News satire is a well-liked genre of television and, these days, its popularity continues to rise. Though primarily meant for entertainment, these shows also work hard to present the news to its viewers in an effective way. However, they are often called out for not being “real news sources,” or “not as good as mainstream news.” Although news satires aren’t hard news sources, hosts like Trever Noah, Stephen Colbert, and Jon Stewart (forever in our hearts and DVRs) actually do a pretty good job at keeping viewers informed.
Here are some reasons why news satire should be taken more seriously as news sources:
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It’s non-biased.
Mainstream news sources are usually affiliated with a political party, who often spin stories to support their party’s ideals and beliefs. You don’t find that with news satire. While it is clear that many of these shows are more liberal, satires present news stories from an objective point of view. Usually, clips from both sides of an issue are shown in relation to a news story, and the audience is left to decide their feelings on said issue, as opposed to believing what the host tells them to.
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The information is clearly backed up.
Nothing news satires report is unsupported. These shows use evidence from many sources, such as clips from other news shows, professional studies, and interviews with those involved in a story to back up their claims. The evidence is presented to the audience during the segment, leaving the viewer assured that they are getting credible information from the news satire.
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People who watch it are more educated.
Watching news satire can keep viewers up to date on what’s happening in the country as well as mainstream media and, in some cases, even better. In fact, a recent study by Pew Research Study shows that viewers of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are 20% more knowledgeable than the viewers of Fox News. These shows, by giving information in a clear and engaging way, benefit the public despite being severely underestimated as a source of news.
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It spends a good amount of time on each story.
A major drawback of mainstream news networks is that they only spend a few minutes on each story, in hopes of covering as many topics as possible. This can leave the viewer severely undereducated about the issues, as they’ve only had little exposure to them. However, the way news satire is formatted, stories are generally covered for ten minutes each. This way, viewers get a more in depth and balanced analysis, and get a better sense of what’s going on.
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It’s entertaining.
Let’s be real, watching the news can get pretty boring. After a long day, the mainstream programming can seem dull and dry, making it hard for viewers to pay attention. These satires are hilarious, fun to watch, and perfect for unwinding after a long day of work while getting the news at the same time. Having a more entertaining source of news gives a bigger incentive for people to watch and the stories end up being more memorable for the audience.
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Knowing what’s happening around the country, especially during the election season, is a must. News satire is a great way to keep up with what’s happening around you and be entertained while doing so!