People learn more from Colbert than from the news..

[kentonio]

We're Learning More From Stephen Colbert Than The Actual News, Study Says

Want to be more informed about what's going on in the world? The findings of a new study suggest that watching Stephen Colbert might help you more than actual news programs.

A recent study concluded that "The Colbert Report" did a better job of teaching people about campaign finance in the last presidential election than MSNBC, CNN, Fox News or broadcast evening news. The study — published in Mass Communication and Society and led by a senior researcher at the University of Pennsylvania — surveyed 1,232 adults and tested respondents' knowledge of campaign finance from a variety of sources.

"['The Colbert Report'] not only increased people’s perceptions that they knew more about political financing, but significantly increased their actual knowledge, and did so at a greater rate than other news sources," the university's Annenberg Public Policy Center wrote in a statement.

The study is not the first that concludes viewers of fake news shows like "The Colbert Report" are more informed than those of other news sources. In 2012, another study found that people who watch "The Daily Show" are more informed than people who watch Fox News.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/0...ef=mostpopular

I don't know if it's that big a surprise really. Mixing something dull with something entertaining is surely more likely to capture peoples attention, no?

[Lorizael]

The study ... surveyed 1,232 adults and tested respondents' knowledge of campaign finance from a variety of sources.

By this I'm assuming all the study actually showed was that people who watch Colbert are also people who are more knowledgeable about campaign finance.

[Aeson]

Yah, it's not really fair if they focus on trivial nonsense like campaign finance ... we need to know which viewership understands the important issues of the day, like what is the latest floats-am that might be flight 370? ...

[Aeson]

Also, I only watch the Daily Show and Colbert Report, so I am blissfully unaware of anything that's happened in the world since May 22.

[Sava]

Also, I only watch the Daily Show and Colbert Report, so I am blissfully unaware of anything that's happened in the world since May 22.

[Sava]

Can you imagine us explaining our society to aliens?

[Lorizael]

Yah, it's not really fair if they focus on trivial nonsense like campaign finance ... we need to know which viewership understands the important issues of the day, like what is the latest floats-am that might be flight 370? ...

I'm more pointing to the fact that this kind of study absolutely can't prove that watching the Colbert Report is why Colbert watchers are more knowledgeable about campaign finance.

[Sava]

I'm more pointing to the fact that this kind of study absolutely can't prove that watching the Colbert Report is why Colbert watchers are more knowledgeable about campaign finance.

He's dedicated a significant amount of time talking about it... made his own SuperPAC. Had Trevor Potter (his personal campaign finance lawyer) on, a former FEC official.

So yes, no one can prove that consuming material about campaign finance is the reason Colbert watchers know more than non-Colbert watchers about campaign finance.()

It seems a bit self-evident.

[Lorizael]

It's those things that seem to be self-evident that we need to be the most careful about.

For example, it's no secret that Colbert has been doing campaign finance stuff. Thus, it's entirely reasonable that people who are interested in the subject would be more likely to watch the Colbert Report. Alternatively, it's quite possible that people who choose to watch the Colbert Report are more knowledgeable about politics in general, but that the Colbert Report is not where they get their information.

[Sava]

It's those things that seem to be self-evident that we need to be the most careful about.

For example, it's no secret that Colbert has been doing campaign finance stuff. Thus, it's entirely reasonable that people who are interested in the subject would be more likely to watch the Colbert Report. Alternatively, it's quite possible that people who choose to watch the Colbert Report are more knowledgeable about politics in general, but that the Colbert Report is not where they get their information.

The degree of detail they presented on the subject was equivalent to a graduate level class.

You present an interesting theory. Do you have any way of testing if?

BTW, it's likely we're both true. Colbert taught a lot of people about campaign finance, and a lot of people who watch Colbert are likely already more knowledgeable about politics in general.

[Lorizael]

You present an interesting theory. Do you have any way of testing if?

Yes. Take people who haven't been exposed to the Colbert Report, ask them questions about campaign finance, then have them watch the Colbert Report, then test them again. At the same time, take a control group, test their knowledge of campaign finance, have them watch some non-Colbert campaign finance news, then test them again. Compare. This is science 101, people.

[Aeson]

I'm more pointing to the fact that this kind of study absolutely can't prove that watching the Colbert Report is why Colbert watchers are more knowledgeable about campaign finance.

I don't remember Colbert talking about anything like that, so I sincerely doubt such a thing is even conceivable. However if you wanted to suggest that maybe people were so scared of bears that they paid more attention to campaign finance in hopes that it would save them from bears ... you'd probably be right.

[rah]

I'm with Lori on this one. I'm sure Colbert's audience is not a representative sample of the country.

[Dinner]

I'm for anything which makes Americans less ignorant.

[rah]

I'm sure there aren't a lot of ignorant people watching Colbert because they'd get bored when most of the jokes went over their heads.