"How we have reached this pass is one for tomorrow's cultural historians to unravel, and the best of luck to them with that. But, somehow, the war crimes trial of a suspected genocidal tyrant has been transformed, by the catalyst of celebrity, into Agatha Christie's The Mystery of the Blood Diamond. This tale is so suffused with Agatha touches... that the slaughter of untold numbers of West Africans and the butchering of their babies struggle to make the cut as side issues. Even BBC Radio 4, global flagship of high-minded reporting, could summon the strength to lead bulletins with the trial only once Naomi Campbell had made her peevish and petulant way, like a spoilt Eurotrash teenager dragged to church on Good Friday, to The Hague," Matthew Norman rages - quite correctly - in today's Independent.
For further evidence of how for some media, news only becomes newsworthy if a celebrity is involved, take a look at how The Daily Express covered the biggest gay story this month; the overturning of California's Proposition 8.
"Martin & DeGeneres Celebrate Gay Marriage Ruling: Gay stars including RICKY MARTIN, ELLEN DEGENERES and LANCE BASS are celebrating after a U.S. judge branded legislation outlawing same sex marriage in California "unconstitutional". (August 5th).
"Takei Celebrating New Turn In Gay Marriage Debate: STAR TREK actor GEORGE TAKEI is celebrating the news that gay marriage could soon be legal again in California, insisting opponents of the legislation should mind their own business." (August 6th).
"Let Gays Marry, Says Schwarzenegger: California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and attorney general Jerry Brown have filed legal motions calling for same-sex weddings to resume in the state." (August 7th).
Okay - we'll let the Daily Express off the last one, seeing as Arnie is the Governor of California.
And presumably Princess Diana was unavailable for comment.
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