BBC news priorities

Michael Jackson has died and that is the top BBC Radio 4 news story and all other stories are preceded by "in other news". This is not a story worthy of so much attention. Michael Jackson was a superstar of pop but there are more important things going on in the world.

What is more important, the death of Michael Jackson or the news that "total losses from the banking crisis now total $15 trillion"?

What is more important, the death of Michael Jackson or the news that "The government is set to abandon the use of national literacy and numeracy strategies in England's primary schools."?

What is more important, the death of Michael Jackson or the news that "The government has suffered a defeat in the Commons over part of its plan for MPs to hold debates across England."?

Anyone would think that the BBC were using this news story as a way of taking the pressure off of Gordon Brown and the Labour government.