The Age online has a box displaying the 10 most popular articles in the current edition. Anyone scanning today’s stories could be forgiven for thinking the end of the world is nigh. They include:
1. Woman marries dolphin.
2. Porn star arrested for raping boy.
8. Australia feels the heat of Proteas’ slow burn.
9. Woman weds dolphin (again … breaking news?).
10. For sale: Two-headed snake.
It’s unthinkable that South Africa is poised to defeat Australia, as indicated by number eight on that list. The dolphin story is a beatup, no more newsworthy than saying New Zealanders are fond of sheep.
What does this list say though about readers of the esteemed Age? You’d expect this of the London tabloids, rather than a broadsheet that takes itself too seriously.
These articles might be of interest:
Truth is stranger than fiction. Florence.