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New research has found that The Colbert Report and The Daily Show — two of the top political comedy TV shows in the United States — can shape viewers’ beliefs about climate change.
“These results dovetail with, while also extending, previous research showing that satirical television news can shape public opinion about other public affairs topics as well as attention to scientific and environmental issues, including climate change,” Paul R. Brewer and Jessica McKnight wrote in their study, which was published in Science Communication.
The researchers noted that news programs often seek to “balance” their coverage of climate change by interviewing climate change deniers, even though an overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree that climate change is occurring.
“Thus, satirical television news coverage may offer counterpoints to climate change skepticism in public discourse and public opinion.”
The researchers had 424 young adults watch a 1-minute clip from either the television program Finding Bigfoot, The Daily Show, or The Colbert Report.
“These results dovetail with, while also extending, previous research showing that satirical television news can shape public opinion about other public affairs topics as well as attention to scientific and environmental issues, including climate change,” Paul R. Brewer and Jessica McKnight wrote in their study, which was published in Science Communication.
The researchers noted that news programs often seek to “balance” their coverage of climate change by interviewing climate change deniers, even though an overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree that climate change is occurring.
“Thus, satirical television news coverage may offer counterpoints to climate change skepticism in public discourse and public opinion.”
The researchers had 424 young adults watch a 1-minute clip from either the television program Finding Bigfoot, The Daily Show, or The Colbert Report.
Watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report makes people believe climate change is real, study finds
New research has found that The Colbert Report and The Daily Show -- two of the top political comedy TV shows in the United States -- can shape viewers'
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