Interesting that Mr Terpstra mentions 'Team America: World Police' in his article in that context. Left and right alike seem to enjoy this film. One interesting difference I have noticed between their responses however is that the left are capable of laughing at them selves (except maybe Sean Penn!) whereas the right do not even notice the sardonic way the USA is represented. The movie was about uninformed arrogance on both sides, and represented it brilliantly.

In response the remainder of your article, this "bias" issue is getting quite tedious. Of course documentaries are bias; any film student will tell you that. Certainly Michael Moore does not try to hide his politics.

The real bias on TV is in the news, not in the bias reporting of it, but the strategic omission of certain stories and, on that ground, the ABC is not guilty. Whether the same can be said of the commercial networks is questionable. Surely we have all had the experience of watching the 6 pm commercial news followed by the 7 pm ABC news and noticed that some rather interesting stories did not warrant an earlier mention…

"The Corporation" was actually aired on SBS so if we're talking about "left-wing bias" then critics of the ABC need to be more specific regarding their facts.

Dinhaan wants to "bring on" Ann Coulter and Dinesh D'Souza. A privatised ABC, ie: one that resembles Seven, Nine or Ten, is unlikely to bring on relatively obscure Americans (to Australian audiences). Sure, a clown like Coulter may be funny for a soundbite or two but commercial stations don't feature serious conservative academics like D'Souza now. Look at so-called current affairs shows. They're all about shopping rip-offs, people with weight problems and various other hard-hitting issues (not!). The commercial stations here are not a right-wing counterweight to the ABC; they're a trivial counterweight. And even the ABC features a lot of rubbish such as bad sitcoms - except they're usually British to balance the American malarky on the commercials.

The news items on all stations is much the same. All stations feature bombings in Iraq, the latest car accident and so on. In contrast to Ben Terpstra, I'm amazed at how similar the ABC and the commercial networks actually are.

No, if you got rid of Lateline and the 7.30 Report, which I suspect a lot of the complaints about "left-wing" bias stem from, and sold the ABC you'd be disappointed. You wouldn't get a right-wing Lateline. You'd get more "Big Brother".

good, now we need an expose on how right wing types are attracted to the military and everything will be balanced

usual confusion and slippage using the label "anti-american" for "anti-bush regime", or is it deliberate painting over the cracks of what a loyal opposition is all about

Why is it that those who accuse the ABC of left wing bias do not clearly state what "balance" in media coverage is?
(Besides it not being Leftist?)

Or is this in effact a swing and time warp to the Right?

I'll let the song takover here:

Narrator:
It's just a jump to the left.

All:
And then a step to the right.

Narrator:
With your hands on your hips.

All:
You bring your knees in tight.
But it's the pelvic thrust
That really drives you insane.
Let's do the time-warp again.
Let's do the time-warp again.

Magenta:
It's so dreamy, oh fantasy free me.
So you can't see me, no, not at all.
In another dimension, with voyeuristic intention,
Well secluded, I see all.

http://www.weddingvendors.com/music/lyrics/song-785.html

I do get sick and tired of liberal lovers telling me that the ABC is left wing. If the ABC criticises howard or the libs out come the government sycophants screaming lefties, lefties. Do these pathetics want the national b/caster ALWAYS crawling to the libs, always saying that "the man of steel??" is wonderful?? To those who consistantly rubbish the ABC - get a life, watch the ugly commercial stations. I have noticed that during any election howard's choice of TV stations is SOFT ask no awkward questions,always compliant ray martin. SURELY that must tell you something about howard - Surely! numbat

Back again and forgot to ask, would a Right wing version of Roy and HG be funny? Who would replace Kerry O'brien on the seven thirty report? Someone who asks John Howard Dorothy Dixer questions..?
He regularly savages both sides of the political fence.