SO Much for Responsible Television

LSAt night I saw a comercial for ABC's ratings grabber Fatal COntact. NOw lets get some things straight:

1. avian influenza is spreading across the world -- in birds
2. said flu has many strains, on ly one is the one that poses a big risk in the scientific mind
3. said strain does not easily pass from bird to human (not in casual contact anyway)
4. said strain does not yet pass readily from human to human

Yes it is possible, and expected, that H5N1 will become a public health threat. Yes we are not prepared (although I am not sure we ever would be) for what will happen. But to make a movie out of the possibility serves no purpose other than scaremongering. Oh that and makng a ratings grab during May sweeps. It simply is not responsible television.

GIven that fact that it took a small comment a while back to have people panic-buying plastic sheeting and duct tape; or the response to a single cow infected with BSE; or the rabid anti-ARab movement after 9/11; do we honestly think that people won't panic and overreact to this sort of a movie? One of the articles found in a Google search reminds us that ABC is also the network that brought us The Day After 20some years ago. THat was a borderline irresponsible move too.