Those who can't teach
Hello, my name is Verity and I am the senior web producer at Panorama. It's my job to keep you up to date with everything that is happening here at the programme and point you towards interesting articles and info on the issues we cover.
As part of the web team I have of course been involved in the redesign of our site. One of my tasks has been overhauling our profile pages - updating our reporters' biographies and ensuring that their photographs, while flattering, are not so out of date that you have trouble matching them up with their on-screen presence.
In doing so, I have been struck by the number of ex-teachers and wannabe educators in our midst. Both Peter Taylor and Vivian White began their careers in the classroom (as incidentally did I, introducing Japanese high school students to the delights of Hangman and Pictionary in the 90s), and John Sweeney says that if he hadn't been a journalist he would have wanted to be a teacher, because explaining to people why events and issues are important "would be a wonderful thing to do".
Of course in a way that is exactly what John, Peter, Vivian et al actually do - they bring important, but sometimes hidden, information to public attention and point out why you should care.
But the key difference between teachers (at least in my day) and the Panorama team is that you can answer us back - in fact we positively encourage it. Central to our blog is the conversation between us and you, so please do send us your comments, ask us questions, pass on information and if you feel the need harangue and pester us (I may live to regret that last bit) - that way you can help us ensure that you the audience remain at the heart of what we do.
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