Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Panorama to Return to Monday Evenings

A few years ago I published a history of Panorama by Richard Lindley to coincide with the programme's fiftieth anniversary. Tonight's news is that Panorama will be shifted from its Sunday graveyard slot to Monday evening at 8.30. Channel 4 is not pleased as it will clash with Dispatches. However, Panorama occupied the 8.10-9.00 slot for almost thirty years so it is good to see it returning to its natural home, albeit with 20 minutes knocked off. I'd like to see it go back to its roots with some more serious reporting too. Some of its recent programmes have been so tabloid in style that you'd have almost thought they belonged on Tonight with Trevor McDonald.

9 comments:

Curly said...

Yes, it will be good to have it back in a decent spot, and I agree, let's get back to some hard hitting investigative journalism!

I'd love someone to do a decent expose on the Swan Hunter/mismanagement/political interference malarky!

Lyme Bay

Anonymous said...

When I get to be Prime Minister, I'll have a law passed that requires all TV 'shots' to last for at least ten seconds.

At a stroke ADD, ADHD (and the like) will disappear, shopping in Tesco's will become feasible without the attendent risk of being bowled over by out of control seven year olds, and television will be watchable again.

It's possible, of course, to put the Monday evening back into Panorama..... but, I doubt if the public will be able to put the concentration process back into watching anything designed to engage their intellect without second by second visual stimulation.

Strange as it may seem, an ability to be able to contemplate abstraction used to be the norm in the olden days.

Such is progress.

Alfie said...

As someone who can remember the April 1st spaghetti harvest story, wonderfully introduced by Richard Dimbleby, I welcome that.....

I always used to watch when I got back from cubs (dib, dib, dob) on a Monday night.

(nice tie on the telly by the way - did you have a power cut in your house or what?) :-)

The Military Wing Of The BBC said...

I got quite excited about this return to the Monday night slot. - I'm not sure that TB's news manipulation /agenda setting techniques would have worked so well if Panorama (and World in Action) were around to investigate his record IN DEPTH on a weekly. To my mind Blair doesn't seem to score so well in weekly publications that have to take a longer view.
However, these days, an 8.30 Monday night slot is up against Coronation Street on ITV.
Perhaps more exciting, would be a return of Spitting Image - they single handedly did for Major with the Green peas, grey room and ticking clock.
What decent script writers could do against this absolute shower keeps me awake at night, sceaming.

strapworld said...

wonderful for his age has a very good poinnt.

Iain can you assure us that Richard and Judy are not the new presenters of Panorama?

Anonymous said...

I welcome this move of Panorama, and hope it concentrates intently on hard investigation and critique. We need these more than ever today, and haven't had decent regular programmes doing these things since the days of This Week and World In Action, far too long ago. I only hope the BBC has recovered its composure enough following the Kelly/Gilligan days, and can be hard-hitting.

Man in a Shed said...

Too right Iain on the reporting style. Both Panorama and oddly Horizon spend all their time reporting on feelings and emoting or door stepping. Gone are the in depth interviews and analysis.

Still its a sign that real politics may be coming back. ( David Cameron take note - don't fight the last election - fight the next one ! )

I'm really waiting for the return of Spitting Image ( Their pre-election result broadcast in 1987, when the BBC was predicting a Labour victory, was one of my favourite of all time - and spot on. The enjoyment was doubled by watching in the student common room where the Lefties had taken all the front seats ready for a night of what they thought was going to be great entertainment. How right they were !)

The Military Wing Of The BBC said...

I've just heard someone suggest that Panarama may take up some of the "important" issues raised in the preceding Eastenders programme.

Pass le sac de vomissement someone, I'm off to burn me TV Licence.

VUK said...

Let me guess Panorama will be following the cash for seats in the Lords and the time of when Tony will leave and Gordon becames PM