For this to work.....
Editor : Wow, here's a juicy piece on Koran desecration. I know, let's bury it in a sidebar so that Muslims will riot, people will die, and the right-wing will have a field day excoriating us. Remember, even bad publicity is better than no publicity.
Writer: Wouldn't putting it as the cover story be more effective?
Editor: Nah. We have to be subtle or people would see through the plan.
Let's do it and sell more mags!