I wasn’t sure what to expect. Nor was I sure I would actually make it. A week away from the news within the country I live – except for the outlets I write for. All I wanted was to see if it would be any different.

It was different, but not what I expected.

At the end of last week was when I could put my finger on what was different. What I had been missing out on, or maybe more correctly, been saved from.

It was this sensationalism that seems to be too common in the media here. Too much focus on spin and freak-show news. Forget about analysis and informative news. That’s too much of a time consumer. Just get the far-out stories and generate clicks and gossip.

Not just that, the lack of criticism astounds me. Why is it that only Media Watch has the balls to criticise the media loudly?

Judging by some of the attitudes I’ve encountered, the media in Australia will be the last to change to adapt to what is happening with journalism now. I’ve tried to tell some journos they need to look beyond Australia’s borders to see what other countries are doing wrong and right. Instead the assure me that it’s no concern of Australia.

Which is probably why we don’t hear so much about famous Australian journos anymore. They made themselves stand out in war reporting during WW1 and WW2. But that’s long ago now. What happened to the risk-takers? Where is the urge to be progressive and innovative?

I guess lazy tabloid journalism is what happened.