It was the story that enthralled the world’s news editors. Two squabbling parties stood toe-to-toe in vehement disagreement, citing irreconcilable differences and seemingly on the brink of mutually assured destruction. Both were threatening to use “the nuclear option”. The story dominated the front pages of newspapers internationally and got a fair bit of coverage here in Australia. Yes folks — this week the world awoke to the startling news that Mel Gibson’s wife Robyn Gibson had filed for divorce.

There was also some unsavoury business about North Korea ordering UN nuke inspectors to leave their country and announcing they will recommence making arms-grade plutonium. But nobody’s really interested in that, are they? Especially TV news producers here in Australia, as these stats provided by Media Monitors illustrate.

You have to wonder. If there was a modern day Cuban Missile Crisis-like stand-off, would the media and therefore the public even notice? Or would we all be too busy dissecting the latest showbiz gossip to care?