Sunday's Big Day Out in Melbourne was a huge success, with some 45,000 music fans in attendance. However, if you didn't go, but read about it in Melbourne's newspapers, the question of the number of flag wavers and flag wearers was wildly different.

Here is what the left-leaning newspaper, The Age, reported:

Music festival kicks goals in last show at Princes Park

After all the commotion over flags at the Sydney BDO, just a few Australian flags, hats and bandannas were seen scattered among the Melbourne crowd, and there were just as many football jumpers representing allegiances.

But readers of the John Howard supporting Herald Sun would have struck this:

Fans flag big day of patriotic pride

The Australian flag was the accessory of choice as more than 40,000 flocked to Melbourne's Big Day Out yesterday.

Thousands of revellers at the annual music festival proudly wore flag bandanas, capes, hats and T-shirts after controversy over the national symbol last week.

I checked with someone who went. She said The Age reported the accurate picture. I hope Media Watch picks this up.

-- Olney Garkle