Ignorance isn't funny: Becoming informed is no laughing matter
Among all the love-hate relationships that exist in this world, the one between Americans and the media has earned its slot on prime time.
Through our country's laws, we espouse the importance of an industry dedicated to gathering accurate, timely information about government and other issues affecting our lives.
Yet, a July 2003 study by the Committee of Concerned Journalists and the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press showed these disturbing findings:
• Only 31 percent of Americans polled thought journalists care about people they report on;
• 70 percent thought the press was influenced by the powerful in society;
• 53 percent thought news was politically biased;
• 52 percent said the news industry was failing to protect democracy;
In my generation, disenchantment with traditional news sources is well-known and continues to grow and cause headaches for owners of media corporations.
Not even one-quarter (23 percent) of citizens younger than age 30 read a newspaper on a typical day, says a June 2004 Pew study. Perhaps more frightening, 53 percent of us think more cable talk shows would be a good idea, according to a July 2003 Pew study.
But being a good citizen takes responsibility, and we need to discipline ourselves to seek out various sources of information on politics and current affairs — whether or not the packaging appeals to us.
Our thirst for information is no less than that of older generations, though the venues we often get our news from have changed.
Today, for example, a 15-year-old in her parents' Tacoma basement can write a blog (Weblog or online journal) that will impact countless other readers who, in turn, will have their own impressions to proliferate.
Cable TV also offers a smorgasbord of quick-bite shows, most of which cater to a less-sophisticated political appetite and capitalize on arguments and commentary.
But these sources of information are not enough to render a complete picture of the world.
In their book "The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect," authors Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel argue that audiences attracted by empty arguments, trivia or titillation will lose their desire to seek out anything else.
The idea is that people being spoon-fed information, in a primarily amusing fashion, will become like spoiled 2-year-olds and refuse to sit still for anything else.
That's a troubling thought when we consider the role each of us in a democracy is supposed to play throughout elections, voting and public debate.
Findings from a January 2004 Pew Center poll show that 21 percent of people ages 18 to 29 mention farcical commentary shows, such as Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" and "Saturday Night Live," among their primary sources for political news. During the Iowa caucus, New Hampshire primary and State of the Union address, "The Daily Show," hosted by comedian Jon Stewart, attracted more young male viewers than any of the network evening news shows, according to a March 2004 CNN article based on the poll's results. Several people I know admit to watching the "Daily Show" to get information, out of dissatisfaction with other options. Their reasoning varies from skepticism regarding mainstream news sources, to disgust with the "old white man" bias on FOX News, to simply preferring something funnier — or as one 20-year-old woman quoted in the CNN article said, "A lot of [TV news] shows focus on topics that have absolutely nothing to do with me, like old people's health care."
But while programs such as "The Daily Show" may offer comic relief from relentless political coverage and help viewers become aware of an issue, they are a poor substitute for something more substantive.
And while it may seem like we have less at stake than older adults who have careers and mortgages and kids, this is simply incorrect. Bills are being proposed and laws passed that will affect us, today and in our future. We cannot afford to be ignorant.
What to do, you ask? When we see problems or discrepancies in traditional journalism, we should actively make efforts to reform them. Media watchdog groups, such as Seattle-based "Reclaim the Media" (www.reclaimthemedia.org), provide venues for speaking out about the press. And we should be writing letters to the editor, using blogging as a tool for debate, and forming discussion groups with friends.
Rather than being overwhelmed with 24/7 CNN, we also need to develop strategies for getting the news. Some newspapers, such as The New York Times, e-mail their headlines to readers for free. Links to discussion forums about particular stories can be found on The Seattle Times Web site, and often readers have the option to track one or more specific topics. Web-based archives are another user-friendly way to get on top of an issue.
Of course, watching political parodies has its place. But it is a secondary spot, meant for those who've done their homework and are informed.
Without that knowledge first, the jokes lose all their meaning.
Sharon Altaras is an '03 UW graduate and lives in Seattle. E-mail: NEXT@seattletimes.com