*It is a sad thing to say but we could lose 95 percent of the journalists following both leaders and the nation would be none the poorer for it*

Yes, Greg Jericho, you are absolutely spot on.

This article is a gem, a fine critique of the parlous state of the msm, as evidenced during the election campaign.

They're under siege from the blogosphere, and articles of this quality demonstrate why.

If it were only politics journalists have no idea about it wouldn't be so bad. Most of the public aren't interested, or don't care anyway. Perhaps they are getting just what they want from their TVs.

What really shouted at me from the last few days of flood & cyclone, was how little of the real world most of the journalists understand. Like the beautifully presented little girl who told us that the cyclone was traveling at 295 Km/H towards the coast. She said it twice in a minute, so it was not a slip of the tongue. At the time I wondered why it had not thundered by some time ago, picking her up & depositing her somewhere she could be more use, like someones compost bin.

Unfortunately, while we get more journalists who's only experience of life comes from school, uni, & the news room, it can only get worse. While "presenters" are chosen by how well they wear make up, it may even get worse.

Have you noticed the difference in the appearance of public, & private TV lady presenters. Of Course the fact that one is not glamorous doesn't necessarily infer intelligence. The less glamorous are often just as dumb, but carry a chip in their shoulder because of it.

I was pleasantly surprised when a lady from a morning show, who's usual simpering presentation has me reaching for the off switch, suddenly started showing she understood what would be left behind when the water went down. Unfortunately she stood out only because the majority of the others were so clueless.

Nicely put Hasbeen, I’m sure we will get more humorous examples of the 6th formers that give us their version of news and current affairs.

I was three months last year in the ME/Africa where I used to work. My daily news hit used to come form the BBC World Service. In August 2010 I managed to get today’s version of this much revered BBC service. After the fourth repeat in one day of the protests to stop “Badger Culling” in Wales and news of the stunning “victory” by labor in Australia, accompanied by pictures Tony Abbott in his budgie smugglers, I turned off the TV in disgust, got out the laptop and logged on to the real world.

Greg, well done and thank you for your article. Can I suggest that if Mark Scott, MD of the ABC, recently took an interest in your article, might we ask where he has been for the last 10 years? Or is he demonstrating that and the ABC are part of the problem and not a solution?

I see Q&A inviting one of the ABC's favourite sisterhood (Catherine Deveny) on board again. She is sure to spew out her bile again. I wonder if she still despises the young Irwin girl. What a great example for anyone thinking that journalism might be about decency and honesty.