Who’ll replace Hamish and Andy? Forget the rumours that Tom and Alex from Triple J’s breakfast show may replace Hamish and Andy. It’s actually another former Triple J star (and high-rating TV host) who was spotted in the 2Day studios recently doing a pilot for the national drive show with Fifi Box …

The slow death of Democrats. There was another poor turnout last night for a meeting of the last Australian Democrats: about 20 people in attendance, with the average age probably 55-plus, compared to four to five times as many that were showing up for meetings in 2007. The party will contest the upcoming state election, but with what funds remains to be seen. Although it was put to a vote and unanimously passed, the Democrats, like a dying patient, are just denying the inevitable.

One former Senator made an intelligent speech calling for the Democrats to face the inevitable — there was even some talk of a merger with the Secular Party or Australian S-x Party. Unfortunately Victorian executive chose to ignore it.

The Sydney Morning Age. Rumour swirling through The Age‘s Media House is that the broadsheet will once again be run from Sydney with the expected appointment of a Sydney-based executive to take control over The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald mastheads. Management shake-ups in Sydney and Melbourne are only a matter of time as Fairfax tries to arrest shrinking sales and revenue.

Newspaper free-for-all (cont): Very generous of The Advertiser to offer me at no cost the Monday-Friday versions of the paper delivered to my door. Surely we wouldn’t be in a period of auditing circulation numbers?

Newspaper free-for-all (cont): On the NSW ski fields the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun-Herald are available free at the ski tube stations at Bullocks Flat, Perisher and Mt Blue Cow, in neatly positioned stands at the doors as you enter or exit. As if you didn’t already have enough stuff to carry!