Opinion: Debate over media coverage of Gabby Petito

Re “Body found in Wyoming believed to be Gabrielle Petito” (Sept. 19): Explain to me why I should be interested in this story. Yes, the loss of life is tragic, but the disappearance of a person who aspired to be a social media influencer is neither national nor San Diego newsworthy.

One of the national TV networks dedicated 30 seconds more air time to this tabloid-level story than to the plight of the 20,000 people in Louisiana who don’t have electric power due to August’s Hurricane Ida.

Please, recognize the priorities for this newspaper and consign the “sensational” stories to their appropriate position — publish them online only.

Mark Tracy
Carlsbad

A newspaper isn’t a trade magazine. It publishes a range of stories — significant issues, stories of widespread interest and, yes, stories with lurid details in order to capture a wide audience.

All stories don’t appeal to all readers. But a bland approach to news coverage would produce a newspaper that resembles a laundromat bulletin board — bike for sale, room for rent, piano lessons, etc..

Newspapers routinely run significant news from elsewhere — increased volcanic activity (Canary Islands and Popocatepetl), melting arctic and Antarctic ice and Saudi Arabia’s permanent silencing of dissident Jamal Khashoggi.

If not significant news, the Petito story certainly qualifies for publication in the prurient interest category.

Dale Rodebaugh
Kensington

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