ABC and POPE Benny the Bavarian

POPE Benny the Bavarian was rewarded with crosses from two Australian commercial television networks when he was introduced to the world as the pontiff at 2.45am yesterday (AEST), but he failed to impress the ABC. The national broadcaster, criticised for its aversion to breaking news, stuck to a highly interruptible 1943 black-and-white John Mills movie about submarine warfare against the Germans, We Dive at Dawn. Apparently no technician had been instructed to hit the switch and take a satellite feed should the white smoke rise and the bells peal in celebration. Nine and Seven showed CNN live until the festivities in St Peter′s Square were over. None of this, though, explains why the Archbishop of Sydney, George Pell, looked so lost and pensive on the basilica balcony while fellow cardinals beamed and celebrated. Hope he didn′t believe the publicity about his chances of getting the top job