TheLizard Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 The overwhelming majority of people who watch cable and broadcast newscasts and topical variety shows are unable to identify the party that now controls Congress, name the current secretary of state, and name Britain's new prime minister, according to the new Pew Survey on News Consumption. The national average for answering those three questions is only 18 percent, the study found; only 10 percent among viewers of the CBS Evening News With Katie Couric, by far the lowest ranked among the nightly news programs. The survey said that 21 percent of the viewers of NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams could answer the questions; 19 percent of the viewers of ABC World News with Charles Gibson could. Ranking higher than any of the nightly newscasts, however, were Comedy Central's The Colbert Report and The Daily Show with 34 percent and 30 percent respectively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluesky Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Not only is Colbert sexy, intelligent, looks good in a suit, he also makes peole smarter just by looking at him. He really can do no wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fish Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 did this study include frequency of viewings btw cuz i imagine people would be drawn a lot more to a comedy show than they would be a straight news show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 cuz i imagine people Well , you go on imagining - as a you are prone to ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fish Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 as a you go on a me-ing as you are prone to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levis Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 This doesn't necessarily mean watching Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert makes you smart(er)... it could mean that smart(er) people watch their shows. And yes... people are more likely to actively follow comedy news shows ( = ) than actual news (= :sleepy:). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 (edited) ... which means that people are attention deficit morons , more likely than not , as far as news goes . :DBut , personally , I blame it on the lack of history education that most of you have . Admit it : you hated history and payed half-as*sed attentton to it . Thus we are reaping what you've sown ... Edited August 19, 2008 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Seeker Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 (edited) I much prefer actual news... I don't find comedy shows funny and I wouldn't trust comedy shows with telling the truth in the same way as actual news shows do (no need to comment on how actual news may not always be true either now ) Edited August 19, 2008 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levis Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 ... which means that people are attention deficit morons , more likely than not . Of course! This is the instant information age. You gots to hold people's attention if you want them to listen. With the internet and a zillion competing stations on cable, people's attention spans are almost non-existent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levis Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Exactly. We have 'news' station in India that relies on scandal - completely artificial scandal - to get viewers. It is a laughing stock, but a laughing stock with money because people tune in to laugh at it. Last I heard they ran a story on aliens abducting cows in India. With footage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Seeker Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Exactly. We have 'news' station in India that relies on scandal - completely artificial scandal - to get viewers. It is a laughing stock, but a laughing stock with money because people tune in to laugh at it. Last I heard they ran a story on aliens abducting cows in India. With footage What are you blathering about now ...?!?! A random and impermanent internet news flash - again ?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 I wouldn't trust comedy shows with telling the truth Stewart and Colbert would never knowingly report something that wasn't true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluesky Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 My take on this, outside of my Colbert fever, is that I would rather watch Stewart/Colbert for news than CNN. I lost faith in/respect for CNN when they reported Britney's Spears' first pregnancy every ten minutes like she was the first woman ever to be pregnant. I'd rather hear about importnant things like the war, the ecomony, rather than hear about a backwoods breeding. Stewart and Colbert use satire and irony to shine a light on what is really happening. They are entertaining, true, but they are intelligent and informed themselves. And handsome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 And handsome. oh yeah, there's that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluesky Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 I've loved Jon Stewart since back in the times of "You Wrote It, You Watch It." Jon Stewart himself might not even remember that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Joe Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Ten Pea said: I would rather watch Stewart/Colbert for news than CNN. I lost faith in/respect for CNN when they reported Britney's Spears' first pregnancy every ten minutes like she was the first woman ever to be pregnant. Of course, if you're gonna watch CNN for news you really must sit on the right side of the sofa. And I do mean "right". [smaller]]Not that there's anything wrong with that. I suppose.[smaller] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fish Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Stewart and Colbert use satire and irony to shine a light on what is really happening. How do you know what's really happening if you only watch those two? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazooka Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Of course, if you're gonna watch CNN for news you really must sit on the right side of the sofa. And I do mean "right" Huh? Am I missing something? "Fair and balanced" FOX News has a lock on everything Right and to the Right of Right. MSNBC wants to tip things Left, but does only a slightly better job of disguising their druthers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Joe Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 I agree. But you obviously do not agree concerning CNN? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 Not at all . CNN has shown Democratic bias since the primaries began and long before , as well . They love Obama . Ted Turner is a center-lefty , and his influence prevails. Just why they won't run 'Barbarella' occasionally when there isn't any news to report is beyond me ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 ... which means that people are attention deficit morons , more likely than not , as far as news goes . :DBut , personally , I blame it on the lack of history education that most of you have . Admit it : you hated history and payed half-as*sed attentton to it . Thus we are reaping what you've sown ... Hold on...you're saying this to young people right? How are we reaping what we've sown? The people my age have been politically involved for 0-3 years and haven't had any affect on the political landscape, while adults have been screwing things up for 20+ years. I think it would be more accurate for someone my age to say we are reaping what you've sown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 As far as the Daily Show, the point is to parody actual news shows, so if you don't watch any actual news shows it's not nearly as funny. Watching the Daily Show without watching traditional news is like watching Austin Powers without watching 60's spy movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious_Peaches Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Joe Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 Hold on...you're saying this to young people right? How are we reaping what we've sown? The people my age have been politically involved for 0-3 years and haven't had any affect on the political landscape, while adults have been screwing things up for 20+ years. I think it would be more accurate for someone my age to say we are reaping what you've sown. And therein lies your lesson. I hope you've learned it well and do not repeat our mistakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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