... and an interesting article on the media's presentation of the election issues so far ....
The decline of the gallery
September 3, 2004
Our political media are wearing self-made straitjackets in this election campaign, writes Max Suich.
... "It seems significant to me that this paper's Michelle Grattan can rely on more space - and, often, get more prominence - for her weekly columns than for her major stories that, because of their complexity, need space and context.
So the rigid news cycle accommodates rather than confronts the stone wall, the editors don't ask the question of their reporters, and the reporters on the road are often the less experienced. The result is the numbing orthodox - a self-made straitjacket.
The prime example of this in the campaign's first week was the campaign launch, with its hectares of unread newsprint in special supplements and the charges and counter-charges of "liar, liar" that set the style and were the substance of the coverage that editors and producers will soon complain is turning off their audience."
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/09/02/1093939065870.html
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But it's early days yet, Mr S! We could all be totally deranged in 5 weeks time, so we'd better pace ourselves. And imagine the giant porky that Howard with need to produce at the 11th hour, if things aren't looking good for the Libs, to scare the living daylights out of the swinging voters! Something to look forward to! 
) I'd be interested to hear your views.
