The Australian media diarist Amanda Meade today follows Crikey’s lead with this report on the electronic media coverage of the new Pope. But it’s clear she wasn’t up in the early hours yesterday, as she manages to swallow some of the TV network spin. She writes: “Seven was on air at 2am, then took a feed from CNN. Nine was a few minutes behind.” Seven was on the air at 2am all right – but not with news from the Vatican. Infomercials were the order of the morning until Seven switched to CNN at 2.30am, more than half an hour after the white smoke and bells announced a new Pope.

Nine joined Seven half an hour later, preferring to run with a racy US seies called “Fastlane” until 3am, only just catching the arrival of the new Pope as he made his appearance on the balcony.

Meade also covers for her employer, reporting that The Australian “ran a late city edition of about 2000 copies.” We haven’t seen any of these editions, which may have made their way to newsagents in Martin Place – if at all. Small beer, really, for a so-called national newspaper.