Panorama shows why the media is a force for good

Panorama shows why the media is a force for good

The BBC’s footage, filmed undercover by Panorama, of vulnerable patients in care homes being bullied, pinned down, slapped and taunted was devastating to watch. And it’s shocking to wonder that if Panorama got enough footage from just one home to fill an entire programme, how much more abuse is going on elsewhere, and how many people are capable of inflicting it.

But whatever this case shows about human nature, Panorama has done us a huge service.  Bullies, it seems, are often cowards, and they act as they do not just because it makes them feel powerful but because they can get away with it. The fear of being caught on camera (perhaps just an iPhone) will surely make bullies everywhere – not just those in care homes – think twice.

The media is a money-making business just like any other, and journalists live by their ability to attract readers, viewers and listeners.  In extreme cases, as with the phone-hacking scandal, they can be tempted to go too far, acting illegally and unethically in search of a story.

But the vast majority of journalists know what it means to act ethically and in the public interest and still produce a compelling, newsworthy story. Panorama has had its share of controversy in the past, but on this occasion it should be congratulated.

Article date

August 1st, 2011

Robert Taylor

Media Trainer

@RT_MediaTrainer

My main passion is media training, and I’m proud to be one of the UK’s most experienced and successful trainers in this field.

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