Sex sells. Right? Everyone knows that.

An occasional criticism of newspapers is that we sensationalize things to sell newspapers. While it's true we want to sell newspapers, it's also true we try to be responsible with our story decisions, especially on the front page. Otherwise, over time, we'd run the risk of turning off more readers than we excite by routinely overplaying what titillates.

The news cycle Monday morning started with a bombshell: NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer had been snagged in a prostitution-ring investigation. That story combines sex, politics and power, an alluring mix to be sure.

What it lacked, in some ways, in Maine at least, was impact and proximity, two key elements when we judge a story's "newsworthiness." Spitzer isn't Maine's governor. And what he allegedly did happened elsewhere. It may be interesting but will it change your life?

With this in mind, I thought I'd look at the front pages of Maine's larger daily newspapers Tuesday and report back to you.

The Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel: The two dailies that we publish, in Augusta and Waterville, did not put the Spitzer story itself on the front page. We did, however, promote our inside-page story about Spitzer high up on page A1, with a small photo and what we call a "story promo." We reserved our front page story space for four articles about our areas and about Maine.

The Portland Press Herald ran the Spitzer story at the bottom of A1, recognizing its importance but also playing Maine stories and issues higher.

The Sun-Journal of Lewiston ran the Spitzer story in the upper right of A1, the space traditionally reserved for the "lead story" -- the big story -- of the day.

The Bangor Daily News' approach was much like Portland's, a bottom-of-A1 story.

Who was right or wrong? You can tell me. The decisions are subjective and can be influenced by "what else is going on" that day. At the Morning Sentinel, for example, we led the paper with the arrest of a young Skowhegan man for killing a 1-month-old baby, a tragedy and a local one at that.

I wanted to assess the "competition" for you and show that most of Maine's newspapers could've splashed the Spitzer story more prominently and perhaps sold a few more newspapers Tuesday, if you believe that "sex sells."