Omicron

[Olivemyrtle]

I agree that it's too soon to draw any conclusion about Omicron, good, bad or otherwise and we're in a fortunate position where we can continue with Plan A until or unless there's a compelling reason to re-calibrate.

What I will say is that opinion pieces in the media will always be 'one-sided' unless they're about an issue on which we have unanimous 100% agreement as a society, and there aren't too many of those.

I agree that the merging of fact and opinion is becoming 'a thing,' but it's as a result of media needing to provide what people are looking for. Because there are so many sources, coming from all directions - including social media, we actually expect to be able to interact with news these days, and this new approach - even on TV bulletins, is the result.

We've come a long way from the 1970s, when Philip Sherry or Dougal Stevenson would deliver a few facts, often hours, or even days old, before finishing with a firm: "And that's the news." People like my grandparents would never have thought to question it or even discuss it amongst themselves. If it came from the NZBC it had to be gospel!