Trawling around the blogosphere (Hi, Slipheed!) unearths some weird and wonderful things. How’s the form of this guy who runs a blog called Double-Think ranting about left-wing media bias in a post called “The Age show their stripes”?

The state of modern journalism in general is appalling. Students of journalism and media, across the country and in many tertiary institutes, are not taught one of the most basic principles of news reporting - separating opinion from fact.

There is room for editorials and opinion pieces. In fact, there is a huge demand by readers to read different opinion pieces. But news is news, and the front pages of newspapers are supposed to be free from editorializing, colorful language, spin, cartoons and imagery.

The Age and SMH are 2 of the worst newspapers in Australia, because they proudly violate this concept on a near daily basis. The left wing hatred and cynicism towards Howard, climate change hysteria, animosity towards liberty and capitalism pervade almost every paragraph.

Hang on, I thought. Surely this dude can’t seriously contend that News Ltd. tabloids don’t regularly and proudly violate these very golden rules he speaks of?

The Herald Sun also editorialize their headlines, but with a different bias - a more patriotic and nationalistic one. Its usually focussed on demonising criminals and social misfits, as “monsters”, and celebrating soldiers, patriots and the winners of awards as valiant heroes.

Patriotism, nationalism and valour. Oh, well, that’s all right then.

The tagline of the Double-Think blog is:

“Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them”. - George Orwell.

Obviously our blogging mate is demonstrating this principal in his writing for our ease of understanding.