Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart, is, as of right now, the most important news program on Television. Sad to say considering the fact that the show is a "faux" news program, skewering the media and the Politicians who rely on spin and marketing to get their point across. While the big heavy hitters like ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox are continuing to bow down to the Coporations that want sterile newscasts in order to make "Mainstream America" sleep better at night.
The media used to mean something in this country. After all, it was the media that exposed Joseph McCarthy's witchhunt during the 50's. It was the media that labeled LBJ's war in Vietnam, a disaster and it was the media that took down a rogue President in Richard Nixon.
Those days are sadly missed.
Now it seems in order to please the corporate suits who know nothing about news and "Mainstream America," you not only have to love Uncle Sam, but you have to love your country, unconditonally, without asking any questions.
Jon Stewart, on the other hand, through Comedy has basically said that it's okay to ask the all important questions that surround our nation and its future.
But, is he an enemy of Democracy?
According to a recent Washington Post column by Richard Morin, a study conducted by two East Carolina University Political Scientists states that Stewart's program is hurting democracy, rather than helping.
The "Daily Show" is widely viewed among college students, about 48% strong. According to the study, 23% followed "Hard news" programs closely.
To test this hypothesis, the gentleman showed video clips of coverage from the 2004 Presidential Candidates to one group of college students and campaign coverage from "The CBS Evening News" to another group. Then they measured the attitudes the students had toward politics, and both George Bush and Sen. John Kerry.
The results from the study said that, after watching "The Daily Show" the students who took part in the study, developed a negative view towards both candidates, while at the same time expressed less trust in the electoral system and of the mass media.
From these findings, it's suggested that with the newly formed cynicism towards politics and the media, that these kids will not go out to vote.
If that was true, then what is the percentage of those who actually don't particpate in the democratic process?
Yes, it's true that when watching candidates like Bush and Kerry, you get that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. But, at the same time, you should ask yourself, "how can I not go out and vote, just knowing that George Bush could decide the fate of my children and grandchildren?"
John Kerry probably was and is the lesser of the two evils, but I would've slept much easier if John Kerry's administration was running things instead of the crooked thugs that's occupying the White House.
The fact remains that 2004 was the most important election of our times. A whole score of people not only register to vote, but, actually voted. They knew the implications of what laid ahead. Sure, they probably were cynical after watching Stewart's program, but that didn't mean they disqualified themselves from the process.
The study is rather interesting, but here's the problem I have. The thesis that Jon Stewart is hurting Democracy is totally laughable. What's hurting Democracy is established politicians who rely on marketing, spin, and the bottom line in order to gain the trust of the American public.
Yes, John Kerry would've been good as President instead of that bumbling fool we have right now, but, it doesn't mean he was the right choice to stand toe-to-toe with the Accidental tyrant.
The Democrats chose an electable candidate rather than someone who has great principle and testicular fortitude. Someone, like Sen. Feingold from Wisconsin, who is by far, the truest definition of Maverick that's lurking the streets of Washington, D.C.
Heroes are born not made.
On the other side, the media is not holding their end of the bargain, not in this generation. It seems that with every other day there's a new controversy that pops up with this President and the same story that follows. Nothing. The media takee their balls and goes home. It's
a combination of the greening of news and the scare tactics that the Bush Administration has levied upon. "You report, you go to jail."
It strikes me as sad that when a tape that surfaced of George Bush lying that he didn't anticipate the levees in New Orleans to break, that the biggest cry wasn't from NBC, CBS, or ABC, but from Comedy Central.
A network that features puppets making crank calls took the most powerful man in the world to task for his blatant lie, but the network that once feature the great Edward R. Murrow, didn't have the courage to dress down the commander-In-Chief.
Media Coverage is grossly sanitized. And, the highest paid "superstars" seem as though they're just there to collect a pay check.
Just look at footage from Matt Lauer's interview with GOP spokeswoman, Ann Coulter. I mean, where was his balls? Once he pressed her and she started foaming at the mouth in rage, he got scared.
Of what? That Middle America was going to be pissed? Or, maybe, Coulter, a rabies victim, was going to unleash her poison on him.
But, if it was Stewart interviewing Coulter, it's guaranted that he would've embarrased her with his wit and intellect.
Both the media and government are controlled by coporate entities. When a coporation controls something, their job is to please the shareholders and what they perceive as Mainstream. The Senate and Congress don't want to hold Bush responsible for his lies, so why should the Conservative controlled media?
If anything that Jon Stewart is guilty of is having a spine. And, in the "Don't blame me" culture, it's rather refreshing to hear and see someone who does have a spine.
If the Government and Media want the people back, they must rid themselves of the Corporate disease that's like a plague. In order for the Democrats to rise from the "Republican lite Syndrome" they must separate themselves from the establish Democrats.
Jon Stewart didn't screw democracy, but rather greed screwed democracy.