Don't it always seem to go...

...that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? I never fully appreciated breakfast television when I lived in the USA. I certainly watched breakfast television as I'd prepare for school or work when I lived there. I was a fan of the NBC Today Show, but I never appreciated it. No, I only appreciate it now. Now that I can't watch it anymore. Well, that's not entirely true, I can watch it from 4am till 6am each morning. If I'm up at that hour, however, chances are I'm too busy cleaning up after a sick child or getting someone a drink to actually think about turning on the television and getting a Today Show fix. Actually, I'd be lying to call it a Today Show fix, it would really be a Matt Lauer fix. I love that guy. He's funny, likable, smart and serious when he needs to be. In fact, most of the people on the Today Show can be serious when they need to be. They can also ask hard hitting questions...well, except for maybe Al Roker, but someone has to provide comic relief I suppose.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone on breakfast television in Australia ask any hard hitting questions. In fact the cast of characters from the morning Sunrise program that we watch here are certainly not people I would put in the journalist category. They've got plenty of personality and nice cheerful demeanours at ridiculously early hours in the morning, but the substance is missing. The female presenters on Sunrise are particularly disappointing. If there is ever any complex political issue or economic question, they ask the most simplistic questions. They readily admit they don't fully understand what is being talked about sometimes and leave it to the goofy, know-it-all, male co-host to swoop in and make sense of it all. I hate the stereotype of gender roles this show promotes. It's irritating.

I'm also not that keen on their choice of news stories. They don't exactly go for the hard issues. Have a look..



I also don't think that promos like the following one do a lot for their credibility as journalists.



But perhaps that's just me and my limited imagination.

I guess the bottom line is Australians are happy to have a laugh and poke fun at themselves. They don't take themselves too seriously (except on the sporting fields)and this sentiment permeates every aspect of their culture--including breakfast news programs aimed at a national audience.

I do appreciate this light hearted, easy going attitude most of the time, but when it comes to news, I just want news.



Ah, yes Matt. That's more like it.

Learn the Lingo
Breakfast Television = Morning Television