Panorama Blog
Hallo and welcome to Panorama's new blog, a mix of current affairs musings, clips, pictures and links to the big issues that affect all our lives.
I'm Derren and I run Panorama's online team, some of whom like Verity and Eamonn will be blogging too. Verity will keep you up to date with all the latest news and developments surrounding the programme.
Eamonn's our resident Mr Archive with an encyclopaedic knowledge of Panorama's history. He'll be rummaging around our vaults and dusting off old tapes to bring you those classic moments from Panorama's past that have as much relevance now as they did then. We know that you have your own opinions about Panorama's heritage, so Eamonn will be keeping track of the vintage episodes that you've rated or hated too.
Expect posts from Tom Giles too, a Panorama Deputy Editor, bitten by the blogging bug while covering the US Election for us.
They'll also be regular contributions from Panorama reporters Jane Corbin, Raphael Rowe and John Sweeney.
Jane kicks off first, reflecting on her recent trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan for a forthcoming show on terrorism.
Last but not least our blog needs your comments and feedback. Let us know what you think of what we say and show you; let us know what you'd like to read and watch more of and we'll do our best to provide it.
If you'd like to know more about how 大象传媒 blogs work then please have a read of our Blog FAQs.
Derren
Multiplatform Editor, Panorama
Comment number 1.
At 5th Jan 2009, Sarahvikki wrote:Just turned over to Big Brother after Panorama's Sexual Bullying. Coolio , lorded his "group"sexual activity at 12, over the other sad has-beens, insinuating he was forced to drop his draws and participate in a threesome, proclaiming his innocence in the matter. Of course he was innocencent! He was 12, (or so he says) it was not bullying but his first experience. Granted it was after 9pm watershed (quote 大象传媒 "From 9pm the TV watershed helps parents protect children from unsuitable ..." etc)
Coolio must be my age. I remember first experiences starting at 14 for me, a "nice" middle class girl in the 70s with educated parents, and not being particularly traumatised by the obvious sexual advances of kids my age and those younger and older. These advances, grabbings and (what would be now labelled) inappropriate touchings were not mistaken as harassment or bullying. Are we sure the nannying of our British society, to which sadly all age groups are now prey, isn't turning normal adolescent sexual horseplay into something shameful and are we not at risk of turning our youth into a guilt ridden generation for the future with programmes such as this and precious 鈥渁nti-sexual bullying鈥 clubs in our schools? Jeremy Vine's irresponsible demonising of the natural sexual conduct between teens is shameful and I suggest he reads Romeo and Julliet, and thinks back to his youth, the banter, rude words and touchy feely stuff I'm sure he experienced, the same all young people take part in. Gangs and sexual favours? All youth is prey to peer pressure and the problems that may bring with it, whether that be shop lifting, bitching, betrayal of friends by shouting "slut" or sexual activity we may otherwise have preferred to have avoided until a later date. But these experiences teach us to say no and teach us what we do and don鈥檛 want. (It is the same principle as disallowing conkers or British Bulldog in the playground, a child who cannot learn to fall, or get bashed by a large seed will never learn the invaluable lesson of how to avoid a beer can at a football match or a fall when running when late for a train)
The media is responsible for creating problems among teenagers, with programmes such as this that suggest that the pubescent learning curve we all went through is to be frowned upon, demonised or even criminalised. Kids may have more at their finger tips with regard to what is available on the net or TV but innocence is relative and it is us "adults" with our insinuations that are turning all that is to do with simply "growing up" into something dirty or bad. We cannot hug our children in public, dress a wound on a child we don't know who has tripped, or mess around with our mates anymore at fifteen. Surely we need to give our children a solid base, self esteem and self worth to give them the strength to say "NO" when it really matters rather than wrapping them up in this poisonous cotton wool that contaminates their instincts and freedom to be.
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Comment number 2.
At 19th Oct 2009, curiousgrrl wrote:I am just curious to know, after watching a rerun of "Scientology and Me," are John Sweeney or any other members of the panorama team still experiencing harassment from scientologists? I thought their behaviour on the program was absolutely appalling, John Sweeney didn't need to do anything to make them look bad, they did it all themselves.
Although he apologised for his outburst during one interview, I personally don't blame him one bit. The behaviour of Tommy Davis and other members of the church was overbearing and scary. The American Constitution may uphold freedom of speech, but Scientology obviously doesn't.
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Comment number 3.
At 20th Oct 2009, johndark wrote:I decided to watch the Panorama programme this evening at a friends house because I had seen the trailer on the iPlayer and something didn't ring true. The two journalists had a dreadful time during the time that they were filming, and I do not diminish the pain they suffered. However racial attacks happen in every country; In Orissa Province in India last year over 50,000 Indian Christians homes were burned, people beaten and women raped and the total Christian population of that area dispossed. And that is what I want to speak about; This programme just felt like a gratituous and deliberate attempt to accuse a society of racism. This is somehow only associated with the Muslim community; All other nationality have and aim to integrate and become British. The Muslim community wants Britain to become Muslim. I'm not racist, I grew up as a minority in British society. I faced racial attacks and abuse myself and I gave racial abuse. BUT the abuse I gave was not against the blacks or browns, it was against the blond haired blue eyed Dutch kids, and it was because they were the last chickens in the coop. I think that this programme is doing a lot of damage, and the Muslim community will find that their way will be harder because they will be seen to try to turn every human experience into a political opportunity to, not just find fault with this society that they have chosen to join, but to actively attack. I have young law abiding males in parts of my family, and they even say that in order to stay out of trouble in some areas, it is wise not to make eye contact with problem people. and they are white and english.
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