The Global Mail - coming real soon now...

As 'mainstream' media is evenly divided but altogether dominated by talking up a Rudd spill and navel-gazing about the (quite concerning) buy-up of Fairfax shares by miner Gina Reinhart, a new competitor has been quietly getting ready to launch.

Although I'm not sure 'competitor' is the right word. Because only the ABC will be close to The Global Mail with regard to a focus on independence and quality journalism.

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The brainchild of venerable veteran ABC journalist Monica Attard, a major injection of funds from philanthropist and Wotif.com founder Graeme Wood has ensured The Global Mail can not only get going, but run for several years completely free of advertising or subscription fee.

If the quality of their reporting comes anywhere close to the sort of work Attard - winner of five Walkley Awards (one Gold) - did during major unrest in Russia in 1990-1994, then we should be in for a pleasant experience. And the others in for a rude shock.