Perhaps we should all hope that the world doesn’t end on a night when a State of Origin match is being played at Lang Park, also known commercially as Suncorp Stadium.
Especially if you happen to be a viewer of Channel Nine’s 6pm news service in the Queensland capital. Should the world be well and truly getting raptured one way or another on a certain Wednesday night each NRL season, those viewers might remain blissfully unaware of their fate. A blessing in disguise, maybe? Ignorance is bliss in those precious moments left before they get shuffled off a very mortal coil?
Last night’s “news” service was all about the second State of Origin clash. For eight-and-a-half minutes, the bulletin’s top reporters were out and about to report on the looming match. At Lang Park. In Caxton Street. At the Maroons’ inner-city accommodation. At the factory that makes the pills being used for the match. Outside the gates of the very state school Wally Lewis went to. Down Wynnum way interviewing someone who once met Alfie Langer in a supermarket queue!
Okay, perhaps the bitter and twisted old hacks who compile the MGH are being just a little bit silly here. And we truly get that beating NSW at one of the hand-ball footie codes is pretty important to many Queenslanders. But eight and a half minutes at the start of a news service? Really, Channel 9?
Not that there was anything much else going on in the world as far as Nine News was concerned.
It dabbled briefly with other trivial matters but returned to the Origin match warmup at 6.13pm and again for “breaking news!” at 6.17pm! That breaking news? The Maroons’ team bus had left the team hotel and was making its way to the stadium! That’s this year’s Gold Walkley bedded down right there.
The MGH accepts that Channel 9 has the NRL rights and thugby league is their winter-sports baby.
But the question needs to be asked: Is Nine News’ 6pm bulletin a serious news service or simply a NRL public relations outfit?
Who said the rhetorical question was dead as a modern literary device, hmmm?
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