Tsunami & media coverage

Why is it that almost every news source has to splatter in bold the number of dead in this tragedy. I know it's just their job but its almost sickening to see every website jack up the 'death counter' like they're monitoring the national debt. Is society this screwed up that we almost seem to get-off on seeing this disparity? Is it insatiable curiousity?

www.cnn.com...
news.bbc.co.uk...
abcnews.go.com...
www.reuters.com...

brill

I believe its just becuase

1) its one of the largest natural disasters that struck in a long while.
2) it DOES make good news (for those greedy evil corporate execs, its not a death toll they're watching, theyre just watching the ratings.)
3) A large ammount of people are feeling for the people in theyre tragesty, so its showing in all the news coverage.
4) it is news...not much bigger of a news your gonna get. I mean, if you had a choice in what to show.
a) new born baby boy born December 24th.
or
b) huge sudden tsunami kills over 100,000 people.

what would you choose to show thats more important?