Who Dares Profit from Di?

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Unfortunate as it may be, Diana's death has become big business. Every TV network has seen around a four-fold increase in Nielsen ratings since Saturday night with well over a million turning to CNN alone. Post-crash pictures of the Mercedes, even though no newspaper has yet dared to publish them, are being valued at $1 million. Books are flying off the shelves: most Barnes and Noble stores were sold out of Diana biographies within hours of the accident.

At least publishers and journalists are only doing their job. But it hasn't taken long for the more opportunistic to seek a profit from Diana's death. One Web publishing company is sending out e-mail solicitations to news Web sites including TIME Daily offering a custom made "Princess Diana Screen Saver" as a "multimedia tribute." That way her image can be plastered all over your monitor lest you forget her passing.

The value of Diana's old trappings has gone through the roof. A Rolls-Royce she once used was snapped up by one midwest farmer before her death. Now he, along with those who recently purchased Di's old dresses at Christies, has already made a profit. Of course, commercializing famous deaths is nothing new: Elvis paraphernalia made millions during the 20th anniversary of the King's death last month. But in this case, the timing is a little off Diana has not even been laid to rest. Needless to say, TIME Daily declined the screen saver offer.