Who's worse, the politicians or mainstream media? Both are quick to speak, slow to act and don't really add up to much these days.

Governments are full of wallies. If they had half a brain between them, it would be a fine thing.

The media is really struggling these days, especially television. It's a series of repeating promotions interrupted by some programming.

Print has almost totally collapsed. Much of it can be read anywhere, at any time, for nothing.

No new ideas, no collaborations; nothing but websites for a tenth of the income. It's freebies or paywalls and nothing in the middle. And if we weren't all stuck in our cars for great swathes of the day, radio would be knackered as well.

These two ‘industries' – once leaders in the 20^th Century – are both flailing around in their own disappearing juices.

In America, it's an all-out war as the media-driven Democrats try to resurrect their power. But they are both being held up by one man and his ‘executive'.

Politicians and media need each other like leeches need fresh blood. Do we have any real leadership to challenge this mediocrity? Not yet, sadly, but we're hopeful. Aren't we Simon?

G Martin, Brookfield (Abridged).