Media Diary: Silk's tale of libel most vile

Media law

Those who believe the libel laws need updating might be intrigued by the new play by celebrated media lawyer Andrew Caldecott and his fellow silk Tom Shields.

The play, set in 1561, is titled Murder Most Foul or Libel Most Vile. It takes place at the Inner Temple at the end of March and is expected to be a sell out. The director is Tom Kinninmont, whose previous credits include the movie version of Keith Waterhouse's play Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, starring Peter O'Toole. There is no indication as yet of a part for the keen amateur thespian and treader of the Inner Temple boards Justice David Eady, Britain's most famous libel judge (pictured), but the subject matter seems made for him.

Phone-hacking scandal still hot

Dispatches

News International is keen to emphasise that the phone-hacking scandal isn't confined to Wapping. That won't make the story go away. Aside from Channel 4's Dispatches follow up tonight, Panorama is working on its own film, from the award-winning team that exposed corruption in horse racing.

Viagra facing hard times

The Economist

An alert from The Economist reveals that Pfizer, makers of Viagra, fear demand may "droop in the face of stiff competition". Yes, that was from The Economist.