His method acknowledges that the first duty of television is to prevent the ruthless viewer switching off.

ECONOMIST: Pacifier philosophy

While we've already learned that television shows pull double duty as entertainment and a sedative, and that launching a console with a widely understood shortage hitting stores can cause all sorts of madness and criminal activity to break loose, the last thing we needed was one more " study" claiming that video games breed rage.

ENGADGET: More "proof" that violent video games breed rage

He then left the trial, with Spector's permission, for six weeks to film a television judge show, "Jury Duty, " in which he presided over a jury of celebrities.

CNN: Spector murder trial: Spector attorney resigns

An earlier report found some staff who were supposed to be monitoring him were lying in bed watching television while they were supposed to be on duty.

BBC: Prison officers in 'resign' call

It is understood that video camera footage examined as part of the investigation shows prison staff lying in bed watching television while they were supposed to be on duty.

BBC: Report critical of prison staff

The second question is whether the closure of the News of the World will be seen by the media regulator, Ofcom, as making News Corporation, parent company of News International, a more or less fit-and-proper owner of British Sky Broadcasting, the UK's biggest television business (it is Ofcom's statutory duty to adjudicate on that important issue).

BBC: Big questions for News International

But Mr Wilson gave a cautious welcome to some of the announced measures, including the devolution of air passenger duty and tax relief for high-end television production.

BBC: DUP MP blasts 'pernicious' regional pay plans

"They will be clean because elections are a religious duty, " he said in a speech broadcast on state television.

BBC: Sudan President Bashir insists elections will be fair

Video footage was broadcast by the group's television channel, which said they had died while carrying out their "jihadist duty".

BBC: Hezbollah 'perpetuating Assad's campaign of terror'