Australian Idol beats election debate

Australian Idol beats election debate

Australians have voted with their remote controls to confirm they like reality TV more than the reality of a cliff-hanger election campaign.

Opposition Leader Mark Latham was judged the winner of the great debate with Prime Minister John Howard, but reality TV program Australian Idol won the night on television.

Ratings figures indicated the debate on Nine was watched by a peak of 1.51 million people across the nation, compared to a peak of more than 2.1 million viewers for Australian Idol on the Ten Network.

The ratings for the debate did improve when about 290,000 people were added who watched the delayed 10pm telecast on the ABC. But the debate still finished second overall to Australian Idol.

The Seven Network's JAG, or Coxy's Big Break in Melbourne, came in third with a peak of 1.2 million viewers, while the ABC attracted about 800,000 viewers for its program on the life of Sir Donald Bradman.


Politically, the debate attracted its biggest audience in Melbourne and Sydney and its weakest audience share in the key election battlegrounds of Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane, where the ALP needs to make ground in order to win power.

Mr Latham celebrated his debate victory over Mr Howard during a streetwalk in the inner-western Sydney seat of Lowe.

He was congratulated by several passers by.

Local business owner Steve Spiros said he would have awarded Mr Latham five points to nil.

"Like a soccer game," Mr Latham joked in return.

Mr Latham later said he was now ready to take on both Mr Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello in a tag-team debate.

He said he was pleased he had been able to use the televised debate to get his message and alternative policies across to voters.

"It's an hour's debate where you get a clear understanding of the alternatives, and we are offering very clear choices and alternatives in all the key areas," he told reporters.

Prime Minister John Howard refused to talk about the debate, saying he did not comment on the worm. The Nine network's electronic worm, which judged audience reaction to comments during the debate, gave the contest to Mr Latham 67 per cent to 33 per cent.

Mr Costello said Mr Howard was the clear winner, but he had tipped viewers would have preferred Australian Idol.

"I checked with my kids at home whether they were watching the debate or Australian Idol and Idol was winning hands down," Mr Costello said.

"I think a lot of people would have turned it on and had a look to see how it was going and then they'd start wavering with the finger on the remote control."

In Hobart, Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said Mr Latham had clearly won.

But Senator Brown said it was incredible that the environment did not rate a mention in a debate dominated by terrorism and national security.

"It was like going to a multi-feature movie and finding it was just dialogue," Senator Brown told reporters.

"Not a mention of the environment - just incredible."

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