Gotcha journalism? Oh, it's everywhere

The press barons of the world have been known to make presidents and prime ministers tremble with fear, but now, with revelations of illegal wire-tapping and ethical lapses in the Rupert Murdoch news empire, the tables have turned. The king of tabloid journalism is himself fodder for the kind of humiliating exposure that his hacks excelled at. But a scandal that's left the News of the World dead in its wake and a raft of new rules governing interaction of press, police and politicians is not a victory for free press.

Tabloids are not the problem. Though more esteemed members of the press corps may think themselves to be quite different, they play a similar game. After all, there is a certain glee to be had in taking down a "bad" guy, all the more fun if the object of attention is haughty, arrogant and acts above the law.

Gotcha!