NO JOKE: IU Study-The Daily Show Is As SUBSTANTIVE As Network News

[kpete]

It's no joke: IU study finds The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to be as substantive as network news
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 4, 2006

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Which would you think has more substantive news coverage -- traditional broadcast network newscasts or The Daily Show with Jon Stewart?

Would you believe the answer is neither?

Julia R. Fox, assistant professor of telecommunications at Indiana University isn't joking when she says the popular "fake news" program, which last week featured Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf as a guest, is just as substantive as network coverage.

While much has been written in the media about The Daily Show's impact, Fox's study is the first scholarly effort to systematically examine how the comedy program compares to traditional television news as sources of political information.

The study, "No Joke: A Comparison of Substance in The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Broadcast Network Television Coverage of the 2004 Presidential Election Campaign," will be published next summer by the Journal of Broadcast and Electronic Media, published by the Broadcast Education Association.

more at:
http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/4159.html

[Kagemusha]

1. There were concerns whether the twinkie gift to Musharraf was halal

but it turns out that Islam does not consider a twinkie to be food anyway.

It's a joke, but it says a lot.

[nam78_two]

5. Twinkies aren't food-they are a chemical product

:P...

I swear..we once kept one for a year and half in a dry drawer to see if it changes at all...
It didn't! Honest!

[Radical Activist]

2. Not surprising.

Intelligent satire is more informative that celebrity gossip and human interest stories on network news.

[Dune]

3. Media

It really is amazing how much credibility honesty has regardless of the delivery. The Daily Show may be delivered in a comedic style... but it hits the issues that mainstream misses and avoids. I have a Republican relative that watched Colbert for two months thinking Colbert was really giving the Leftys hell. Ha!

[originalpckelly]

9. Welcome to DU Dune!

:hi: Hope you enjoy your stay, the people around here are mighty friendly. :hi:

[Dune]

10. thanks

I am considering donating now. I kind of like the company here.

[patrice]

4. Not a surprise to me.

Katie who???

[nam78_two]

6. Not surprised!/nt

[kenny blankenship]

7. On what other news program will you hear the word JISM ???

(J.S. said it loud and clear last night)

That right there tells you that The Daily Show is not afraid to do the hard penetrating journalism these times require, and which other news broadcasts shy away from. The other networks' news shows all duck from jism, but not The Daily Show. Jism is a substance, indeed in many cultures it has been held as a kind of primary substance; it is a widely prevalent substance, but do network news shows admit its existence? No, they won't touch it. You'll never hear "jism" coming from the mouth of a Brian Ross, a Katie Couric or a Chris Wallace. Can you imagine jism in the mouth of Bill O'Reilly or Lou Dobbs? The very idea!
The Daily Show isn't "as substantive" as non-comedy network news shows, it's jismatically MORE SUBSTANTIVE.

[liberal N proud]

8. The Daily Show - No more fake than CNN and FOX

No wonder young people prefer The Daily Show.

[Terri S]

11. I don't agree

tell you the truth, with MSM in the state it's in (not counting Olbermann--bless him!), I think the Daily Show is MORE substantive.