I1F25 s the fake news the real news?

In many situations we can make something serious into something funny and that’s what shows like The Daily Show are for. Satirical news applies to me because I am not one to particularly watch the news to get facts about what is going on in the world. I watch shows that make me laugh and “Cultural jamming examines the whole picture of different situations within a comedic frame, while criticizing media sources that present this news.” (O’Shaughnessy, Michael, and Jane Sadler. 2012, pp. 214) Shows like The Daily Show and The Rick Mercer Report are mainstream culture jamming but I believe the public sphere is benefiting from these shows because it opens the eyes of the viewers on popular topics all while making them laugh.


I believe regular news is made up of propaganda so when shows that are culture jamming are given to me I think that it’s giving everyone a different perspective. Not all the news that is given to us is true “making us notice and question their underlying messages.” (pp. 214) Just because half of what Rick Mercer does on his show is fake or not real news doesn't mean we aren't learning or taking something away from the other half. News is news and I believe it is the same debate about what school someone goes to. “I go to Western, you go to Brock therefore I’m smarter.” I disagree if we both leave our respective schools with a degree how does that make you smarter or in any way better than me? If I watch Jon Stewart and you watch CNN, we are both getting the same news but in different fashions.

In conclusion I feel that satirical news is a way of culture jamming but it is a useful tool in today’s society. Programs like these make the news interesting while not always true they get us hooked and when something happens in the world we look to these shows to cut the tension. They are useful to the public because it provides information in a comical way. I personally enjoy many of the shows that use culture jamming because lets be real, who doesn't like to laugh?

O’Shaughnessy, Michael, and Jane Sadler. 2012. Media and Society. 5th Edition. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press