When news breaks,When news breaks,The Daily Show The Daily Show

fixes itfixes it

Daniel McCue ’99Daniel McCue ’99

Hope College, Martha Miller Hope College, Martha Miller CenterCenter

Friday, October 9, 2009Friday, October 9, 2009

• News stores our social normsNews stores our social norms• News violates our social normsNews violates our social norms• News satire restores our social News satire restores our social

normsnorms

• ……Yes, we will watch clips, tooYes, we will watch clips, too

News: a story about realityNews: a story about reality

News: a story about realityNews: a story about reality

What’s in the news?What’s in the news?

Gans (1979), Gans (1979), Deciding What’s NewsDeciding What’s News

What’s in the news?What’s in the news?

Gans (1979), Gans (1979), Deciding What’s NewsDeciding What’s News

What’s in the news?What’s in the news?

Gans (1979), Gans (1979), Deciding What’s NewsDeciding What’s News

What’s in the news?What’s in the news?

Gans (1979), Gans (1979), Deciding What’s NewsDeciding What’s News

What’s in the news?What’s in the news?

Gans (1979), Gans (1979), Deciding What’s NewsDeciding What’s News

News values: News values: concern for social cohesionconcern for social cohesion

Contemporary news Contemporary news landscapelandscape

News: a story about realityNews: a story about reality

News: restoring the mythNews: restoring the myth

News: violating the mythNews: violating the myth

Hamburglar Urges Senate Hamburglar Urges Senate Subcommittee To 'Robble Subcommittee To 'Robble

Robble Robble'Robble Robble'WASHINGTON, DC—Denouncing a prison system he WASHINGTON, DC—Denouncing a prison system he

described as "robble," hamburger advocate and described as "robble," hamburger advocate and convicted felon Hamburglar addressed the Senate convicted felon Hamburglar addressed the Senate Subcommittee on Penal Reform Monday, demanding Subcommittee on Penal Reform Monday, demanding more humane conditions for the nation's inmates. more humane conditions for the nation's inmates. "Robble robble robble robble robble robble robble "Robble robble robble robble robble robble robble robble robble robble robble robble," an emotional robble robble robble robble robble," an emotional Hamburglar told the 12-member committee. "Robble Hamburglar told the 12-member committee. "Robble robble robble robble robble. Robble robble robble robble robble robble robble. Robble robble robble robble robble robble: Robble robble." Reaction to the robble robble robble: Robble robble." Reaction to the speech was mixed. "Certainly there is room for speech was mixed. "Certainly there is room for improvement in our penal system," U.S. Sen. Bob Smith improvement in our penal system," U.S. Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH) said. "But I would hardly call the current (R-NH) said. "But I would hardly call the current situation 'robble.'"situation 'robble.'" The OnionThe Onion, September 15, 1999, September 15, 1999

News: too much News: too much information?information?

24-hour news cycle 24-hour news cycle or a virtuous circle?or a virtuous circle?

• The Informing The Informing EffectEffect

• ““A virtuous circle”A virtuous circle”• Strong correlation Strong correlation

between news between news consumption,consumption,engagement engagement

What is the role of news What is the role of news satire?satire?

Satire: how does it work?Satire: how does it work?

Irony vs. SatireIrony vs. Satire

IronyIrony• TropeTrope• Rhetorical deviceRhetorical device• Morally neutralMorally neutral• Mark of good Mark of good

literature (Booth, literature (Booth, 1974)1974)

SatireSatire• GenreGenre• RhetoricalRhetorical• Intending to Intending to

correct moral correct moral failings failings

Functions of ironyFunctions of irony

• Criticism: Criticism: ironic criticism > literal criticismironic criticism > literal criticism

• Compliments: Compliments: ironic compliment < literal complimentironic compliment < literal compliment

• Humor: Humor: ironic text > literal textironic text > literal text

Conclusion: irony is riskier, but more Conclusion: irony is riskier, but more effective.effective.

Example of Irony: Example of Irony: The Daily ShowThe Daily Show

“Professional Important “Professional Important News” News”

Functions of satireFunctions of satire

How does irony work?How does irony work?

How does irony work?How does irony work?

How does irony work?How does irony work?Performing a reconstructed Performing a reconstructed

meaningmeaning

How does irony work? How does irony work? Clues.Clues.

How does news satire work?How does news satire work?

How does news satire work?How does news satire work?RathergateRathergate

© Comedy Partners© Comedy Partners

Putting it all togetherPutting it all together

• News satire exposes the News satire exposes the mythological function of news mythological function of news by revealing violations of social values expressed implicitly in news stories.

• News satire speaks “truth” by exposing idealized social values that have been violated by subjects of news stories or by those who report the news.