Reading empty nodes in XML

Hi,

I have seen some threads about how to detect empty nodes in XML, but I can’t make this little newsticker work. Part of the code is:
[AS]
function playThirdItem() {
var my_xml = new XML();
my_xml.ignoreWhite = true;
my_xml.onLoad = function(ok) {
if (ok) {
var field = MC.textfield;
field.html = true;
field.htmlText = this.firstChild.childNodes[2].firstChild.nodeValue;
field.setTextFormat(fmt);
//THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO CHECK IF THE NODE IS EMPTY OR NOT:
if (this.firstChild.childNodes[2].firstChild.nodeValue == “”) {
playFirstItem;
} else {
MC.tween("_y", 100, 1, “linear”);
MC.tween("_y", 200, 1, “linear”, 3);
MC.tween("_y", 0, 0, “linear”, 4, playFirstItem);
}
}
};
my_xml.load(“newsflash.xml”);
}
[/AS]

XML:

<news>
<item1>Jackson free man</item1>
<item2>Pope died</item2>
<item3></item3>
<item4>Berlusconi imprisoned</item4>
<item5>Bush throws party in Oval Room</item5>
<item6>New World Record 100m Swimming</item6>
</news>

Thank you for helping,

Jerryj.