@pbsnews: Why do Americans trust satirists more than the news media? The answer has to do partly with how the media has changed over the years, says Penn State University's Sophia McClennen. "It starts to change when you get cable, and suddenly you could be watching the news or you could be watching 'Baywatch,'" she told PBS News' Judy Woodruff. "Then the news had to suddenly get a little more entertaining to pull those eyeballs back." McClennen, a professor of international affairs and comparative literature who has examined the global impact of satire, added that the creation of CNN and the lack of news to fill a 24/7 news channel led to a rise in pundits on television. "Now the person who's in the audience doesn't get to take the information and form their own opinions," she said. "They're watching opinions fly around, and so they're having a connection that's fully about affect and not about thinking critically." McClennen, along with The Onion's Joshua Johnson, joined Judy Woodruff for the latest episode of PBS News' podcast, "In Pursuit of Happiness." They discussed how Americans use satire to process politics and power. #pbsnews #news #judywoodruff #inpursuitofhapiness #satire #humor #media #trust #podcast
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Region: US
Friday 10 July 2026 00:00:00 GMT
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Bobby :
People trust comedians and satirists because you have to be truthful about the core of a situation if you want your jokes to land.
2026-07-10 02:32:52
6
🍄 justafungiii 🍄 :
we would trust the media more if they were more trustworthy
2026-07-10 01:30:21
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haze_oo7 :
Excellent brief history. I’d watch a more in depth talk or coverage of this.
2026-07-10 02:02:57
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Lil' FAQz :
long winded way to just simply say that fox news outlet being sued, made "news" not having to be factual information anymore, "news" is now classified under entertainment.
2026-07-10 00:20:55
13
Jett :
what a great interview. I'd love to watch the rest
2026-07-10 00:05:36
7
Holly :
It's because nothing is funny without a grain of truth.
2026-07-10 01:36:29
7
JustAnotherYTFolk :
because the "news" refuses to call a spade a spade and keeps both sidesing everything. They have become useless
2026-07-10 01:27:36
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Rick :
It’s because the Daily Show and last week tonight don’t lie (except in the jokes), and they don’t pull punches.
2026-07-10 02:03:05
4
Raymond Davis499 :
Non humorous media needs to be exaggerated to be exciting. Humorous media can be accurate - so long as there’s a punch line:
2026-07-10 02:07:05
2
Rosie :
If Fox News exists, this will continue
2026-07-10 01:21:43
7
Y K :
Woooo…. First!!
2026-07-10 00:24:25
2
palebluedot :
speak
2026-07-10 02:00:01
0
nicholas.o.larson :
Tim Dillon is the country's best news anchor
2026-07-10 01:16:04
1
William :
network news cannot be trusted. it's tainted by corporate oversight and capitalist greed. news is a product to be sold now.
2026-07-10 00:50:43
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hersheymilkington :
The Daily Show, The Colbert Report were more honest than any MSM.
2026-07-10 01:16:38
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pequandry :
I have only seen the comedians be cancelled or threatened by Trump. That tells me the others are bowing down to him.
2026-07-10 01:02:40
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Granny S :
It’s Ted Turner’s fault!
2026-07-10 01:50:08
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Josephina Stalina :
I mean I don't trust the media bc they've done a horrendous job at maintaining their integrity. Not one mainstream media outlet denies the Uyghur genocide despite being completely fabricated. And in the case of 9/11, no reporter has accurately reported on the Palestinian genocide which actually is real.
2026-07-10 00:20:26
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DrMG2U :
Why it is, is because you avoid the story. Trump has dementia. It's obvious. Where's the story, PBS???? The numbers behind AI expansion aren't adding up. Where's the story, PBS???? McConnell might actually be gone. Where's the story, PBS????? Trump made more money in his first year as President. He's a corrupt POS. Where's the relentless investigation, PBS????? We trust the comedians because YOU ARE COWARDS, and they are not.
2026-07-10 02:03:47
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