The Way It Is: Comics As Anchors

[Khephra]

To a young generation of Americans, Jon Stewart may as well be Walter Cronkite.

A new study has confirmed recent surveys suggesting a growing number of young adults use late-night comedy and talk shows as their primary vehicle for getting the news, particularly about politics and the 2004 election. Those same people are turning away from traditional media outlets, such as newspapers and broadcast network evening newscasts, in favor of the Internet and cable news channels, according to the Pew Research Center report, which queried 1,506 adults between Dec. 19 and Jan. 4.

"We found this a little bit four years ago, but it's really significant now," said Carroll Doherty, the report's editor. "Twenty percent say they learned something regularly from 'The Daily Show,' 'Saturday Night Live' or shows like that. This has doubled over the last four years." Another significant finding, Doherty said, was an increased stratification along partisan lines as to where people get their political news. For example, 29 percent of Republicans responding said they watch Fox News Channel to learn about the campaign as opposed to 14 percent of Democrats and 20 percent of independents. Radio also tilts heavily toward Republicans, while the Internet was split fairly evenly.

more....................

http://www.nynewsday.com/entertainment/nyc-flshort3623741jan13,0,1854687.story?coll=nyc-flash-headlines

[CWebster]

1. What choice do they have?

They know so much of the mainstream news is skewed and bogus---and no laughing at political figures allowed. It is important to lance the simian pretender's act and comedy always keeps it real by exposing the truth beneath the laughter.

[PATRICK]

2. Don't leave out "The Onion"

It's the only paper that people glance at as the copies roll by at work. And we get all the papers.

It has gone beyond a court jester role. The system, the news media, have surpassed pomposity and incompetence to being unfunny jokes. The comics merely make the real more entertaining which the dumbed down infotainment media can't get right.

A sign of terrific corruption of government and sound mental health among the ill treated public.

[AntiCoup2K4]

3. As long as the corporate media remains a joke

(though not a very funny one) why NOT get your news from Comedy Central?