In the years and months leading up to the sub-prime boom, a few wise men travelled to the poorer suburbs of America to check on the roots of this new money tree. Their research went on to make them hundreds of millions of dollars when the bubble burst. So it is hardly surprising that a teenager caused such a stir this week with a piece of analysis that is similarly in touch with its origins.

Morgan Stanley's decision to publish 15-year old Matthew Robson's views on the media industry should alert the research industry to its own shortcomings, as it showed a strong demand among investors and companies for reports that offer a new and interesting perspective on a well-covered sector.