Yesterday morning on the way in to work I was treated to about 20 minutes (out of a 30 minute commute) about two incidents in which, as the media was typically proud to say, guns killed people.
One of these was, in fact, an unusual incident (and thus according to at least one definition newsworthy).
A total of 13 people were killed.
Now, 13 people dying is serious. On the other hand…
Statistically, over 6,500 people died in the US yesterday. So one in 500 got news coverage.
Over 1,500 died of cancer. None got news coverage.
Over 2,000 died of cardiovascular disease. None got news coverage.
Over 180 died of diabetes. None got new coverage.
But those are diseases! Indeed.
Some 95 died in auto accidents. None got news coverage.
But those were accidents! True, though most motor vehicle ‘accidents’ have a human failure or decision as the root cause.
Just over 100 committed suicide. None got news coverage.
Over 1,000 died from drug overdoses. None got news coverage.
On an average day, 30 people are killed by homicide with a firearm. Even if we simply add on yesterday’s incident, more people died of Parkinson’s disease.
Ah, but the news should only report unusual incidents!
OK, how about deaths from salmonella infections? Those only happen about twice a month. When was the last time you heard of one on the news? I can’t recall, but it certainly wasn’t last month, or within the last few months. Malaria only kills a few times a year (in the US – worldwide it is a MAJOR killer). Again, not really in the news.
About a third of homicides are committed without a firearm, yet they get much less than a third of the coverage.
Gee, I wonder why?
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