Never let the facts get in the way of a good story!

That adage about how perhaps too many have practised the craft of journalism over the years appears to be making a comeback, at least in the Channel 9 newsroom up at Mount Coot-tha in Brisbane.

Two nights ago, newsreaders Andrew Lofthouse and Melissa Downes began a 24-hour tease by breathlessly promoting a story that wouldn’t be appearing until last night’s bulletin: somewhere just two hours from Brisbane, Australians were relocating to a foreign paradise to live the lives of Riley at a fraction of the costs of spending their twilight years in Oz.

Two hours! The MGH crew conjured up into what’s left of their minds maps of the south Pacific and hummed I’m going to wash that man right out of my hair as they tried to guess exactly where this seniors’ Shangri-La might be.

When that didn’t work, we googled “what south Pacific islands are two-hours flying time from Brisbane” and there it was: “Two hours 30 minutes flying time direct from Brisbane, Vanuatu is one of Australia’s closest island neighbours and a nation of contrasts”. 

Okay, the MGH reckoned Channel 9 News could be excused for slightly gilding the lily over what was clearly such a hot news item that it deserved a 24-hour tease cycle.

The MGH wasn’t entirely sure Vanuatu was the answer so we sat down, notebooks in hand, when Nine’s Brisbane 6pm news began last night. We waited patiently as the “only two hours from Brisbane” scoop was teased over and over again by the two newsreaders and then we finally cottoned on!

Bugger, this is the story that Nine News doesn’t run until around the main weather report. Yes, that spot that Nine News usually reserves for its miracle diet or miracle back-cure story.

Finally, almost 7pm came around and the MGH crew had pens poised over Spirex notebooks as this destination “only two hours from Brisbane” was finally revealed.

Aussies, as long as they have $200,000 in the bank, can go and live for quite some time without yearly reappraisals and enjoy $2 flat whites and $6 meals in ….. pause for maximum effect – Indonesia and Thailand!

What the fuck! Is there anyone at Channel 9 News with any news sense at all?

Surely the story here is the introduction of supersonic, two-hour, passenger flights to Bangkok, not the fact that some of the bums on seats on those planes might be Australians relocating to Thailand to enjoy an authentic Thai green chicken curry washed down with a Singha beer long neck for a couple of hundred baht?

***

Okay, enough of taking the mickey out of Channel 9 News, no matter how easy it is and no matter what capital city it is beamed out of!

Oh, okay, just one more. Here’s an image from the aforementioned Sunday night bulletin out of Brisbane…

We at the MGH wish Prime Minister Anthoyn Albanese well in his one-of-one talks this afternoon in Bali with Cinah Prisedent Ji Pingpong.