What interests the public

On the same subject of celebs,Dan Sabbagh writes in today's Times that

What interests the public is not always in the public interest

He comments on the meeting of Tuesday's commons select committee on Culture.There are his says two sides to the argument.On one side Information commissioner Richard Thomas who would argue that.

"“tittle-tattle about footballers and football managers” doesn’t count,"

And on the other when the Guardian

"printed a story alleging that Ruth Turner had concerns about Lord Levy’s evidence in the cash-for-honours affair, few would dispute that it had some kind of public interest defence. "

"Anybody who has tried to sell a newspaper knows that the reporting of celebrities interests most of the people most of the time.
"This is not to say that the public interest should be defined by what interests "

And it would be

"worth imagining what public life would be like if all journalists uncritically accepted the celebrity agenda. Every day would be like a page from Hello! or OK! magazine, and while they have their fans, most of us hanker for something different, particularly when fidgeting in the dentist’s waiting room. "