Is Jon Stewart single-handedly bringing down Fox News? According to the recent Neilson ratings – the Daily Show averaged 2.3 million viewers – a 19% increase in the month of May alone – and a number that beats every single show on Fox except O’Reilly. But O’Reilly’s hold on the top may not last long either. His viewership dropped 9% last month – along with most of the other shows on Fox – especially Glenn Beck’s show that saw its ratings plummet 17%. Overall – Fox viewership is down 10%.
Fox had a Faux news bubble for angry white guys with their rants on guns, gays, and the war on Christmas. But now - those same angry white viewers are thinking about economic issues as they lose their jobs and homes - and Faux news' only solution is tax cuts for billionaires like Murdock.
So even though the Daily Show is primarily a comedy show – as Jon Stewart himself often admits – more people are getting their news from Comedy Central than from Fox so-called News. It's a sad commentary on the state of American media when the battle for news dominance is between a right-wing propaganda outlet and a comedy channel.
Comments
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
This is the best news I have heard come out of America in ages. The fall of Fox news.
Although I still think its sad that the best news in the country is on the Comedy channel. Telling perhaps, but sad.
The GOP and their media, I believe, took a hare vs tortoise approach and their hare took off at a good pace, but will eventually lose, if they don't change tactics.
I'm no political expert, but it seems to me, that their analysis of the electorate saw rural uneducated and senior citizens as the most easily influenced and the most likely the sweet spot of undecided middle voters that unfortunately tip elections in America.
The seniors are dieing off and someone 70 now was 30 in 1970, in the height of the sexual revolution. Of course there has been a resurgence of the moral right wing (in belief, not always practice)
I think fewer of those under 70 are as easily dupped as those older. Fox will probably hold on to their over priveledged and rural types, but I think they will lose a lot of senior citizens that were in their twenties during the Kenedy assasination, in the near future. Unfortunately, seniors seem to be concerned mostly about their own self interest and seem to care little about their fellow citizens and their plights. They're on fixed incomes and want to hold onto their priveldges and not pay higher taxes. The upside are elements like the Ryan plan that have woken people up to the fact that right wingers would rather please industry at the risk of losing these older voters and stations like Fox are not standing on the side of seniors that will be hit with more out of pocket expense for health care. The Ryan plan and the fact that the Wallstreet billionaires made off like bandits and the right are saying no new taxes on these thieves, plus the stale "wealthy job creators" schtick, that all are realizing is a crock since they're creating jobs in the thrid world and killing jobs at home, is being seen for its transparency. Fox won't step out of line on these issues and they're losing their credibility from everyone who lost their job to the Chinese, or is being asked to let the rich pay less taxes in the midst of record profits that aren't trickling down.
The rural element is harder to win over. In low populated small towns, work is often easier to find. Everyone knows everone else and children often work with their families or know someone that knows someone that has a job opening. They also often work in the service industry. Every small town needs plumbers and carpenters. There's not a lot of high paying professional jobs in 2000 population towns. Higher taxes while working at Walmart or the local gas station could hurt a family. They will easily get sucked in to Fox's ploy.
The element of society that both keeps society from quickly progressing can also be the element that washes away undesireable elements in society. This is new generations.
My grandmother bathed me in about 3 inches of water. When I asked my mother why she was so cheap, she said it was because she lived in the great depression. My generation had no experience with want until the last few years. No matter what you tell younger generations, they almost always have to learn something first hand before it sinks in and I think a lot has sunk in the last decade.
Fox works tirelessly to make sure they market their side like McDonalds trying to tell you their food is healthy. People buy the lie for a while, but after getting fat and sick, they develope an immunity to the marketing tactics.
Fox offers virtually nothing for young people. The right learned that taking over the opinion of people takes a long time, but they seem to have forgotten the kids that see the emperor's lack of new clothes are tommorrow's voting adults.
I don't understand this dismissal of "comedy shows." People do that to Stephanie Miller in the morning, too. Oscar Wilde once said, "If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, or they will kill you."
Indeed it is historically true too that comedy and satire played a fundamental role in criticizing those in power. For example, it was often only the court jester figures in the Middle Ages that were even allowed to say something derisive to the crown with being beheaded as long as it was all "in jest." But these performances acted as a form of expression or giving voice to the concerns and criticisms of the people to those that ruled them.
I think it is quite appropriate that Jon Stewart and Colbert be at the front lines of confronting the PR branch of the corporatocratic powers influencing our government.
Except that that isn't true. It makes for good comedy in its own right, but there are obviously much better sources of news. Democracy Now, for instance.
I don't watch The Daily Show (or any television, for that matter), but I have seen quite a few episodes or portions of episodes within the last 5 years (clips have been posted in various articles that I've read, and I have relatives who watch the show). From what I've seen, Stewart promotes the myth that there is a great divide between the 2 major political parties and that there needs to be more compromise. I don't mind him focusing on nonsense issues--it's a comedy show. But when he helps perpetuate myths that are absurd and destructive, his program can hardly be called a good source for news. And when he makes false equivalencies (such as when he equated Palinites screaming about death panels and those advocating universal, single-payer health care), I have a hard time having any respect for what he does.
The "fools" in Shakespeare speak truth to power. I have long said that the best weapons we have are ridicule and non-violence. Nothing pisses power off more than being laughed at. DTrump was a mess when Obama stuck the comedy knife into his ribs. Well, he was a mess before that.
The idea that power exists to be abused, or in their more flattering rationales, to be exercised by those who know best for others, is narcissism. Naked emperors and courtiers who excel in power to truth spin just hate the comedian who exposes their fluff. That is why they are doing the best journalism we have in TV at this time. It is clear there are no journalists left who are working for any media outlets that get attention. Actually, the McClatchy papers get some good stories out. It is just the mass flow of crap that makes us think there is nothing left.
News from a comedy show and comedy from a "news" show...only in America.
The Daily Show tells just enough truth to keep people interested and thinking that there is a big difference between the Dims and the Repugs...mostly intellectually incurious like a Bill Mahr...or MSNBC.
Well, there is a wee bit of difference beween Republicans and Dems. Dems offer a wee bit of sugar to make the medicine go down. Republicans suggest you buy your own.
Both parties share a neo-liberal ideology. Feed finance and capture foreign resources for U.S. transnationals, and all will be well. Outsource more jobs to enhance wealth creation. That sort of thing..
Bush's Third Term is coming along as expected...with a wee bit of sugar. However, there is less and less sugar every year. It's going into bankster vaults...
When reality hits people on an individual level, Fox News is seen for what it is. A propaganda machine. The other networks are more subtle about it.
Retired Monk - "Ideology is a disease".
http://rt.com/news/us-nuclear-weapon-iran/ Seymour M. Hersh discusses the latest on RT, which he wrote in New Yorker mag first.
/2011/06/Hersh-6-6-11.pdf