INVESTIGATE

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ecember 2008:  M

edia bias • The Christmas Special issue • The Church of O

prah                                                            Issue 95

Merry ChristMas speCial gifts with subsCriptions

$7.99 December 2008

New Evidencebacks up the Christmas story

Oprah Winfrey’s

new religion

John Key targeted:news media implicated

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Contents

Cover: NZPA

FEATURES

24 Dog-whistle ElectioneeringA Canterbury University study suggests the news media were heavily biased against the National Par-ty and John Key during the election campaign. IAN WISHART analyses the study, and its implications for the daily news media

32 Christmas - The EvidenceFor years major newspapers and magazines have devoted issues each December to attacking the ba-sis of the Christmas story. But now, new evidence is backing up the traditional version. In this extract from his book The Divinity Code, IAN WISHART lays out where critics like Richard Dawkins and John Spong have got it wrong

44 The Christmas SpiritIn a continuation of our Christmas special, former Christian turned atheist turned agnostic SIMON GEMMILL questions some basic assumptions about faith

50 Oprah’s New ReligionAmerica’s talk-show queen has not only sold The Se-cret in 124 countries, and pushed other bizarre New Age beliefs on her audience - now she’s helped launch Barack Obama into the White House as part of a brave new order. ROLLAN MCCLEARY backgrounds the New Age search for their own ‘Messiah’

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Volume 8, issue 95, ISSN 1175-1290

Chief Executive Officer Heidi WishartGroup Managing Editor Ian WishartCustomer Services Debbie Marcroft

NZ EDITIONAdvertising Sales Richa Fuller Fuller Media 09 522 7062 021 03 74079 richa@fullermedia.co.nz

Contributing Writers:Melody Towns, Selwyn Parker, Amy Brooke, Chris Forster, Peter Hensley, Chris Carter, Mark Steyn, Chris Philpott, Michael Morrissey, Miranda Devine, Richard Prosser, Claire Morrow, James Morrow, Len Restall, Laura Wilson, and the worldwide resources of MCTribune Group, UPI and Newscom

Art Direction Heidi WishartDesign & Layout Bozidar Jokanovic

Tel: +64 9 373 3676Fax: +64 9 373 3667Investigate MagazinePO Box 302188, North HarbourNorth Shore 0751, NEW ZEALAND

AUSTRALIAN EDITIONEditor Ian Wishart Customer Services Debbie MarcroftAdvertising sales@investigatemagazine.comTel/Fax: 1-800 123 983

SUBSCRIPTIONSOnline: www.investigatemagazine.com By Phone: Australia 1-800 123 983 NZ 09 373 3676By Post: To the PO BoxNZ Edition: $75Au Edition: A$96

EMAIL editorial@investigatemagazine.comian@investigatemagazine.comaustralia@investigatemagazine.comsales@investigatemagazine.comdebbie@investigatemagazine.com

All content in this magazine is copyright, and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The opinions of advertisers or contributors are not neces-sarily those of the magazine, and no liability is accepted.We take no responsibility for unsolicited material sent to us. Please enclose a stamped, SAE enve-lope. Inquiries in the first instance should be made via email or fax.

Investigate magazine Australasia is published by HATM Magazines Ltd

Editorial and opinion06 Focal Point Editorial

08 Vox-Populi The roar of the crowd

16 Simply Devine Miranda Devine on drugs

18 Mark Steyn On a cartoon president

20 Eyes Right Richard Prosser on ‘The People’

22 Line 1 Chris Carter rocks the boat

Lifestyle60 MoneyPeter Hensley on retirement

62 EducationAmy Brooke’s clarion call

64 ScienceEarthquake warning systems

66 TechnologyNotebooks, Dragon 10

68 SportChris Forster on the Blackcaps

70 HealthNew breakthrough in heart care

72 Alt.HealthProbiotics

74 TravelA Lost City, and Ireland

82 FoodJames Morrow cooks noodles

84 Drive Corvette’s new ZR1

86 ToyboxThe latest and greatest

88 PagesMichael Morrissey’s summer picks

92 MusicChris Philpott’s CD reviews

94 MoviesQuantum of Solace, Ghost Town

96 DVDsMamma Mia!

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