Title: “MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENT”: THE ROLE OF SATIRICAL NEWS IN DISSENT, DELIBERATION, AND DEMOCRACY
Abstract: This research project argues that in an age of
infotainment and a failing news media, satirical news has emerged
as an important force in revealing truth and engaging an apathetic
public in politics and debate. Therefore, this research project
seeks to distinguish and examine the roles of satirical news in
encouraging a deliberative democracy. Satirical news has historical
roots in the First Amendment as a loud critic and purveyor of
political dissent. More recently, satirical news shows on
television—the precursors to The Daily Show—have faced many
barriers, including political party maneuverings, ratings, and
falling advertising revenue, ultimately finding that if staying
power required potent satire, such roadblocks must be ignored.
Finally, political comedians intend to affect change or prove an
ideological point through their satire, but often after criticism,
hide behind the satirist shield and claim, I'm just a comedian.
Such a stance has benefits in that it encourages comedians to more
fearlessly challenge pseudo-structures created by the
political-media elites, filling the role traditionally held by
journalists. At the same time, the satirist shield allows
politicians and media elites to throw satirical news critiques
aside, regardless of their truth and importance. In the end,
satirical news is certainly important to democracy. If those in
power fail to recognize satire's significance, they must be either
forgetting or ignoring the First Amendment's purpose of encouraging
robust and free debate. Such debate and discourse, fueled by the
rearrangement power structures and the invocation of indignation,
are necessary outcomes of satirical speech. These distinct roles of
satirical news serve a theoretical basis for legitimizing the
impact of such shows on the creation of an informed
citizenry.
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-10-18
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 1
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