Pew Survey: Viewers of Colbert and Stewart Score High on News Test (See Who Didn't!)

The results of the new Pew Survey on News Consumption (taken every two years and released this afternoon) suggest that viewers of the "fake news" programs The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are more knowledgeable about current events (as judged by three test questions) than watchers of "real" cable news shows hosted by Lou Dobbs, Bill O'Reilly and Larry King, among others -- as well as average consumers of NBC, ABC, Fox News, CNN, C-SPAN and daily newspapers.

The national average for answering the three questions was only 18%. But 34% of The Colbert Report fans got them right, with 30% of The Daily Show viewers doing so -- even though the two Comedy Central shows draw younger audiences which generally scored less well on the "test" than older viewers/readers.

The Pew Report observed: "The Colbert Report and The Daily Show are notable for having relatively well-informed audiences that are younger than the national average."

Topping the knowledge list were The New Yorker and The Atlantic (48%), NPR (44%), MSNBC's Hardball (43%), and Fox's Hannity & Colmes at 42%.

While consumers of most news outlets scored poorly on the test, a separate question revealed that a vast majority believe they follow national news closely. Yet, somehow, only 53% were able to correctly identify which party now controls Congress. In another finding: no surprise, Democrats were found to favor CNN and MSNBC while Republicans strongly dig Fox.

Respondents were asked to identify which party now controls Congress, who is the current U.S. secretary of state and name the new prime minister of Great Britain.

Coming in behind the two fake news show on the test were consumers of :

News magazines 30%
O'Reilly Factor 28%
Lou Dobbs Tonight 27%
MSNBC 25%
C-SPAN 24%
Daily newspaper 22%
NBC News 21%
Letterman/Leno 20%
Larry King Live 19%
ABC News 19%
CNN 19%
Fox News 19%
CNBC 17%
Personality magazines 13%
Religious radio 12%
CBS News 10%
National Enquirer 9%
*
Greg Mitchell's new book includes chapters on Stewart and Colbert. It is So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits -- and the President -- Failed on Iraq. He is editor of Editor & Publisher.

Comments

[gdaerin]

"only 53% were able to correctly identify which party now controls Congress"

I have to admit, I was ignorant of this kind of ignorance. How is it possible that half of these people didn't know who controls congress?!

[mmmmmcheetos]

What's really incredible about these results is that one of the questions (which party controls congress?) could be answered 50% of the time just by guessing, as long as you know the two parties. That means those that know the two parties but don't know the correct answer to any questions should score 16.7%. Four outlets scored below this chance level, including CBS. Wow.

[peterg76]

A lot of comedy central's humour comes from simply contrasting what politicians say with reality. The "mainstream" doesn't concern itself with reality.

[thecanadian]

If you want o know what is going on - see Colbert and Stewart everyday! They are always dead on!

[SallyMutant]

Interesting that the poll gives results for entire outlets, like CNN yet also gives a breakdown for individual programs. I bet if "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" fans were scored, we'd rank high.

[mscriblerus]

That's funny. CBS and The National Enquirer are essentially tied. I don't watch CBS, but I can never avoid seeing the front page stories of The Enquirer on the impulse rack at the grocery store. What in the world is CBS reporting?

[MPeter]

No surprise there. I think CNN, ABC, FOX and SBS should be at 10%. They have become a joke.