This column on countless occasions has commented on the daunting task that confronts Labor as it tries to win elections in the face of almost universal mainstream media hostility and bias.

And with the next federal poll just around the corner, we present for your consideration (above and below) an absolute doozey of an example. Right, Ned?

Regardless of whether you BUGgers out there think Peter Dutton’s seven-nuclear-site policy is soundly based, timing and cost wise, and a real power-industry game-changer or it’s fanciful bullshit, there was a time in journalism when its practitioners in the interest of professionalism and balance showed some restraint.

But that, sadly, was a long time ago before Newscorpse in particular went right-wing rabid.

In another time, the subs or graphic artists at the Adelaide Advertiser might have written a jockey line more like this: Dutton costings claim renewables grid is a money pit.

And the main heading would have been put in quotes with a tiny piece of point-size tweaking.

Oh, but not the Adelaide Advertiser or any other Newscorpse rags for that matter. It’s a cast-iron fact that Labor’s renewables plan is a money pit. Ditto that the LNP’s nuclear power plant plans are cheaper.

The only thing that was missing from that front-page treatment was the “Printed and published for the LNP” strap at the bottom as required by electoral advertising laws.

Subs still careless or ignorant

Well, one at least got it right on the SMH subs desk last Wednesday night.

We have been pleading with those subs for ever and a day that when they plop their lazy or incompetent arses down for a shift, the very first thing they should check is what the powers-that-be have decided to folio the pretend front page inside the wraparound. Is it numbered three or one!

Pretty simple thing to do, right?

But on that recent night, one sub-editor got it right and the spill on page 12 had come “from page 3”.

And that’s where it came from, for that edition at least.

Another sub – or the same one if they’re really, really stupid – had another story that spilled from that page 3 as coming from… well, have a look!

From Front Page! For the umpteenth time, memo to that sub who maybe shouldn’t be subbing, your page 3 is NOT your front page. Never has been. Never will be.

Want to be alerted immediately a new blog hits Australia’s longest running and most offensive satire site? Simply click on the Follow sign or the link below to be emailed new yarns the moment they are uploaded! The very second we go far too far – and trust us we will – you can then quickly unfollow via the three dots!

Follow The Bug Online on WordPress.com