What the papers say

Journalist Andy Wood reviews Wednesday's morning newspapers.

The warning from the Saville Inquiry that DUP leader Ian Paisley could face jail for contempt dominates the front page of the News Letter.

The remarks of Lord Saville, the inquiry chairman, to Mr Paisley's lawyer that "it looks as if your client is trying to give us the run-around" is prominent in both the News Letter and Irish News.

The Irish News leads with reaction to the 30 year jail sentences handed down to three County Louth Real IRA men.

It comes from Michael Gallagher whose son Aiden died in the 1998 Omagh bombing. Mr Gallagher tells the Irish News: "This sends out a strong message that terrorism doesn't pay."

The Irish News leading article welcomes the support from the three main Protestant churches for the educational reforms proposed in the Burns Report.

In its leading article the News Letter says the fact that some nationalists will meet the Queen on her visit next week is a measure of how far Northern Ireland has come.

This sends out a strong message that terrorism doesn't pay

Michael Gallagher

The Irish Times, in a report from its London editor, claims to find significance in that fact that, although Sinn Fein will not be present when the Queen visits the Northern Ireland Assembly, the party did not object to the visit.

The proposed de-regulation of British television gives several of the cross-channel papers their front page lead.

"TV stations up for grabs" is how the Guardian puts it, adding that Rupert Murdoch will now be free to bid for Channel Five.

The Daily Telegraph reaches the same conclusion, adding that US media giants such as AOL/Time Warner and Disney will now be able to buy up large parts of the British Media.

Pay off

The Independent front page has a sense of deja vu with an extensive report on the "Stephen Byers - Jo Moore - Martin Sixsmith affair".

It's pegged to Mr Byers admission to parliament that, contrary to what he told the Commons on February 26, Mr Sixsmith did not resign from his post as Director of Communications at the Department of Transport.

The Independent says Mr Sixsmith is now in line for a pay off of £180,000.

That goes up to £200,000 in the Times and Mail,back down to £150,000 in the Guardian and bottoms out at £75,000 in the Mirror.