On Sunday's edition of CNN's "Reliable Sources," host Brian Stelter discussed the good and the bad of Ebola coverage. Good? Explainers, Q&As with experts, containing fears. Bad? He turned to PBS' science correspondent Miles O'Brien to discuss Fox News' fear-based coverage of the virus.
"I wish everyone could take a deep breath," O'Brien said, "and take a break from trying to pull viewers in by scaring them and that's what we're seeing here. It borders on irresponsibility when people get on television and start talking that way when they should know better. They should do their homework, and they should report in a responsible manner. Unfortunately it's a very competitive business we're in, and there is a perception that by hyping up this threat, you draw people's attention. That's a shame to even say that and I get embarrassed for our brethren in journalism."
Stelter then played a clip of Fox News host Andrea Tantaros worrying that infected Africans will seek help from witch doctors in the U.S.
O'Brien responded, "It's offensive on several levels and reflects a level of ignorance which we should not allow in our media." He then made the argument for more specialized scientific coverage on the big news networks which, obviously, we agree with.
Watch the clip below.
h/t Media Matters
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