Each and every total ***-up, blunder and embarrassing farce is now deemed instantly erasable from the annals of history by uttering a few short words (and no they are not 'I'm sorry'), which could prove useful for beleaguered media companies.
And what are these magical redeeming words? 'It was the right thing to do.' We've heard it applied by our Supreme Leader to everything from the invasion of Iraq, the taxpayer bail out of the banks, the U-turn on MP's expenses - in fact, pretty much everything that has been an unmitigated (and expensive) disaster.
Politicians usually learn some of the tricks of their trade from the media but in these 'unprecedented times' (another euphemism if I ever I heard one), the opposite could be applied.
Purchase of Friends Reunited? Right thing to do. Millions wasted on aborted 4Radio? Right thing to do? Publish lies in your papers about the McCann family? Right thing to do. There you go - all sins neatly absolved; it's easy really, even in this secular age.
These are just some examples of corporate media messes that can be cleared up and forgotten about using the RTTD formula. Any other examples gratefully received.
