Newsworthy Networks?

A recent study conducted at IU found that the popular spoof news program "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" contains as much substantive news content as programs that appear on major news networks. How is this possible? The show itself states that it is the best fake news out there. Its Web page on comedycentral.com wryly proclaims that the show is "a nightly half-hour series unburdened by objectivity, journalistic integrity or even accuracy."\nBut if the results of this study are true, then a show that primarily functions as a parody of network news actually has as much news content as genuine news shows, and it is attempting to inform viewers. Before jumping to conclusions, we must examine the merit of the study. \nUnderstanding what the study says is an important part of looking at its reliability. We do not believe the results imply that "The Daily Show" offers an immense amount of actual news, but rather that network programs are also increasingly emphasizing entertainment over news value. The humor and outright untruths of "The Daily Show" are equal to much of the fluffy, feel-good stories and political hype that fill the evening news. In this regard, the study shows that both the Comedy Central program and network news are more concerned about ratings or getting across a certain political agenda than high journalistic standards.\nIn fact, network news might be even more clouded by bias and sensationalism than "The Daily Show." The University of Pennsylvania's National Annenberg Election Survey quizzed television viewers about the facts of the 2004 presidential election and found that 18- to 29-year-olds who viewed some form of late-night comedy show scored consistently higher on a political knowledge test than those who did not view such a program. Specifically, those who watched "The Daily Show" had the highest scores, edging out four-day-a-week newspaper readers by 2 percent and beating those who watched network news at least four nights a week by an 8 percent margin. "Daily Show" viewers were also more likely to follow politics closely than all but one group (consistent viewers of David Letterman) and the most likely to vote. Participants who regularly watched network news or who watched no late-night comedy consistently had lower scores than those watching Jon Stewart's program. Together, the two studies provide credible data that show the news value of "The Daily Show."\nWe see these results not as an acclamation of "The Daily Show" but as a condemnation of network news. These studies should be a wake up call to network programs to change their reporting methods. Network news today needs to step up its coverage and begin to adequately inform viewers. The networks are so caught up in political correctness and pleasing target audiences that they distort the truth.\n"The Daily Show" isn't real news, and it's not supposed to be. Don't blame Jon Stewart for making us laugh: it's his job. And guess what, big news networks? He's going to keep us laughing at you until you start doing your job and asking tough questions.