Wedge: I'm afraid you are entirely wrong. The job of the media is to profit by pandering to the worst, most prurient instincts of the public. The media has no other agenda. The notion that they inform or educate is misplaced.
The events following September 11th have shown the media up as never before. Every newspaper, every radio station, every TV news broadcast has dished up an endless stream of talking heads, "experts" who have painted frightening pictures of what was about to happen. Not one jot of this Niagara of speculation has come to pass. I do not exclude the BBC from this blanket condemnation - in fact, they have been among the worst offenders.
When news editors hear of a crash at Birmingham, as they did today, their hearts leap with joy at the prospect of a grisly event to brighten up a dull day and shift some papers.