Katie Couric, co-host on the NBC Today Show, American's highest-rating breakfast programme, nursed a kangaroo with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background during yesterday's broadcast.

Asked if that meant the Today Show would be reinforcing American perceptions of Australia or expanding them, she replied: "If we're here for three weeks I think we'll have to get beyond the stereotypes but the people of Sydney will have to indulge us - kangaroos may be cliche but they do outnumber people here two to one."

Far from being abnormal, it was NBC who never once reached beyond stereotypes in Atlanta. They insisted on screening images of 10,000 metres world record-holder Haile Gebrselassie with a superimposed herd of elephants trumpeting in the background. The African runner had just won his umteenth Mercedes sports car at a grand prix meet, spent most of his time running in Europe and was a millionaire.