Ratings drive Ebola coverage

Wed., Nov. 5, 2014

After yet another rude smoker blew a puff of his poison on me while I was walking into the grocery store the other day, it got me thinking. What would happen to a person with the Ebola virus who spat on me? He would have been arrested for assault, of course.

According to livescience.com, the number of people who die from secondhand tobacco smoke is more than 42,000 people a year, including 900 infants. So, why are the deliverers of news covering the Ebola situation as if it were the most serious health threat of all?

Well, the answer is simple. Ebola is that mysterious African disease that equals big TV ratings. With all the serious, deadly health threats we all face on a daily basis, the news media should be ashamed of themselves for using this Ebola situation to scare the wits out of people just for ratings.

Steve Barber

Spokane

Letters policy

The Spokesman-Review invites original letters on local topics of public interest. Your letter must adhere to the following rules:

No more than 250 words
We reserve the right to reject letters that are not factually correct, racist or are written with malice.
We cannot accept more than one letter a month from the same writer.
With each letter, include your daytime phone number and street address.
The Spokesman-Review retains the nonexclusive right to archive and re-publish any material submitted for publication.

Unfortunately, we don’t have space to publish all letters received, nor are we able to acknowledge their receipt. (Learn more.)

Submit letters using any of the following:

Our online form: Submit your letter here
Mail: Letters to the Editor
The Spokesman-Review
999 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201
Email: editor@spokesman.com
Fax: (509) 459-3815
Phone: (509) 459-5430