Jon Stewart Laughs At Newspaper Woes: "What's Black And White And Completely Over?"

With major newspapers companies in turmoil, Jon Stewart dedicated his "Clusterf#@k to the Poor House" segment to newspapers.

"What's black and white and completely over?" he joked. "Give up? It's newspapers."

Stewart dramatically declared that "THE INTERNET!" — specifically Craigslist — has brought about the industry's demise.

"Online ads are cheaper, they receive wider distribution, and, perhaps most importantly, many newspapers still stubbornly refuse to post classified ads like, '57 Year Old Man looking for No-Strings-Attached Shemale Scat Gang Bang."

Watch:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Clusterf#@k to the Poor House - Final Edition Edition

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
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Comments

[brooklyncitizen]

Kudos to JS on his interview with Huckabee. He was brilliant when as he challenged Mike on gay marriage.Really masterful.

[Scoop511]

I couldn't agree more. And the sad thing is, those are just basic questions that EVERYONE should be asking. I find it highly ironic that the name of his book he was there to promote was Do the Right thing. There is no way I would buy that book because obviously he is not interested in doing the right thing when it comes to giving gay people the same basic rights we have.

[DeniseD]

The title should be printed Do the "RIGHT" Thing.

I noticed John just passed over the pro-choice/life issue, which actually offended me. This is a woman's right issue. Why didn't John stand up for our rights? Guess he didn't have enough time on his show for women's rights.

I do agree with you. He handled the gay marriage issue beautifully.

[brooklyncitizen]

Yeah. JS really laid out the arguments without sounding like a "liberal" IMHO.He was just insightful and sounded intelligent. The whole definition of marriage as between a man and a woman is a biblical world view that no longer is appropriate. Lots of Biblical things are no longer appropriate such as slavery and I say this as a straight Catholic.

The arbitrariness of this anti-gay marriage position is just mean. Particularly ironic was the "less govt" point of view MH espoused while clamoring for the govt to decide that two people in love cannot marry.Hypocrite.

[brooklyncitizen]

Well we've seen this coming and what boggles the mind are expenses such as the NYTImes' new building in Times Sq.it's beautiful but really really expensive.

[SaulBloodworth]

Not really. They got a good tax deal

[ProfessorDuh]

Don't laugh too loud. When newspapers go, the last of responsible American journalism goes with them. And no, sorry, bloggers in their PJs aren't going to pick up the slack.

[miranda2060]

"Bloggers in their PJs." Nice stereotypin', Sarah Palin.

[ProfessorDuh]

Get real. Newsrooms cost a great deal of money, and internet advertising isn't paying for them.
What do think it costs to send a reporter to Iraq for a year? A million bucks. The pajama corps isn't going to cut it.

[DeniseD]

I find this concerning too. Although they have made plenty of mistakes during the Bush administration, these people are still the front line to what is going on around the country and the world.

[zizyphus]

I think local newspaper will last, while the giant papers will go under. People in small towns, many without internet access, still need to see the local ads and read local news. Craigslist is severe competition for ad dollars, but until every single person is online, small, local papers will have a chance. As the economy continues to take hits from the banksters' heist, local papers will struggle to survive.

I have loved the newspapers and worked for them, and made ads for them all my life. As I am aging, my field is shrinking as well. I have had to come up with other ways to make money besides designing ads for print. But don't count your local papers out just yet.

[ProfessorDuh]

You're right. Grandma wants little Ashley's baton-twirling photo in the local paper where the community will see it. She could post it on a website, but nobody would bother to look.

[zizyphus]

Exactly. And obituaries. If you are a member of a community, you are interested in who just died here. Plus, in our paper it lists family members of the deceased, and that is extremely interesting to people. Especially on an island, like where I live. We find out who is related to who. Also, it lists the police blotter, so you can see who can got arrested, and for what. That is good to know. I want to know what law enforcement is up to around here, besides giving traffic tickets. And the scores of the games of local sports teams. And the classifieds. Support your local papers!!

[FunMe]

Had newspapers acted like REAL JOURNALISTS instead of serving the bush regime with GPN (Government Propaganda News), I doubt the newspapers would find themselves in this position.

Oh well, I guess it's Karma too.

[SaulBloodworth]

Yes, they would. The circulation of The Wall Street Journal is up.

[djwfutbol]

The price of newspapers has definitely become a consideration in my household as has reliability of delivery. Case in point, the issue of the FT reporting the Obama victory never arrived at my door. A week later, the renewal bill (for $500) came. I had to demur and am now no longer a subscriber. I have retained my subscription, now in its thirtieth year, to the Economist, however.

Locally, the daily is the only place to see the exploits of our children and their friends and rivals. So, we are willing to pay the price. However, with only one child left in high school, I forsee the day that subscription goes by the wayside, as well.

Regarding someone else's comment about local news, it has been years since that has been habitual viewing in our household.

[echota]

It's kind of sad. While I do get my news from the internet or tv, there is something nice about holding a paper. I know...save a tree...and I believe in that, but there is something special about the newspaper and it's history. I am so glad that I can save obituaries, weddings, Obama's win on the front page, the paper the day my son was born, so I can show him what was going on in the world that day, etc, etc.

[ProfessorDuh]

The news on the internet and TV originally comes from newspapers, you know.

[echota]

I thought it came from journalists. Whether they write it for the paper or an internet news source, I could not tell you specifically who writes what where. I subscribe to my local newspaper as well, or I could not save all my little tid bits of history that I like to. Again, the possibility of losing the treasure of the newspaper is a sad one other than helping the environment.

[EllaBee]

exactly!

[Huffer27]

Yes, indeed. Not that it's a news channel, mind you, but for all the years it has been on cable, WHEN has the so-called Fox News Channel EVER broken a story that lasted more then 15 minutes before it was shot down as drivel? The only news it knows is what it reads in its despised NY Times.

[SaulBloodworth]

So, you get your news from internet and TV? Let me guess: Your electricity comes out of your wall, hence you don't need power plants.

[Grunty1]

The interview with Huckabee was far more important, as printed newspapers have been dying for years now. Huck basically admitted that social conservativism is a completely failure, since it relies on pretending that a utopian society already exists. Stewart's logic on gay marriage was great as well and had Mike simply repeating his same single phrase that Stewart debunked right at the start of the discussion

"Religion is much more a choice than homosexuality"

[Yarrr]

Well it's true. What benefit does print news offer anymore?

[novatom]

At last count, roughly 25 percent of Americans are still not hooked up to a computer and don't use the Internet. We all assume that because WE use the Internet and all our friends use the Internet that somehow EVERYONE is online. Well they're not. Are you going to deny those people access to cheap, reliable news and information?

[ProfessorDuh]

Internet news comes from the dying papers. Bloggers in their PJs aren't doing any reporting, you know. They're just reading newspaper articles on line and blowing it out their A$$.

[Yarrr]

Yes! Denied! lol

[SaulBloodworth]

There are two kinds of people not hooked on a computer: old people, and poor people. How interested are advertisers in them?

[clarkbp]

Jon Stewart has been around for a while now, so in the minds of those who are obsessed with the latest craze, he may not be relevant, bu the is still selling advertising for his network, which is more than the newspapers can say. This is a market economy, and when you get out-innovated,, you lose (not a bad spot to mention the shrinking three car companies, I guess). The internet has changed communication the same way that the printing press did, and if you still operate on the paradigm of the printing press, then you go out of business. That is how it works. It hurts, I know, but the truth often does, and Jon Stewart is a broker of comedy commentary that stings with truth.

My suggestion is that we get used to the papers disappearing and try to figure out what comes next.

http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/12/06/internet-organized-reporting-organic-journalism/

[KlausPV]

Why spend $ 2.00 on yesterday's news?

Newspapers will die. Maybe not all of them, maybe not tomorrow. But they are doomed.

[bubbuh]

Charles Foster Kane: You're right, I did lose a million dollars last year. I expect to lose a million dollars this year. I expect to lose a million dollars *next* year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I'll have to close this place in... 60 years.

Citizen Kane, 1941

How's that for prophecy? The news ain't all rosebuds any more.

[bubbuh]

Janine Melnitz: You're very handy, I can tell. I bet you like to read a lot, too.

Dr. Egon Spengler: Print is dead.

Janine Melnitz: Oh, that's very fascinating to me. I read a lot myself. Some people think I'm too intellectual but I think it's a fabulous way to spend your spare time. I also play raquetball. Do you have any hobbies?

Dr. Egon Spengler: I collect spores, molds, and fungus.

- Ghostbusters, 1984

[Darwin48]

Thanks for the laugh - )


All these businesses and institutions going on about "let the market decide"...until, of course, it decides against them...then it's..."we need a bailout."

[bubbuh]

De nada. I think some of Egon's spores, molds, and fungi are collecting the news now.

[rabiddog6708]

It will take more time, but the newspapers will eventually become extinct. The internet and 24 hour news on TV. A lot of trees will be spared and not as much garbage, so there is an upside.

[blogger44215]

Did anyone notice that Jon Stewart could not get the word "abortion" out of his mouth. And either based on real feelings, or just trying to ease Gov. Huckabee into the topic he really wanted to discuss (equal rights for gays) in my opinion at least, he appeared anti- choice. There was something strikingly odd about that.

[bubbuh]

your comment is strikingly odd.

[Grunty1]

Like Stewart said, at least he can understand the logic behind that position.