Leading article: Thought for `Today'

LISTENERS TO Today, on Radio 4, were shaken out of their morning torpor yesterday by an extended interview with Mohammed Al Fayed in the main interview slot. Ten past eight is usually reserved for the grilling of political heavyweights. On this occasion, it was dedicated to the ramblings of a man determined to sustain mawkish conspiracy theories around the death of the Princess of Wales and his son, Dodi Fayed.

The sole reason for running this item was cheap shock effect. Fayed's theory that the tragedy was manipulated is well-known - although his suggestion that the famously independent French intelligence readily co- operated with the British security services will cause some merriment in MI6. We learned nothing new from the interview. Its sole value was to Mr Fayed, who is anxious to shuffle off his responsibility as employer for the intoxicated state of the car's driver.

The decision to offer Mr Fayed a prestigious platform is an ill-considered attempt to chase controversy. All media want to improve their ratings. At a time of media proliferation, the BBC must fight hard for the eyes and ears of the nation. But a rich man's conspiratorial ravings are something that the corporation's flagship news programme can probably do without.