Am I yawning because it’s early, or boring?

It’s one of the great mysteries of life that in every area of life, the media will cover stories only if they are new, other than if they relate to gambling.

I woke up this morning to hear that Five Live were leading the news – not just mentioning it, but actually leading the news, as if it was just that, news – with the line that campaigners want to ban FOBTs. As I type, it is 7.15am, and they have still not come off the subject as the first story since the top of the hour. They are throwing absurdities at the valiant Ciaran O’Brien of Ladbrokes, having spent five minutes talking to someone who played on a machine and lost. Meanwhile, the presenters are expressing shock and horror about the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’ as if it is the first time they have heard the phrase. Give them an Oscar.

Where you stand on FOBTs is not the point. The weird thing about it is that this is the identical story that was run in November.  Who makes the editorial decision that says this is news, when there hasn’t been a new development? Or do a feature programme on it, if it’s a human interest story. But leading the news? Come off it.

Happy New Year, by the way.