Anna vs Tracey vs Schapelle vs Jodi

This week the 6:30 current affairs shows have gone tit for tat on the whole Jodi Powers vs Schapelle Corby saga.

It’s been a relentless scandal-driven reminder that the two shows are fighting it out in the first week of ratings.

Seven recorded the interview with Powers in November, and held onto it until the first day of the new ratings year. It was a good “get”, regardless of whether Ms Powers is telling the truth or not. Personally, I viewed her comments with considerable skepticism. Clearly she has an agenda after falling out with the Corby clan, she was paid handsomely by TT and she failed one of 3 lie-detector tests.

But it got Seven what it wanted – a whopping 2m viewers and a declaration that Anna Coren has landed.

Others including Mercedes Corby, Jodi’s husband and mother, and a slew of experts on lie-detectors and body language have since weighed into the debate.

Seven also accused ACA of chequebook journalism, a claim that pretty much applies when it comes to the Corbys and Nine. Ray Martin sewed up that association ages ago.

If we ever needed Media Watch to sort through all this smokescreen it is now!

So who is lying and who is telling the truth? Frankly, who cares. TV is thriving on this dirty laundry and that’s ultimately the bottom line for the news editors. Everyone will believe what they want to believe.

But I think given we are seeing this night after night, the veil of Corby vs Power calling each other liars should just make way for the real fight. They are just the vehicle for a much bigger stoush.

It’s Anna vs Tracey. May the best girl win.

Disclaimer: David Knox has appeared as a TV Critic on A Current Affair.