n LAURA Corbett's experience with the mighty marketing machinery that generates massive wealth from exploiting young people was a cautionary tale of modern Britain (Evening News, Friday, October 4).
Worship of manufactured celebrity and the promotion of so-called beauty products that add nothing to the natural beauty of youth but for which youth pays a fortune, is the norm.
Facilities and recreation for young people are overwhelmingly provided by commercial organisations selling CDs, alcohol and cleverly-crafted fantasies like Gareth Gates.
For young people with no money to buy in to this culture, there is only the gazebo by Tesco in Warndon.
Laura's treatment was a stark example of the disdain with which young "punters" are regarded by these industries that feed on them. The CD UK television competition was a promotional project whose usefulness to the promoters ended with the announcement of a winner in the glare of a national audience.
Delivering on the promise made to Laura was a chore to be swept aside with the minimum of inconvenience to the promoters since it offered no further benefit to them.
It is to Laura's credit that she accepted her compensation with good grace and maturity. It is more than the CD UK promoters deserve. What is certain is that the offer would never have been made but for the Evening News running the story.
That is the measure of the morality of industries whose exploitation of young people is all take and no give.
PETER NIELSEN,
Worcester.
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