[Helena]

This is something that's been bugging me for a while: Does the Republic even have any sort of mass media? There are a couple of things that make me wonder:

a) The Trade Federation's blockade (and later invasion) of Naboo. Why does no one go to investigate? We know that Naboo's communications are 'cut off', but wouldn't you expect there to be swarms of journalists descending on the area the moment that happened? Sure, it would be dangerous, but you can bet that many of them would consider a scoop like that well worth the risk. And come to that, how did the Republic's authorities know the blockade had happened in the first place if no one was able to report on it?

b) Anakin's relationship with Amidala. They're trying to keep their marriage secret, but neither of them seem particularly concerned about anyone finding out, even though her job at least is pretty high-profile. Imagine the American equivalent: A young, beautiful and unmarried Senator (who would probably attract enough press attention as it was) is rumoured to have been seen in the company of a Buddhist monk. After a while, despite her attempts to conceal it, it becomes clear that she is pregnant. Wouldn't the papers be falling over each other to get a story like that?

I suppose the lack of mass media would at least explain some things, such as how the Trade Federation manages to buy off half the Senate without anyone realising. And possibly Amidala's re-election as well ("Hmm, without any newspapers to remind them, let's hope they forget that time when the Trade Federation invaded and threw everyone into concentration camps because we didn't have an army to defend ourselves.")

[Icey]

Seeing how the Star Wars films are pretty much "knights/samurai in space!" costume drama, I don't find it that odd from that stand point. I think Dune and Krull had the same flaw, costume drama in space. (Krull is somewhat odd when it comes to catigorization) It's a gargantuan flaw that doesn't really make sense if you look at the films as SciFi films, but doesn't bug me since I see the films as just "Samurai in Space!"

Now that one thinks of it, it's a flaw that didn't manage to leak into Spaceballs.

[Lord Melkor]

Yes, those are fantasy films, they don`t need to correspond to Earth`s current society too much.

[Primetime]

The novelization of ROTS alludes to some kind of galactic media that covers the war. Anakin and ObiWan are idolized by children everywhere (through this media coverage).

[Helena]

Sorry, but it's no use telling me "it's fantasy so it doesn't have to make sense." Good fantasy is recognisably different from our world, yet similar enough that it actually seems as if a universe like that would work (try reading Terry Pratchett, for example). And the Republic is close enough to our society that it makes no sense for it not to have some kind of mass media.

[StarWarsIsUs]

hmm. This is a tiny problem under huge, vast problems that the PT presents. Good job on managing to find yet another one. Never occured to me.