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Jon Stewart on CNN's Crossfire
BoldAC writes "Instead of plugging his new book, Jon Stewart tonight on CNN's Crossfire used his time to slam the media's coverage of the election. Although Stewart leans left, he attacked political shows and begged them: 'Stop, stop, stop, stop hurting America.' Is it time to really stop all the political games that both sides play? Torrent of the event is available." And another set of .torrent links.
transcription @ cnn
"The proof is in The Daily Show's high ratings and awards. It's a very sad commentary, and Jon Stewart knows it, that a *lot* of people get their news from his show because there aren't any better alternatives"
I think you are wrong and I think this is the crux of the issue here. People don't watch
"The Daily Show" "because there aren't any better alternatives". They watch it precisely because its funny and its good theater. Straight news is mostly unhappy news or not interesting to most people news. I think everyone here who contends there just needs to be a good straight news show and everyone would watch is wrong. Again PBS has at least two pretty good straight news shows, that aren't badly slaved to corporate interests, Lehrer's news hour and Charlie Rose. Most people don't watch them.
The basic flaw in Stewarts whole tirade was that the news networks should somehow be forbidden to do theater, yet its OK that he does precisely that and that is why people watch him. I'm not sure that he wasn't actually trying to further expand his ratings. If all the new networks stopped doing theater they would be even more boring than they are and everyone would watch "The Daily Show" to get their news. He is a crafty wabbit.
@de_machina