The "Daily Show" and the "Colbert Report" are two of my favorite shows to watch on television. My friends and I are big fans of these "news as entertainment" shows, but they are far from our only source of news. I enjoy the shows for their comedic value and for a break from the usual no-joke style news reporting; these shows offer a refreshing change of pace from normal news shows.
The shows often highlight true stories from American politics that are ridiculous or silly. Many times, their stories do not have much substance other than their humor and hosts--especially Stephen Colbert--do not actually attempt to be impartial news reporters. Colbert lets his guests know beforehand that they will be interviewed by his stage presence, not the real Stephen Colbert. Colbert usually debates using wit, sarcasm, and and a unique "stupidity" to enforce his point, while Jon Stewart often actually has heated political debates.
I do not think these shows are bad harming our society--in many cases they make really good points--but they cannot serve as our only source of news. These shows' primary purpose is to entertain, not to provide solid, impartial news to the citizens of this country. News and the way it is covered has changed with society, and the current patterns reflect this; attention spans are shorter than ever and entertainment is a priority, with this came the abbreviated, less substantial--yet humorous--"news as entertainment" shows we watch so faithfully today.
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