When Michael Jackson was first accused of sexual misconduct last year, the tabloid press struck gold. It was the story they had been waiting for: Jackson, "Wacko Jacko", long the subject of unkind speculation, was finally vulnerable.
Whatever the truth of Jackson's personal life, the key factor in the whole affair has been the media's remorseless efforts to keep the story alive. American writer Richard Ben Cramer investigates the methods by which newspapers and television on both sides of the Atlantic have brought new details to light.
British journalists have proven themselves particularly adept at creating new angles on the case, and many have found jobs in America, where their skills are deployed in stimulating speculation and dissent. As the prices paid for stories get higher and higher, will we ever hear the truth? How can celebrities of Jackson's stature defend themselves?