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This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.

Stop using appalling photos for shock value

Do you really feel that it’s necessary to show dead or dying animals in your paper? Or a dead young boy washed up on a beach? I think just the story would have been sufficient enough.

Your latest (Oct 3), of the beautiful white-tailed deer, was appalling as it says, “A white-tailed deer struggles to get to its feet while clinging to life.” So how long did it take your photographer to get out there to get a picture while the animal laid there suffering?

Stop with the shock values and start thinking about the effects these pictures might have on your readers. You’re no better that the National Enquirer.

Michael Buyanovich

Spokane

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