Movie moguls and their formidable webs of protection

BECAUSE of the stories that have come out over the last week concerning the complaints against the movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, including two deeply reported New York Times investigative stories and an 8,000-word report from The New Yorker, readers now know all about his alleged pattern of sexual misconduct that victimised numerous women stretching back decades. And many of them are asking on social media why the story didn't come out sooner.

As I wrote last week, the answer lies in the power he had to mint stars and make millions for his investors and production partners, not to mention the interdependence - some might say co-dependence - of the entertainment and news industries.

There is also another dynamic at play, involving something akin to a protection racket. This is the network of aggressive public relations flacks and lawyers who guard the secrets of those who employ them and keep their misdeeds out of p…