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Public service broadcasters (PSBs) are a central part of national news media landscapes, and are often regarded as specialists in the provision of hard news. But does exposure to public versus commercial news influence citizens’ knowledge of current affairs? This question is investigated in this article using cross-national surveys capturing knowledge of current affairs and media consumption. Propensity score analyses test for effects of PSBs on knowledge, and examine whether PSBs vary in this regard. Results indicate that compared to commercial news, PSBs have a positive influence on knowledge of hard news, though not all PSBs are equally effective in this way. Cross-national differences are related to factors such as de jure independence, proportion of public financing and audience share.

How Australia Compares is a handy reference that compares Australia with 17 other developed democracies on a wide range of social, economic and political dimensions. Whenever possible, it gives not only snapshot comparisons from the present, but charts trends over recent decades or even longer. Its scope is encyclopaedic, offering comparative data on as many aspects of social life as possible, from taxation to traffic accidents, homicide rates to health expenditure, and international trade to internet usage. It uses a highly accessible format, devoting a double-page spread to each topic, with tables on one page and a clear explanation and analysis on the facing page. In each discussion the focus is to put the Australian experience into international perspective, drawing out the implications for its performance, policies and prospects.

Organisations in conflict with each other come to resemble each other. This insight of the great American public policy scholar James Wilson is amply confirmed whether we look at commercial TV networks, spy agencies, football clubs - or political parties.

Think for a moment about all we have learnt about Kevin Rudd in the last few weeks. An eminent author, David Marr, has told us he is motivated primarily by anger, stemming from a traumatic period in his childhood. A voice coach has told us he has an unpleasant voice. The retailer Gerry Harvey has told us Rudd and his government are hopeless salesmen. The billionaire miner Andrew \"Twiggy\" Forrest has told us he is taking the country in a communist direction. And Kevin's brother has said he is not impressed by the job he is doing as prime minister.

Tascott, the jewel of the Central Coast, looking out on to Brisbane Water with national park behind, is a well-kept secret. Well, sufficiently secret for Telstra not to know a lot about it - much of the suburb still cannot achieve an ADSL broadband connection.

Mutual abuse simply serves to lower the public standing of all politicians and makes policy challenges more difficult.; Mutual abuse simply serves to lower the public standing of all politicians and makes policy challenges more difficult.

Few governments have invested so much into deceiving the public, and ended up so disastrously deceiving itself. Rod Tiffen writes.

At the most direct level, the explanation for the shooting ofCongresswoman Gabriell VeGiffords and the murders of five others, including a child and a judge, lies in the mind of the deranged perpetrator.; At the most direct level, the explanation for the shooting ofCongresswoman Gabriell VeGiffords and the murders of five others, including a child and a judge, lies in the mind of the deranged perpetrator.

Whatever she does Kristina Keneally is doomed to lose the state election. But she does have some choices about whether to lose smart or lose dumb.; Whatever she does Kristina Keneally is doomed to lose the state election. But she does have some choices about whether to lose smart or lose dumb.

One day this month, the world's population will reach 7 billion. It took thousands of years - from prehistory to 1960 - for humankind to reach 3 billion. But then...