taking it. In the programme, Panorama revealed the secret trail of internal emails which show how GlaxoSmithKline manipulated the results of the trials for its own commercial gain. Access to the documents has been gained as GlaxoSmithKline fights a fraud trial in the US.
Some of these previously secret Glaxo documents featured in the programme were leaked into the internet following the programme's broadcast.
Undercover: Football's Dirty Secrets
On 19 September 2006 Panorama showed a documentary called "Undercover: Football's Dirty Secrets", which alleged payments in English football contrary to the rules of the Football AssociationThe Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
, involving:
- That Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
manager Sam AllardyceSam AllardyceSamuel "Sam" Allardyce , nicknamed "Big Sam", is an English football manager and former professional player. In June 2011 he was appointed as manager of West Ham United....
, and his agent son Craig were implicated for taking "bungs" (a backhander, bribeBriberyBribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
, or kickback) from agents for signing certain players. Two agents, Teni Yerima and Peter Harrison, were secretly filmed, each separately claiming that they had paid Allardyce through his son. Allardyce denies ever taking, or asking for, a bung. The programme was aired on the same night that Bolton beat WalsallWalsall F.C.Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
3–1 in the Carling CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, so Allardyce missed the original showing.
- PortsmouthPortsmouth F.C.Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
manager Harry RedknappHarry RedknappHenry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
is secretly filmed discussing the possibility of buying the Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers F.C.Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
captain Andy Todd with agent Peter Harrison, which is against Football AssociationThe Football AssociationThe Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
rules.
- Then Portsmouth first-team coach Kevin BondKevin BondKevin Bond may refer to:*Kevin Bond , former footballer and assistant manager at Tottenham Hotspur*Kevin Bond *Kevin Bond , Grammy Award winning sound engineer...
, who was first team coach of Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
at the time of airing, is secretly recorded admitting he would consider discussing receiving payments from a proposed new agency involving agent Peter Harrison. Consequently, Bond was relieved of his duties at Newcastle.
- ChelseaChelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
director of youth football Frank ArnesenFrank ArnesenFrank Arnesen is a former Danish football player and currently sporting director at Hamburger SV. Arnesen was Director of Football at English football clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea....
is secretly filmed making an illegal approach or "tapping up" MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough F.C.Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
's England youth star 15-year-old Nathan PorrittNathan PorrittNathan John Porritt is an English footballer, who currently plays for Stokesley Sports Club F.C.. He started his career with his hometown club Middlesbrough where he attracted interest from Chelsea despite never featuring for the first-team.-Early life:Porritt was born in Middlesbrough, North...
. Arnesen offers a fee of £150,000 spread over three years as an incentive to move. Both of these allegations are against FA rules.
- Agent Peter Harrison told the undercover reporter that, to secure transfer deals with Bolton, he bribed Sam Allardyce by offering to pay his son Craig. Harrison is a FIFAFIFAThe Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
-listed agent who is based in the north-east of England.
- That three different Bolton transfer signings involved secret payments from agents to Craig Allardyce, some when he was contractually banned from doing any Bolton deals. Panorama alleged Bolton's transfer signings of defender Tal Ben HaimTal Ben HaimTal Ben Haim is an Israeli professional footballer who currently plays for Portsmouth.He can play at either centre back or right back. He is also a member of the Israeli national squad...
, midfielder Hidetoshi NakataHidetoshi Nakata, is a retired Japanese football player. He was one of the most famous Asian footballers of his generation.Nakata began his professional career in 1995 and won the Asian Football Confederation Player of the Year award in 1997 and 1998, the Scudetto with A.S...
and goalkeeper Ali Al-HabsiAli Al-HabsiAli Abdullah Harib Al-Habsi , born December 30, 1981 in Muscat) is an Omani professional association football player. He currently plays in the Premier League as a goalkeeper for Wigan Athletic, having played previously for Bolton Wanderers and Lyn Oslo....
involved secret payments from agents to Craig Allardyce. Allardyce's son quit the agency business in summer 2006, and has admitted in newspaper interviews that his working as an agent might have cost his father the chance of becoming England manager.
The Football Association has asked for any evidence as it tries to rid such action from football.
Sex Crimes and the Vatican
On 1 October 2006 Panorama did an episode on Crimen Sollicitationis, a church "instruction" approved by Pope John XXIIIPope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
in 1962, which sets out a procedure for dealing with child sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church. It was enforced for 20 years by Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Joseph Ratzinger
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
before he became the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
. It instructs bishops on how to deal with allegations of child abuse against priests. Critics claim the document has been used to evade prosecution for sex crimes.
Daylight Robbery
Panorama investigated claims that as much as $23 billion (£11.75 billion) may have been lost, stolen or not properly accounted for in Iraq.The United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
has imposed gagging orders that prevent discussion of the allegations. US and other media have reported little on this issue.
What Ever Happened to People Power
Shown on 6 July 2009, the programme investigated the increasing repression of peaceful protest by the police in the UK, in particular of environmental protesters. The episode was shown in the context of the aftermath of the G20 protests in London on 1 and 2 April 2009 which led to the death of Ian TomlinsonDeath of Ian Tomlinson
Ian Tomlinson was an English newspaper vendor who collapsed and died in the City of London after coming into contact with the police while on his way home from work during the 2009 G-20 summit protests. A first postmortem examination indicated he had suffered a heart attack and had died of natural...
and many protesters being assaulted. Police also used the controversial “kettling
Kettling
Kettling is a police tactic for controlling large crowds during demonstrations or protests. It involves the formation of large cordons of police officers who then move to contain a crowd within a limited area. Protesters are left only one choice of exit, determined by the police, or are completely...
” technique to detain people for hours.
Death in the Med
As controversy over Israel's blockade of Gaza still rages, Jane Corbin asks what really happened on the Mavi Marmara, when Israeli commandos seized the ship. (R)Abbas Al Lawati, a reporter for Gulf News
Gulf News
Gulf News is a daily English language newspaper published from Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates with a December 2009 BPA audited circulation of over 117,036 qualified copies...
, who was on the Mavi Marmara during the Gaza flotilla raid
Gaza flotilla raid
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...
, criticized Panoramas reporting of the raid in the documentary, "Death in the Med", stating that it was either a result of "weak journalism" or "deep bias". Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire, who had also participated in the Free Gaza flotilla, has also accused the programme of a "lack of truth" and "bias" in a letter to the BBC, describing its effects on the families of those who died as a "grave injustice".
"The BBC Trust has ruled that a Panorama documentary about the Israeli boarding of the Mavi Marmara was "accurate and impartial" overall..."
What the Pope Knew
On 13 September 2010 Panorama aired an in depth investigation into Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
's involvement in the cover up of the Catholic sex abuse cases. The program was broadcast three days before the first visit of the Pope to the United Kingdom in almost three decades.
FIFA's Dirty Secrets
On 29 November 2010, three days before voting for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Panorama aired an in depth investigation into bribes by senior FIFA officials.Undercover Care: The Abuse Exposed
On 31 May 2011, Panorama aired a special investigation into the horrific physical and psychological abuse suffered by severely disabled and vulnerable patients at Winterbourne View private hospital in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. The initial reaction of the documentary was shock and horror and was one of the most watched programmes that evening. It also set the news agenda for the following day and for the papers.
The fallout from the programme led many to question why such institutional care was still being provided in England for people who should be living more independent lives in the community. In June 2011 the Association of Supported Living issued a strong press statement, which was followed up in writing to every MP in the country, calling for community based supported living services to replace institutional services for people with learning disabilities.
Scheduling
The scheduling of Panorama has, since the 1980s, often been a subject of media debate and controversy, due to the duties of the BBC to provide both on the one hand entertaining programming that appeals to a mass audience, and on the other serious journalism that might have a narrower audience. In February 1985, with the programme being watched by an average audience of just 3.5 million viewers, Controller of BBC One Michael GradeMichael Grade
Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009.-Early life:...
moved the programme from its traditional prime time 8.10 pm slot on Monday evenings back to 9.30 pm, following the Nine O'Clock News
BBC Nine O'Clock News
The BBC Nine O'Clock News was the flagship BBC News programme launched on 14 September 1970, which ran until 15 October 2000, when it was controversially moved to BBC News at Ten....
. Despite many protests about this move in the media, Panorama remained in this slot until 1997, although two of Grade's successors, Alan Yentob
Alan Yentob
Alan Yentob is a British television executive and presenter who has worked throughout his career at the BBC.-Early life:...
and Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson (TV)
Michael Richard Jackson is a British television producer and executive. He is notable for being one of only three people to have been Controller of both BBC One and BBC Two, the main television channels of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and for being the first media studies graduate to...
, were known to be unhappy about running 70 continuous minutes of news from 9 pm. In May 1997 the Acting Controller of BBC One, Mark Thompson
Mark Thompson
Mark John Thompson is Director-General of the BBC, a post he has held since 2004, and a former chief executive of Channel 4...
, did move Panorama back half an hour to 10 pm, to make way for the sitcom Birds of a Feather
Birds of a Feather
Birds of a Feather was a British sitcom that was broadcast on BBC1 from 1989 until 1998. Starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph, it was created by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, who also wrote some of the episodes along with many other writers.The first episode sees sisters...
, which opened the BBC to criticism that it was side-lining serious content in favour of lighter programming.
In 2000, the programme was moved again, with the 10 pm timeslot no longer available due to the moving of the BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
from 9 pm to the later slot. Panorama was moved to Sunday nights, following the news, usually shown at around 10.15 pm – labelled by some critics as a "graveyard slot". The number of editions made per year was also cut back, which attracted press criticism for the BBC in general and its Director-General
Director-General of the BBC
The Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation is chief executive and editor-in-chief of the BBC.The position was formerly appointed by the Board of Governors of the BBC and is now appointed by the BBC Trust....
Greg Dyke
Greg Dyke
Gregory "Greg" Dyke is a British media executive, journalist and broadcaster. Since the 1960s, Dyke has a long career in the UK in print and then broadcast journalism. He is credited with introducing 'tabloid' television to British broadcasting, and reviving the ratings of TV-am...
in particular, as Dyke was the driving force behind the schedule changes. The incoming Controller of BBC One, Lorraine Heggessey
Lorraine Heggessey
Lorraine Heggessey is a British television producer and former Chief Executive of the production company Talkback Thames...
, defended the move, claiming that the programme's audience would have "dwindled" had it remained on Monday nights.
In January 2007 Heggessey's successor, Peter Fincham
Peter Fincham
Peter Fincham is a British television producer and executive, currently the Director of Television for the ITV network. He was also formerly the Controller of BBC One, the primary television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation, until his resignation on 5 October 2007, following...
, moved Panorama back from Sunday nights to a prime time Monday evening slot at 8.30 pm, although it was now shorter than it had previously been, running to just half an hour. This decision was at least partly in response to a demand from the Board of Governors of the BBC
Board of Governors of the BBC
The Board of Governors of the BBC was the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It consisted of twelve people who together regulated the BBC and represented the interests of the public. It existed from 1927 until it was replaced by the BBC Trust on 1 January 2007.The governors...
for the channel to show more current affairs programming in prime time.
External links
- Panorama official website BBC News
- Panorama Encyclopedia of Television
- Panorama returns to prime-time TV BBC News, 18 July 2006
"Scientology and Me"
- Scientology and Me: transcript, Panorama, BBC News, 11 May 2007
- BBC Panorama – Desperate Lies; "Counter-documentary" prepared by the Church of ScientologyChurch of ScientologyThe Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...