Do 'transformational' budgets need a big bang?

Media commentator Gavin Ellis ponders whether a return to the Big Bang on-the-day announcements of the past, would have persuaded journalists that last week's Budget was more "transformational"? Also, Margie Thomson's investigation into the Whale Oil blog suggests that books may be the most enduring type of long-form journalism. And the 'relaunch' of the Weekend Herald's Canvas magazine, Gavin says this is just cost-cutting in disguise. Gavin Ellis is a media commentator and former editor of the New Zealand Herald. He can be contacted on gavin.ellis@xtra.co.nz