Rasmussen Reports™ has a survey result that will make self-professed news junkies like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert (and their writers) wince: a sizeable minority of Americans now believes their shows are alternatives to the more traditional news options. Of course, the majority still doesn’t see things that way, but the younger you are, the more likely you are to agree with that minority view. Check out these and other findings from Rasmussen:
Nearly One-Third of Younger Americans See Colbert, Stewart As Alternatives to Traditional News Outlets
Wednesday, March 25, 2009Nearly one-third of Americans under the age of 40 say satirical news-oriented television programs like The Colbert Report and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart are taking the place of traditional news outlets.
. . .
Among all Americans, 24% say programs like The Colbert Report and The Daily Show are taking the place of traditional news venues, but 45% do not think so. Thirty-one percent (31%) are undecided.
Thirty-nine percent (39%) of adults say programs of this nature are making Americans more informed about news events, while 21% believe they make people less informed. Twelve percent (12%) say they have no impact.
Twenty-one percent (21%) characterize programs like The Colbert Report and The Daily Show as at least somewhat influential in shaping their political opinions, including seven percent (7%) who say they are Very Influential. Most (70%) say they are not influential, with 44% who say they are not at all influential.
. . .
I never know quite what to think of surveys like these. I read a lot of news, but I still sometimes hear about things for the first time on The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. Does that mean I “get my news” from Jon and Stephen? And I think they usually present their stories pretty carefully and/or accurately, but there have been times when I’ve watched a segment and thought, “Well, that’s technically true, but the issue is really about this consequence …” Does that mean I think watching the shows makes me feel “more” or “less” informed? I don’t know if it’s possible to create a poll that takes nuances like these into account.
Anyhow, it wouldn’t be a break week if we didn’t have one of these articles on whether TDS and TCR are substantive. Now all we need is the poll asking “Stewart or Colbert?” and we’ll know it’s time for the new shows to come back.
EDITED TO ADD: This political cartoon EmperorJon pointed out to me made me laugh, and I thought it would be an amusing addition to the post.
I’m totally with you Ms. I. I try to consume local and national news, at least enough to keep me in the loop, but there are times when I’ll miss something here or there (if it, say, airs on CSPAN in the middle of the night) and it’ll come up on either show, and I’ll be informed that way. But our boys are a great news-viewing companion that allows you to laugh at some of the news that just makes your blood boil.
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I won’t lie, there was definitely a time in my life where I got most, if not all of my news from TDS (TCR wasn’t on yet then), back in early university. But before people wince, it was actually TDS that got me interested enough in politics and news that now I watch….way too many hours of news a day. So that’s something.
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Soap box time:
I’m not saying that taking in jokes and satire about the news is highly informative, but…
How can watching a comedy show make anyone LESS informed? That makes no GD sense. Does laughing erase knowledge? Does comedy have a subtractive quality I’m unaware of? Good Jokes don’t remove information from the brain! Good Jokes clarify, distill, and illuminate the news.
And I hate the term “fake news”, by the way… they are comedy shows about the news. If you want to see fake news, just tune into any 24-hour news channel and odds are, you’ll see opinions masquerading as news.
I was stunned recently when a lady told me she doesn’t like or watch Colbert because he’s too liberal. But anyone who thinks Colbert and/or Stewart are highly biased does not watch their shows very often. Real comedy is only biased in one direction – towards hypocrisy and ridiculousness.
If anything can make viewers less informed, how about Fox News? Lou Dobbs? Glenn Beck? Bill O? or comedian Rush Limbaugh? They only present the facts they like and leave out the rest.
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FWIW, I used the term “fake news” because it’s what Jon uses.
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oh no – I’m not sending any criticism your way, I’ve heard the term a hundred times and it just rankles my nerves a little. I know “fake news” is analogous to “comedy news”. But it implies that what Jon does is fake, and I completely disagree.
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If it’s a label they have given themselves, to help them keep focused on their primary goal of entertainment, I see value in the phrase “Fake News.”
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I’d say the term “fake news” really comes from the tad longer “fake news show,” and I think it’s interesting how misleading the descriptor becomes without that one word. I mean, TDS and TCR aren’t[fake news] shows (programs that make up news stories); they’re fake [news shows] (programs that use the news shows format, but without the purpose of disseminating news).
Just saying “fake news” can be accurate in the context of fandom, since we’ve seen how the shows operate and it’s really just shorthand for us, but you’re right, someone on the outside is going to hear about people getting their information from “fake news” and be horrified without actually knowing anything about it.
lol I have no idea if I have a point. It’s just really interesting what little ol’ words can do.
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->TDS and TCR aren’t [fake news] shows (programs that make up news stories); they’re fake [news shows] (programs that use the news shows format, but without the purpose of disseminating news).
Well said! you do have a point, and thank you for the clarification.
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I was just thinking earlier today how I’ll probably miss some interesting stories because of the break this week. I have to admit that while I try to keep up with news, I also indulge in non-topical comedy and banal facts way more than I should! I’d rather laugh at an episode of SWC than watch the news, so I do! I know this is pathetic.
the only reason I regret not knowing more is it makes it easier to forget injustice and suffering in the world. and I think TDS/TCR actually informs me about that pretty well.
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Frankly I’ve seen more insight into the real news and harder hitting interviews on TDS/TCR than I’ve seen watching Meet the Press, the major network evening news or the Sunday morning talking heads and I’ve been watching news for over 30 years, so I’m not exactly a teen/young adult demographic. As both Jon and Stephen have said many times, you can’t get the jokes if you aren’t already informed.
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One year ago, Obama explained to CBS why he just appeared on Daily Show and how he’s a fan of Jon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f3nQPJfgPo&feature=rec-HM-fresh+div
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I hadn’t seen that video. Thanks for sharing it with us!
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I’d never seen that either! Thanks vigwig!
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Thanks, Vigwig!
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Being in touch with current events helps me enjoy the show… and this survey disturbed me. The “Report” seems to argue against being underinformed: interviewing many progressive, independent journalists and mourning the loss of print media.
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If I didn’t watch/listen to Bri Wi, BBC Global, Rachel Maddow, NPR, and CNN I don’t think I’d enjoy the shows as much as I do. Most of the jokes assume a certain level of daily news knowledge.
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