Reality check: And it’s bad luck for Kevin

Some bad luck for Kevin Rudd tonight — or perhaps we should call it bad planning — but his policy speech is going to be overshadowed no matter how many billions he spends or doesn’t spend.

The big news tonight is going to be The Chaser who have made a dramatic appearance today on our Crikey Reality Check even before their program goes to air. Channel 7 seeking and getting an injunction to stop the influential political program from screening a segment featuring the Today Tonight host Anna Coren rocketed it to the top of our most read lists.

Tomorrow morning people will be talking over morning tea about the absurdity of a current affairs program getting upset about the unauthorised entry onto premises of a television crew.

As Chas Licciardello so aptly put it “I understand that that’s the kind of thing Channel Seven really, really doesn’t like – people going where they’re not invited with cameras.”

The re-enactment of the incident is sure to be a joy to behold. And poor old Kevin won’t even be able to have his policy speech sent up as the Chaser show was recorded yesterday. Which is a pity because a dash of celebrity is what is needed to get people interested these days as our survey of the last five days of most read stories shows.

Yesterday’s list of the five most read on the 10 news sites we survey:

Sydney Morning Herald

1. Seven wins legal battle against the Chaser
2. I touched a UFO: ex-air force pilot
3. ‘It’s Liberal dirty tricks’: Newhouse
4. ‘Bizarre’ dog baiting ends in stabbing
5. The Italian job – leaving a street near you

The Age

1. All aboard the phantom express
2. Top private schools lash PM’s policy
3. Tapes that led to the secret policemen’s fall
4. Wake brawl crowd turns on police
5. Man seeks justice after 5 years wrongful detention

The Australian

1. Rudd’s classroom warfare
2. Burke faces threat of charges
3. Caution bypassed in terror probe
4. Turks bomb Kurdish rebel outposts
5. Howard denies splurge will hike…

ABC

• Rudd pounces on Howard handover plans
• Channel 7 blocks Chaser skit
• Allergic reaction kills woman at Xmas party
• Garrett ‘won’t dignify’ experience criticism
• Police drop all charges against Cousins

The West Australian

1. Police apologise, club refuses to budge over Cousins
2. Cousins is keen to play football again: lawyer
3. Seven gets injunction against Chaser TT segment
4. Aussie travellers face higher airfares
5. Businesses, machinery destroyed by fires across WA

Sydney Telegraph

1. The Right Brain vs Left Brain
2. Tattoo disaster branded ‘gay’
3. Coren stuck in middle of Chaser…
4. Laws’ last hit at Hadley, Jones
5. Corporate s-x suit gets ugly

Melbourne Herald Sun

1. Cats branded ‘Gay Premiers’
2. Right Brain v Left Brain
3. Ch7 blocks Chaser skit
4. Cousins keen to play again
5. Mark Johnson keen to impress

Advertiser

1. Conlon takes wheel
2. Get set for a long, hot summer
3. Stripper visits school in…
4. Victoria Park ruling ‘idiocy’
5. Shark clears metro beach

Courier Mail

1. Dim sim led to death
2. Road safety chief sued over crash
3. Text-cheat Harry is dumped
4. Man dies rescuing cockatoo
5. Shark alert on beaches

news.com.au

1. Work drinks lead to s-x
2. Tutu banker busted on Facebook
3. Ch 7 blocks Chaser’s Coren skit
4. Online first dates lead to s-x
5. Doctor thought Princess Diana…