Politics has got to be the longest running soap of all time.

I was fascinated (indeed addicted) to the build-up, the news stories, the propaganda, the coverage and the entire media handling of the Malta general election. As a "media man" myself, it was a golden opportunity to experience the entire drama from the comfort of my desktop.

At one point newspaper websites must have been operating as fast as humanly possible. Then during this media frenzy, I stopped and realised that in fact print news in Malta in its traditional fashion was, whether we like it or not, becoming, not a thing of the past but superseded by its cheeky young upstart online.

At the height of our thirst for news it was the grand old news machine breaking the news with the latest technology broadcasting it. It wasn't just typed words - there were up-to-the-minute professional images and embedded news clips all intermingling on one page. Then to top off the entire experience the opportunity to go back to basics and actually go out and buy a newspaper and absorb the whole event in greater detail.

The Times proudly reported it "reached a new record of almost 55,000 unique visitors on Monday". But this isn't just another newspaper statistic. This marks the point of no return as technology changes the face of news, and where the audience have spoken with a clear message, the number of "hits" can be very telling indeed.

In today's consumer-led media jungle it's content that counts and it's the technology which slowly and surely is becoming ever more transparent.

As far as the media profession is concerned, newspaper websites that bring together technologies will, with no doubt whatsoever, win the ratings in the news war and bring in more much-needed commercial revenue.

Last year I was trying to introduce the concept of rolling news and general information media onto a digital radio platform linked to traditional business. The ideas weren't particularly radical but were just a little ahead of their time, perhaps.

Now with digital media moving towards border-crossing and pan-continental broadcast levels the editorial and commercial opportunities are greater than ever before.

At last a real chance for small countries with international broadcast capabilities and allocated broadcast frequencies like Malta to really show off a country's potential to an international audience. With it comes an awareness boost and all sorts of opportunities from regular business to tourism. DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) is utilising old former international broadcast frequencies and recycling antique crackly medium-wave and short-wave channels for international digital broadcasting. As DAB is being consigned to the waste bin in Germany, it's DRM that's being employed as the preferred digital radio broadcaster. The same in China, India and Mexico. In the UK, media giants like GCap and Virgin are closing down DAB stations. The BBC, along with other international broadcasters, is already running DRM tests.

Technology is running at breakneck speeds and the media savvy consumer is getting ever more hungry for the latest, the best and the most stimulating content.

The past few weeks have proved how interesting, essential and vital new technology can be in telling the story. The talent bringing us the story, writing the articles, taking the pictures and filming the action should be congratulated - but it's those with foresight and business courage who should receive the biggest pat on the back.

With this particular soap opera, I can't wait for the next instalment.