Australian Culture

I suspect that we can learn a lot about Australian culture by looking at the things that Australian's watch on TV, listen to on radio and read in Newspapers.

I must confess that I don't read newspapers listen to radio or watch television.

Except for the ABC.

I usually listen to ABC radio during the day (go Ramona), watch ABC television (go Kerry and Leigh) of an evening and if there was an ABC newspaper then I would probably read that.

Because I have almost a lifetime under my belt of watching, listening to and reading the pap that is served up by the Australian commercial media and I have voted with what is left of my brain - and moved on to the ABC.

There was a time when I used to read "The Australian" every day for 30 years - but being a slow learner I finally got sick of that a year or so ago. I re-scanned it about a week ago and it almost made me ill. John Hartigan has a lot more to worry about than the Melbourne Storm.

There are also moments when I find myself at a friend's or relative's place and they will be absorbed by commercial television. Most of the time I need to excuse myself and visit the loo - to throw up. Does anyone else get that feeling when they are forced to watch the 7pm Project or MasterChef?

All of which causes me grief when I check out "Last Night's TV Ratings" in the Crikey daily email today.

* MasterChef was top again with 1.580 million viewers.
* Seven News was second on 1.320 million.
* Today Tonight next with 1.228 million.
* Nine News was 4th with 1.168 million.
* A Current Affair was 5th with 1.167 million.
* The 7pm ABC News was next with 1.054 million.
* Nine's Sea Patrol snuck into the list in 7th with 1.009 million people.
* Getaway was 8th with 996,000, at 7.30 pm on Nine.

Good grief - how on earth can our nation be captured by a bunch of old farts in a cooking show?