As Allen Fuller rightfully points points out, FOX News, CNN, NBC, ABC and the rest of the old school gang no longer hold the news reigns. In fact, they’re getting beat down at virtually every corner.
The Fix has an interesting piece on the new realm of political news delivery.
Forget the ongoing primary fight between Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.). The primary that really matters is the one between Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert for the hearts, minds and, yes, even the eyeballs of America.
Stewart, the progenitor of political news coverage with a comedic twist, and Colbert, the new kid on the block who starred so famously (or infamously) as the keynote speaker at the 2006 White House Correspondence Dinner, have become major players in the daily hustle and bustle of the 2008 campaign. Candidates clamor to appear on their shows and political junkies tune in night after night.
As much as I hate to admit this, it’s 100% true. We have now become so entrenched in the shock value and entertainment level of news delivery that our society, especially the younger generations, is simply not interested in straightforward news delivery. We need it sexed up, made funny, and jam packed with political incorrectness. You may or may not like Colbert and Stewart, but you have to admit they are providing all three with a pretty powerful punch.
About eric:
Eric Odom is project manager for Blogivists.com. A web strategist by trade, Odom is currently working to develop infrastructure for activists within the liberty movement.
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3 Responses to “Colbert vs. Stewart… the new political news landscape”
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[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptStewart, the progenitor of political news coverage with a comedic twist, and Colbert, the new kid on the block who starred so famously (or infamously) as the keynote speaker at the 2006 White House Correspondence Dinner, … [...]
I’ve got a slightly different take. The reason that Colbert and Stewart are so widely viewed is because they recognize (and exploit) the fact that so much of what politicians say and do is, literally, laughable. They call politicians out on hypocrisy and outright stupidity, and they help their viewers develop a far better understanding of what motivates the people who “lead” this nation. Especially when the best the “news” channels can offer is filtered through one political filter or another, it’s unbelievably refreshing to see someone–anyone!–cut through the crap to reveal that the American people would be best served to minimize the extent to which the political jokers can interfere with our lives.
TS, you’re quite right, actually. Although I would still consider your angle a form of entertainment that the major news networks simply do not provide.