The Real "Daily Show ' Effect" - by Marty Kaplan at Huffington Post

The Real "Daily Show ' Effect"
by Marty Kaplan
Huffington Post


"Is this good news, or bad news?

Two East Carolina University assistant professors have compared student reaction to coverage of the 2004 presidential race by CBS News and by The Daily Show. They've concluded that Stewart show watchers are more cynical about candidates, campaigns, the electoral system and the news media than are network news viewers.

If you read the Washington Post account of this study, which was originally published in the journal American Politics Research, you might think this was bad news: "This is not funny: Jon Stewart and his hit Comedy Central cable show may be poisoning democracy.... Young people who watch Stewart's faux news program... develop cynical views about politics and politicians that could lead them to just say no to voting," writes Post columnist Richard Morin.

But if you actually read the academic paper, or the interview with the authors in the not-so-much-MSM Daily Reflector, you'll see another angle. It turns out that Stewart fans also trust their own knowledge of politics more than do network watchers. Young Daily Show viewers blame the elites who run the political-media system for the mess we're in, not themselves. They think they really get what politics is actually all about. And, says the study, here's an idea worth entertaining: "citizens who understand politics are more likely to participate than those who do not."

In other words, the cynicism and discontent that the Daily Show breeds could "spawn greater involvement," say the authors; Stewart watchers could actually "become more active voters."

...Snip"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marty-kaplan/the-real-daily-show-ef_b_23653.html

It's a hit piece on The Daily Show......

I can't wait til Monday. I know that Jon and the crew will tear these suck-ups new a$$hole$!!!!!

I don't think you could find a more cynical bunch than on these boards yet they are far more engaged than the average voter. The fact is that the political climate is so poisoned now -- a recent case being Santorum's outlandish claims -- that cynicism is a necessary tool in discovering truth. Sure the Daily Show makes fun but it does so seriously, not with the mock solemnity of the MSM. I say "Get a brain, Morin."

for themselves like adults. Istead of allowing themselves to be infantalized and influenced by what they are seemingly surrounded by instead of by the truth.

To twist a common phrase.

America needs more cynics!

So, it's easy for them to be lulled into sleep walking, being vulnerable and unable to defend Democracy or the Constitution. Garbage in, garbage out.

neocon plan is to get rid of the press alltogether. I cannot imagine that the MSM is happy at all.

That's how the Repugs are using them. Anyone who strays gets a smear with a side of malice.

to be struggling with their customers. Who it turns out are not really the people who watch.. but are the people who buy the advertising.

That pretty sad.