| Satire news has garnered considerable critical attention, yet the question of just what mainstream journalism might take from it has yet to be asked. This study aims to clarify the normative potential of such alternative discursive approaches. Geoffrey Baym's theory of discursive integration, which argues that once distinct modes of discourse are now blending together, may help explain the relationship between humor and the mediation of current events. This study uses a discourse analysis to compare how mainstream television news outlets and The Daily Show approach truth claims, finding that journalistic credibility suffers, at least in part, from avoiding critical evaluation of events. Of the four media outlets examined here, only The Daily Show made truth the focus of its coverage. Host Jon Stewart avoids the structural biases which prevent mainstream journalism from fulfilling its social responsibilities. Three main approaches to news reporting emerge which may enhance journalistic quality and credibility: redaction, contextualization, and authorization. |
