Jackson media circus performs old and new tricks

Cameras may be barred from Michael Jackson's trial but that has not stopped a media circus from descending on an obscure California city to cover what some call the celebrity story of the century - a tale of sex and a falling rock 'n' roll star.

More than 1,000 journalists from countries as far flung as Australia and Switzerland have signed up to report on Mr Jackson's trial on child sex abuse charges, which on Tuesday entered its second day of jury selection.

Despite little news of substance so far, even fewer pictures, and protests by several news organisations about charges of up to $300 each a day levied by authorities, the Jackson trial looks destined for saturation coverage.

"This clearly is going to be the big story of the news cycle for the next several months," said Robert Thompson, executive director of Syracuse University's Centre for the Study of Popular Television.

"You've got a guy who is, without question, one of the biggest international celebrities of a generation, and who is now accused of crimes that many people would consider more taboo than murder," Mr Thompson said.

The self-styled "King of Pop" is charged with molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland ranch, plying the boy with alcohol, and then trying to cover up his deeds by keeping the boy and his family virtual prisoners.

In the small, central California town of Santa Maria, offices overlooking the courthouse have rented out roof space to photographers and front lawns to camera crews.

Television reporters claimed their spots on hastily erected scaffolding and the local coffee shop rented out its back room as an office for one overseas news organisation.

Local authorities have asked print and television reporters to pay a total of up to $800,000 to cover the costs of extra policing, barricades, portable toilets and a revamped "overflow" press room. Discussions are still underway about the final bill.

Jury selection is expected to take several weeks. But even when testimony starts, the judge has banned cameras from the courtroom, forcing 24-hour news television channels in particular to come up with new ways to keep their audiences interested. Britain's BSkyB and US cable network E! Entertainment have teamed up in a plan that will use actors to recreate the daily action by reading trial transcripts.

Britain's ITV News channel gave viewers a digitally created "walk-through" of Mr Jackson's Neverland ranch, while other channels have signed up an array of legal and celebrity experts to dissect the proceedings.

But the nature of the charges could pose problems for US reporters.

"It is very tricky to cover. There will probably be some finessing of the language. We broadcast to a family audience and so we have to be sensitive," said Jennifer Siebens, West Coast bureau chief for CBS News.

Los Angeles Times media commentator Tim Rutten doubted the trial would capture the attention of Americans in the same way as the murder trial a decade ago of O.J. Simpson.

"You're unlikely to have a spirited, full-throated discussion of child molestation over the family dinner table or in a crowded restaurant," Mr Rutten wrote.