Fake news shows don't teach about politics
Comedy news shows like The Daily Show are not as important in influencing people as scientists - who thought they were important enough to study - previously thought.
Studies have claimed that 48 percent of adults and 60 percent of young voters in the US used fake news shows as a source of campaign news in the 2004 election.
But now the boffins say the shows are seen and used more as entertainment than news broadcasts ... something I am sure Jon Stewart will have a wry smile about.
Researchers from Ohio State University showed people 20-minute video clips from CNN, NBC and The Daily Show - they were then asked to write down, point-by-point, what they had learned in the videos.
The results showed those who watched the NBC and CNN news segment were able to recall more details about topics than those who watched The Daily Show clip ... AN ENTERTAINMENT SHOW.
People watching The Daily Show remembered details about the nominee's college choice and family members, but were less informed on important political issues and the nominee's stance on those issues.
"Both news and entertainment media seem to promote some knowledge gain, but people who are exposed to news gain more factual information and learn more about a wide range of important topics than those exposed to entertainment media," said Young Mie Kim, an assistant professor at Ohio State.
"A lot of young voters and a lot of people in general watch these shows, entertainment media may not be ideal for learning about political issues and procedures, but it is still better than nothing."
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