Since Julia Gillard announced an election date for Australians back in January it’s felt like we’ve been in one of the most extended campaigns ever seen in Australian politics. Even with a change in leadership to Kevin Rudd (and a now uncertain election date) it feels even more so that the campaign is well underway.

With “campaign mode” also comes the usual critical eye over our media – who is covering what? What questions are being asked? What questions aren’t? Who are the influencers and what roles do they have to play? It seems that each electoral cycle the same criticisms reemerge. Too much personality, not enough policy. Too many stunts, not enough detail. Too much negativity, not enough vision. Yet as media consumers we surely must accept that most Australians will stray to the light and fluffy than the hard detail. We have to accept that we play a…