The New Pope

I think this is probably one step too far even for Sky News. The Conclave could go on for days so how long are they going to show a chimmney for? I think a breaking news strap would suffice once the decision has been made. On the other hand, it could be a ratings winner if you were a devote catholic?

This is one of the things that really pisses me off about the whole UK coverage of the Pope's death...even at the most generous estimates, there are 5 million Catholics in the UK (they don't call the other lot the "Church of England" for nothing you know), so why the deferential coverage as if the whole country is mourning.

We're not.

And therefore we have limited interest in the next Pope.

Um, 5 million people is A LOT of people by anyone's estimate!

Limited my arse. What about all the people in the Republic of Ireland who are Catholic, that Sky News also serves, who have a clear interest in this?

Even to those of us who are not Catholic, an event such as this is a rare thing. For its pure interest value with all the intricacies and conventions of the Vatican taken into account, I'm sure that it interests more than just a few people.

Yes it's interesting, but the coverage across the board has been lacking objectivity and has been drenched with a deferential tone. The last Pope's comments on contraception were frankly disgraceful- his policies are likely to directly lead to the death of hundreds of thousands of people.

It's like Diana all over again. At least polls suggest there are at least 50% support for the monarchy (over 20 million adults). There are 5 million "Catholics", a lot of those remembered that fact only on the death of the Pope. Those stats don't merit our news channels transforming into Pope TV.

It's not like Diana. Diana's death was a shock. The death of a very sick old man in his 80s was not shocking in any way.

Don't fall into the media trap on the Pope's view over condoms. He was trying to advocate family life and fidelity rather than not using condoms - the trouble is, it didn't come across like that. His comments were unfortunate, I agree, but I don't think they're quite what everybody thinks.

Perhaps if some of the people in Africa who think sleeping with 12-year-old virgins will cure Aids would stop, it would be a help ...

They could introduce an interim phase to signify that they're making some headway with the process - by emitting grey smoke from the chimney.... give the audience some hope....

Well that proves the pope did not live in the real world. People will have sex regardless of what the Holy See says. We are genetically programmed to have as much sex as possible. At least give people a chance by allowing them to use condoms.

It's all very well for those in the west. They just ignore the commands. I bet 99% of Catholics in the west have used some form of contraception in their lives.

But in the developing world they actually follow this mumbo jumbo the Vatican comes out with. Result Aids epidemic and over population. Remember the reason the church forbids contraception. To get more soles for the mother church. It's all politics and power.

Yes,there are some very big decisions to made by the new Pontiff.
Does he go to Swiss Guard Tony for a trade-in with the old Popemobile or sell privately through Exchange and Mart.
I mean, you wouldn't want to see His Holiness stiffed by Guiseppe's Jalopies would you ?

I don't dispute that, Marcus. I'm just saying you can't quote the whole condom thing without the context of what he was trying to achieve - no matter how ill-advised it seems to us. In his own little world he thought he was doing the right thing by encouraging family life and fideility. We might be genetically programmed, but it doesn't mean that programming is morally right.