diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMedia.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMedia.java
index 9cc5b13c..22c38de5 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMedia.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMedia.java
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ import com.samskivert.util.StringUtil;
  * Something that can be rendered on the media panel.
  */
 public abstract class AbstractMedia
-    implements Shape, Comparable<AbstractMedia>
+    implements Shape
 {
     /** A {@link #_renderOrder} value at or above which, indicates that this
      * media is in the HUD (heads up display) and should not scroll when the
@@ -166,8 +166,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractMedia
         return _bounds.getPathIterator(at, flatness);
     }
 
-    // from interface Comparable<AbstractMedia>
-    public int compareTo (AbstractMedia other)
+    /**
+     * Compares this media to the specified media by render order.
+     */
+    public int renderCompareTo (AbstractMedia other)
     {
         int result = _renderOrder - other._renderOrder;
         return (result != 0) ? result : naturalCompareTo(other);
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMediaManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMediaManager.java
index 366eec9c..1c8ddd04 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMediaManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMediaManager.java
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import java.awt.Shape;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Comparator;
 
-import com.samskivert.util.ComparableArrayList;
+import com.samskivert.util.SortableArrayList;
 import com.samskivert.util.ObserverList.ObserverOp;
 import com.samskivert.util.ObserverList;
 import com.samskivert.util.Tuple;
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMediaManager
         }
         
         _media.remove(media);
-        _media.insertSorted(media);
+        _media.insertSorted(media, RENDER_ORDER);
     }
     
     /**
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMediaManager
         }
 
         media.init(this);
-        int ipos = _media.insertSorted(media);
+        int ipos = _media.insertSorted(media, RENDER_ORDER);
 
         // if we've started our tick but have not yet painted our media, we need to take care that
         // this newly added media will be ticked before our upcoming render
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMediaManager
     }
 
     /** Type safety jockeying. */
-    protected abstract ComparableArrayList<? extends AbstractMedia> createMediaList ();
+    protected abstract SortableArrayList<? extends AbstractMedia> createMediaList ();
 
     /**
      * Dispatches all queued media notifications.
@@ -284,6 +284,13 @@ public abstract class AbstractMediaManager
         _notify.clear();
     }
 
+    /** Used to sort media by render order. */
+    protected static final Comparator<AbstractMedia> RENDER_ORDER = new Comparator<AbstractMedia>() {
+        public int compare (AbstractMedia am1, AbstractMedia am2) {
+            return am1.renderCompareTo(am2);
+        }
+    };
+
     /** The media host we're working with. */
     protected MediaHost _host;
 
@@ -295,8 +302,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractMediaManager
         new ArrayList<Tuple<ObserverList,ObserverOp>>();
 
     /** Our render-order sorted list of media. */
-    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked") protected ComparableArrayList<AbstractMedia> _media =
-        (ComparableArrayList<AbstractMedia>)createMediaList();
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked") protected SortableArrayList<AbstractMedia> _media =
+        (SortableArrayList<AbstractMedia>)createMediaList();
 
     /** The position in our media list that we're ticking (while in the middle of a call to {@link
      * #tick}) otherwise -1. */
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/AnimationManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/AnimationManager.java
index d8c40ff0..be15a8f7 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/AnimationManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/AnimationManager.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 package com.threerings.media.animation;
 
-import com.samskivert.util.ComparableArrayList;
+import com.samskivert.util.SortableArrayList;
 
 import com.threerings.media.AbstractMedia;
 import com.threerings.media.AbstractMediaManager;
@@ -71,10 +71,10 @@ public class AnimationManager extends AbstractMediaManager
     }
 
     @Override // from AbstractMediaManager
-    protected ComparableArrayList<? extends AbstractMedia> createMediaList ()
+    protected SortableArrayList<? extends AbstractMedia> createMediaList ()
     {
-        return (_anims = new ComparableArrayList<Animation>());
+        return (_anims = new SortableArrayList<Animation>());
     }
 
-    protected ComparableArrayList<Animation> _anims;
+    protected SortableArrayList<Animation> _anims;
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/SpriteManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/SpriteManager.java
index a7c3a5f6..1f66ba8d 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/SpriteManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/SpriteManager.java
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 
 import com.samskivert.util.Predicate;
-import com.samskivert.util.ComparableArrayList;
+import com.samskivert.util.SortableArrayList;
 
 import com.threerings.media.AbstractMedia;
 import com.threerings.media.AbstractMediaManager;
@@ -248,10 +248,10 @@ public class SpriteManager extends AbstractMediaManager
 //    }
 
     @Override // from AbstractMediaManager
-    protected ComparableArrayList<? extends AbstractMedia> createMediaList ()
+    protected SortableArrayList<? extends AbstractMedia> createMediaList ()
     {
-        return (_sprites = new ComparableArrayList<Sprite>());
+        return (_sprites = new SortableArrayList<Sprite>());
     }
 
-    protected ComparableArrayList<Sprite> _sprites;
+    protected SortableArrayList<Sprite> _sprites;
 }