Regarding public interest...
No kidding. If someone is actually watching a track meet and in my case paid for the nbc gold package, one would think they are enough of a fan that they would be interested in a 5000m/10000m.
Regarding meet time...
Sheesh, a 7:40 event vs a 13:10 event. Big difference in meet time there.
Regarding relevance in distance...
The 3000m can be a fun watch, but it is just somewhere between 1500m and 5000m with no big significance. Why not 2500m?
Regarding 5000m and 10000m in championships...
They are fun. Maybe not always fast (though the women can argue). But definitely full of tension, lead changes, furious finishes.