Jokes with Impact? Viewers of Late Night Pol Comedy, Pol Inv and News Sources

• In Event: Entertainment Media's Effects on Political Perspectives

Abstract

Using a recent Pew Research Center survey of news and entertainment media consumption, this paper examines the political values of viewers of late night political comedy. Those most interested in comedic news content display higher levels of both political efficacy and political cynicism compared to non-viewers. These viewers of comedy are also more engaged consumers of news, with higher usage of a variety of social media outlets beyond those connected to late-night comedy. As this research develops further, this paper will examine how viewers of late-night political comedy evaluate the content of traditional news outlets as well as social media news outlets.

Authors

• Stephen J. Farnsworth, University of Mary Washington

• S. Robert Lichter, George Mason University