Apparently, Jon Stewart (host of the most informative show on television, cable or broadcast) visited conservative yap show host Bill O'Reilly. O'Reilly made several cracks, apparently in jest, about how Stewart's viewers are "stoned slackers."
It turns out, according to The Associated Press that Viewers of Jon Stewart's show are more likely to have completed four years of college than people who watch "The O'Reilly Factor," according to Nielsen Media Research... [Stewart's channel] Comedy Central also touted a recent study by the University of Pennsylvania's National Annenberg Election Survey, which said young viewers of "The Daily Show" were more likely to answer questions about politics correctly than those who don't.
Many of those who swear by ordinary political yack shows like O'Reilly, The Capital Gang, The McLaughlin Group or anything on MSNBC are reflexively dismissive of something like Stewart's The Daily Show. Anything that uses humor can't be taken seriously, according to these self-important types. And if something that uses satire is actually influential, then it's the death knell of our citizen republic!
These folks don't quite get why Stewart's program is so influential. It's not because his viewers are lazy; apparently they're not too lazy to get a college degree!People watch Stewart because he asks questions that mainstream journalists are too timid to ask. He asks questions that ordinary people want to know the answer to.
Most reporters in the corporate media are too concerned about losing their vaunted access to ask truly tough questions. They don't bother asking themselves what the purpose of access is if they don't use it.
That's why we get serenaded by chest-puffing stories about what the major party candidates allegedly did or didn't do three decades ago instead of holding candidates accountable for their actions or positions.
Instead of pooh-poohing programs like The Daily Show, the stuffed suits might want to watch his show a bit and figure out why so many consider his show relevant.
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