Abstract
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report are two television programs venerated for their comedic criticisms of mainstream media and society. The shows exemplify the art of sociopolitical satire, using humor to expose hypocrisies in media coverage, illuminate inconsistencies and facetiously reveal folly. The Daily Show and The Colbert Report arguably represent a legitimate form of news media, but they are distinct from the traditional media that Herman and Chomsky (1988/2002) assailed when formulating their propaganda model for US mass media. Notably, the two shows parody an industry that routinely propagandizes on behalf of powerful societal interests, and they satirize the status quo in an ostensibly subversive fashion. Using the propaganda model as a theoretical lens, this study examines The Daily Show and The Colbert Report to throw light on how the satirical news format informs the propaganda model. With the model as an analytical guide, this essay explores instances in which the two shows deconstructed dominant discourses and ideologies disseminated by commercial media. Conversely, strong hegemonic elements discovered within the discourses of both programs speak to the dichotomous nature of discursive humor and the inherent paradox of sociopolitical parody.
Published Version
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