Is The Fake News The Real News?

Comedy Captivates Community

            It is well known that each media source is responsible for deforming and stretching the news to fit their best interests.  While the truth may be opposite to the network’s beliefs, the story that is presented to the public is often constructed to present the messages that the media wants to distribute.  While many sources continue to follow this pattern, the satirical news offers the information with little to none being held from the viewers.  I think that the fake news should be viewed as a valuable source because it is a legitimate form of cultural jamming.

Even though much of the media seems to present much of the same information, the fake news offers some resistance through their late night broadcasts. Cultural jamming examines the whole picture of different situations within a comedic frame, while criticizing media sources that present this news (O’Shaughnessy, Stadler, 2012, p. 214).  Based upon this definition, it could be suggested that cultural jamming is a requirement of the satirical news.  Satirists like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are brining legitimacy to the news with their style of presentation.  However, some may view their news as inappropriate and worthless to the populace.  Because every segment from the show ends with laughter, this makes the programs appear as comedy, and bring no validity to their subject matter.  Our textbook says that some people view satirical news broadcasts as rebellious due to their subject matter and form of communication (p. 216). I personally disagree with this viewpoint.  I believe that the addition of comedy does not take anything away from the substance that is presented in these broadcasts.  Adding comedy makes shows unique because they possess a quality that cannot be found in any other newscast.  I think that the public sphere benefits from shows like this because they still bring awareness to popular topics, and are able to entertain their audience while addressing these stories.

            In conclusion, I think that satirical news is a strong source of culture jamming due to its irreplaceable delivery of the news.  People may interpret this as an ineffective method of broadcasting, but I still enjoy it and will continue to support comedic anchors and their hilarious shows.

O’Shaughnessy, M., Stadler J. (2012). Media and Society Fifth Edition. Victoria, Australia: Oxford.

Here is a recent clip from Jon Stewart’s, “Daily Show” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAGRId7L3zM