American newscaster refuses to read Paris Hilton news

WASHINGTON - A US newscaster refused to lead her program with a story about Paris Hilton, arguing she was fed up with media attention given to the controversial Hollywood socialite.

Mika Brzezinski tore her script to pieces on the air and then put another one through a shredder Friday morning when she was asked by her editors on MSNBC cable channel to lead the newscast with an item about Hilton.

"Listen, I just don't believe in covering that story, especially not as the lead story in a newscast when you have a day like today," Brzezinski said on the air.

Footage documenting her revolt is now making the rounds on the Internet, and has since been viewed on the video exchange website YouTube more than 870,000 times.

Hilton, a 26-year-old hotel chain heiress, was released from a Los Angeles jail on Tuesday after serving 23 days for driving with a suspended license. AFP