Pew Survey: Viewers of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert Score High on News Knowledge

[babylonsister]

Pew Survey: Viewers of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert Score High on News Knowledge

By Greg Mitchell

Published: August 17, 2008 4:00 PM ET


NEW YORK The results of the new Pew Survey on News Consumption (taken every two years and released this afternoon) suggest that viewers of the “fake news” programs "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" are more knowledgeable about current events (as judged by three test questions) than watchers of “real” cable news shows hosted by Lou Dobbs, Bill O’Reilly and Larry King, among others -- as well as average consumers of NBC, ABC, Fox News, CNN, C-SPAN and daily newspapers.

The national average for answering the three questions was only 18%. But 34% of The Colbert Report fans got them right, with 30% of The Daily Show viewers doing so – even though the two Comedy Central shows draw younger audiences which generally scored less well on the "test" than older viewers/readers.

The Pew Report observed: “The Colbert Report and The Daily Show are notable for having relatively well-informed audiences that are younger than the national average.”

more...

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003839873

[grannie4peace]

1. that is a no brainer

my daughter turned me on to js 8 years ago..... the only news my young genius watches:):):)

[peekaloo]

2. Homeschoolin' done right.

;-)

[TommyO]

3. Of course Stewart and Colbert watchers are more informed

You have to know the news to really appreciate the humor.

[mucifer]

4. It really says something about msm.

[KharmaTrain]

5. Reflective Of How Messed Up This Country Is

Seems like the most straight-forward analysis of what's happening comes on the late night Comedy shows...Stewart, Colbert, Letterman, Kimmel...even Leno...they mask the truth in some humor and a lot of irony and it makes a hell of a lot more sense than all the bobbleheads they can parade on the cables. They're the ones that are doing a lot to alert people of the bullshit being tossed at them by Gramps and how attrocious our corporate media stenographers are.

The fact these shows excell where "news" should is a sad commentary on how "bagged" the corporate media has become...predictable, petty, self-serving and deliberately exploitive...and how millions have to find alternatives to get "real" news...and if that means getting it from a "comedian"...then one has to really wonder who the really jokers are.

Cheers...

BTW...Sis...had to give you props for your "impeachment battle" the other night. Been there for a long time myself and its frustrating as all hell, but a doseage of reality is needed around here now and then...even if people don't want to see or hear it. It also means our work is cut out for us...not to walk away from the crimes of the past 8 years, but to never forget and demand a full accounting...and to restore a judiciary where these war criminals and slimeballs will face a jury of their peers rather than politicians.

:toast:

[babylonsister]

6. Hey, I just read this, KT.

Thank you. I'm usually the picture of optimism, but I even have to face reality at times.

And I'm just happy we have the likes of Stewart and Colbert to compare to the m$m and point out how they're lacking.