News Satire

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News Satire

• Mary Voigt, Patricia McGurk, and Alma Mendez

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Genre Political News Satire

• Stephanie Miller Radio Broadcast
• Twin Cities M-F (8 a.m. 11 a.m.) on 950 A.M
  Air America Radio Station
• Setting produced in Los Angeles show goes on
  the road from time to time
• Distributed by the Jones Radio Network. As of
  November 28, 2005 the show is produced
  exclusively by WYD Media Management
• Theme Take Back America
• Links http//www.stephaniemiller.com
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stephanie_Miller_
  ShowHosts_Personalities
• http//www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-young/note-to-
  air-america-watc_b_28111.html

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Value Assumptions

• Democrats are protecting democracy. They have the
  moral high road on equitable taxes universal
  health care social security pro-labor pro
  civil, womens gay rights anti-war message.
• Republicans are no longer conservative in the
  original sense of the word instead they are
  corrupt and scandal-ridden (control of media,
  voting machines, co-opting of religious
  fundamentalist message, torture of prisoners,
  Foleygate, false justification for Iraq war)
• Blatant mix of low-brow and high-brow serious
  news content treated satirically, Republicans
  ridiculed, apolitical entertainment, pop culture
  segments

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Roles and Line-up

• Stephanie Miller-comedienne. Refers to herself as
  mama, with leitmotif of box-wine addict,
  elderly shut-in, infatuation with future
  husbands including Sen. Russ Feingold (WI),
  Keith Oberman (eloquent MSNBC news commentator).
• Jim Ward (voice deity) straight man to
  Stephanies comedic takes voice imitations of
  Saturday Night Live quality conspiracy corner
  theorist
• Chris Lavoie commentator sound board genius
  each 3 hour segment includes twenty plus songs
  vaudevillian pace punctuated by brilliant sound
  effects.
• Live drummer and telephone call screener
• Right Wing World Republicans Eating Their Own
• Stand-Up News We Dont Want To Lose
• Tinsel Talk Hollywood gossip of apolitical
  nature
• Celebrity Interviews politicians, authors or
  Hollywood celebrity activists

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The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

• News Program Spoof
• Set is designed to imitate nightly newscast.
• Point of the Show
• a nightly half-hour series unburdened by
  objectivity, journalistic integrity or even
  accuracy.

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Set up of the Daily Show

• Show begins with Jon reporting on the news of the
  day, with his own biases and point of view
  clearly reflected in the reporting. Uses actual
  news clips in his monologue.
• In most programs, Jon adds in a correspondent who
  is on the field reporting on either the main
  story he is focusing on or a recorded story, with
  the correspondents own prejudices and spins
  clearly reflected in the reporting. The
  questions that are often used by the reporter is
  to confuse or possibly anger those who are
  responding to the questions, to make a thinly
  veiled point or to elicit a laugh from the
  audience.
• Has a featured guest, usually an author,
  political figure or other figures in the news
  media.
• The Seat of Heat-Jon asks a question which is
  supposed to make the guest somewhat
  uncomfortable. Depending on the guest, this also
  maybe a moment where they shine if they can
  handle the joke.

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Observations of the Daily Show

• Liberal perspective- does a lot of Bush-bashing
• Audience-tend to be liberal, young men and women.
• Claims to be a reality-based look at news,
  trends, pop culture, current events, politics,
  sports and entertainment with an alternative
  point of view.
• Purpose-to entertain, maybe even make us be more
  critical of news media and to be aware of who is
  reporting the story and what perspective do they
  want us to believe.

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Question Whose blue suit with red power tie
makes the news truthier? Answer Neither. Its
really all about tiny TVs in the background.
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On Presentation Anyone can read the news to
you, I promise to feel the news at you. Being
senselessly controversial "Even the weather page
is in a state of moral decay. Whats wrong with
red, white and blue, USA Today? This rainbow
weather map is just another example of the
homometerological agenda On his audience
"This show is not about me. No, this program is
dedicated to you, the heroes. And who are the
heroes? The people who watch this show, average
hard-working Americans. Youre not the elites.
Youre not the country club crowd. I know for a
fact my country club would never let you in.
Youre the folks who say something has to be
done. And youre doing something. Youre watching
TV." On facts "Truthiness. Now Im sure some
of the word police the wordinistas over at
Websters are going to say, 'Hey, thats not a
word.' Well, anybody who knows me knows that Im
no fan of dictionaries. Or reference books.
Theyre elitist,"
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Parodies of Prime Time News Programs

• Like any other type of program can be parodied.
• Uses similar bits as real news programs
• Has a set thats very similar to real news
  programs-sits behind a desk, has graphics
  displayed over talking, interviews live guests,
  and goes on location to do spots. Just like
  SNLs weekend update
• Has a live audience and does interact with them
  more like a talk show would
• Aired on Comedy Central after prime time, but
  during real local news programs

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Roles

• Playing talk show host, but arrogant right wing
  sort
• Described as a fake newsmans fake newsman
• Plays fast and loose with truth in a way that
  is like reality, but obvious enough to be funny
  to most people
• Uses proper news setting but doesnt have
  responsibility to viewers, so can be funny

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Imagery and Symbols

• Uses all signs and symbols of news media,
  microphones, satellite feeds, etc.
• Creates air of authority with dress, set, etc.
  Loves audience, but has contempt for them
• Asks newsy questions but framed in a particular
  way Would you say George Bush is a great
  president or the greatest president?
• Newsweek sees it as a response to the Bush
  presidency that wont last http//www.msnbc.msn.co
  m/id/9767517/site/newsweek/, 10/24/06

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Demographics of Comedy Central

• Different Demographic Target. Comedy Central
  targets A25-34, which drives Comedy's
  highly-ranked concentration of Adults 18-49,
  18-34 and 25-54. Source Nielsen Media Research,
  2Q'03 VPVH, Total Day.
• Light Viewers Comedy's "smart" programming
  attracts one of cable's highest concentrations of
  "light" viewers. These viewers are selective and
  discriminating and are likely to pay more
  attention for these reasons. Source Nielsen
  Media Research, NPower. Custom Quintile
  Analysis, October '02,Mon-Sun 8-11p
• More Attentive Viewers Comedy Central ranks 1
  among measured cable networks for "paying full
  attention" to the programs on our network.
  Source MRI 2003 Custom Cable Study, A18-34
• http//www.twcmaineadsales.com/pages/nets/?cpnets
  spinfonetcomdy, 10/26/06
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vTdqMftzlBVM

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Value Assumptions

• Care about the news
• Feel innate distrust of media sources
• Want a b.s. free version of the news
• Media savvy