Jun 2012 8:10:19am Run Rabbitt, it doesn't make the situation any better, but I think we do have to acknowledge that most journalists are just doing the job they get paid to do. It's not the journalists themselves that are the problem, it's the organisations and it's the market. Basically, if they won't tow the company line, they'll be replaced by somebody who will. I've no doubt that, if journos at The Australian weren't getting their riding instructions from Rupert Murdoch via Chris Mitchell they might actually provide quality journalism that is fair and balanced. However, there is no sustainable market for fair and balanced journalism (Murdoch's most fair & balanced newspaper - The Times (UK) - is losing money). I think Murdoch understands this, and that's why his journalists are now increasingly being asked to play to a niche market (the disengaged voter to the rabid right). It is no longer financially viable for newspapers to simply deliver readers to advertisers. They now need to deliver readers to political parties and their corporate masters. aelious: 14 Jun 2012 8:30:32am You know what is the best way to deal with the commercial media??? STOP; Viewing it, reading it, listening to it Stop buying it!!! Result: NO audience (duped stooges), no political & ideological poison spread to the masses. NO PROFITS. Problem solved!!!! aelious: 14 Jun 2012 11:49:13am &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;scrutiny is an essential aspect of our democracy&gt;&gt;&gt;...Now I could not agree more...so where is the critical scrutiny in the commercial media. Oh