War and peace at the BBC

What's a news editor to do when just as the long-awaited Beijing Olympics opening ceremony starts, the story breaks that Russian tanks are rolling into Georgia? Well, if you're the BBC News Channel - with access to live coverage of the Olympics opening ceremony, unlike your bitter rival Sky News - you offer viewers a choice with a split screen, of course. On the right, beaming Chinese lycra-clad dancers with lights. On the left, grey menacing scenes of tanks. What next? An on-screen menu offering viewers the chance to stick with the Beijing fireworks or click on the red button for fireworks of a more dangerous kind?