Where do you get your news?

Last year I went to see Al Franken speak at the Carnegie Music Hall. It was a very disturbing evening that started off with some sort of Jewish culture game show which was followed by Second City doing about an hour, followed by several CMU actors doing really very indulgent sketch comedy, and finally after what felt like three or four days Al Franken. Al and Second City were quite good. How some of our students managed to get themselves scheduled doing sketch comedy following Second City I will never figure out.

I have always liked Al Franken. I think the first time I noticed him in an appearance on Weekend Update where he declared that the 70's - the "me" decade - were over, and that the 80's would be "the Al Franken" decade. I guess it didn't really work out that way for him. Truth be told, it looks like this decade might turn out very well for him.

Anyway, one of the things I remember most clearly from his evening was a discussion of the results of tests done with people who either listen to Rush Limbaugh or watch Fox News on a regular basis. These results indicated that this particular group of people thought they were among the most informed about current issues. The results also showed that of all groups, even counting people that didn't really have any news source, that people watching Fox and listening to Rush were typically the most misinformed of anyone surveyed. He also went on to say that if you figure in how long they had been listening that there was a statistical correlations that indicated that the longer you listen the stupider you get.

Big surprise.

Which brings me to this:

http://www.business-journal.com/NoJokeDailyShowViewersKnowIssues.asp

which is an article that suggests that people that regularly watch "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central are better informed on the issues surrounding the presidential candidates than people that watch a comparable amount of network news.

I had been meaning for a while to plug The Daily Show. This seems as good a time as any. They have really been spot on on the issues this year. Plus, they just won the Emmy for best variety show and for best writing on a variety show, so I guess I'm not the only one who thinks they've really hit their stride.

With Dennis Miller having inexplicably surrendered to the dark side its good to know that there are still some available, insightful, interesting, and humorous alternatives to the more obvious right wing media representatives. Those on the right are constantly being energized by their standard bearers. In an election year we ought to do the same. I recommend that you absolutely watch The Daily Show with John Stewart. To that recommendation I would add HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, and I would go out of your way to find a way to get connected to Air America Radio and listen to Al Franken and to Randi Rhodes (and to the Majority Report with Janeane Garofalo if you're into her). The Air America link is in the margin. Work these streams into your own routine, and try to sell them to your friends. We have to get engaged this year.