It is produced by Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), and is aired every third week on Thursdays at 21:45, alternating with Monitor and Kontraste [de] by Das Erste.

Panorama was initiated in 1961 by Rüdiger Proske,[2] then director of the department of current events (Hauptabteilungsleiter Zeitgeschehen) of Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR).

In fall the same year, members of the federal government criticised Panorama for "torpedoing" its measures ("Maßnahmen der Bundesregierung zu torpedieren").

[9] In 1974, when Peter Merseburger ran the magazine, a report about an abortion by Alice Schwarzer, at the time a criminal act, was cancelled by authorities (Intendantenkonferenz) last minute.

[13] In 2018, authors of Panorama received the Grimme-Preis for exceptional journalism (besondere journalistische Leistung) in the category "Information und Kultur" for a report of the 2017 G20 Hamburg summit.