ON SUNDAY, allegations against Max Mosley were printed in the News of the World.  Four days later, they are still being discussed across the media spectrum - so what does this prove?

Firstly, it is important to recognise that this story has many elements that make it stand out from the crowd:

• Mr. Mosley’s position, as head of the International Automobile Assocation (more commonly known by its French acronym, FIA), is at the very top of the tree.  In other words, it gives him a long way to fall. 
• The story has allowed for different angles since it first broke.  Mosley’s reaction, comments from Bernie Ecclestone (F1’s top dog)  as well as the general public eye / prviacy debate.
• Perhaps most telling, though, is the shock factor of the allegations.  The involvement of Nazism, sex orgies and a 67-year-old man is a heady mix for any journalist to pick through.

That the story is now in its fifth day, with little let-up, is still remarkable in the era of 24-hour news.  That the story was broken by a newspaper is heartening for those in the industry, and must be a put-down to the newspaper neigh-sayers.

 If national newspapers are dying out - being rendered obselete by 24-hour rolling TV news and the internet - then surely this would not happen?

The News Of The World is the biggest-selling Sunday newspaper by some distance, and it has a history of such exposés going back decades.

This sort of scoop can only help their reputation, and show the public that even in the digital age, newspapers can still break big stories and set the agenda for the following week. 

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