Jon Stewart: Most Trusted Name in News

I really don't think that Jon Stewart is deserving of that kind of title. I mean hes a great political satirist but new is meant to reported without bias. I don't think then that Stewart can then fit the description. I do however trust a guy like him better that every reporter for Fox News.

I think Jon Stewart is tremendous at what he does. I'm on the fence about slapping him with that kind of a title, but I think it's an indicator of a greater trend. Looking back in human history, you can get people to listen to what you say and to do a lot of things by making them laugh. In Shakespearean plays, it's tradition that the jester, the servant or the "fool" character is the only one who knows what's really going on and is the wisest of the bunch. I think we're seeing evidence of just how perceptive that is. People want journalism they can trust, but they also appreciate it when a human face is put on the news, as was evidenced by the strong response to the emotion that was present in the Hurricane Katrina reporting by Anderson Cooper, Soledad O'Brien and Brian Williams, among others. Jon Stewart puts that human face on things, and while he plays the fool because his ultimate goal is to get a laugh, it's no secret to his viewers that he fact-checks absolutely everything, three times if necessary. Bias is a serious issue in journalism, but the truth is that nothing on that show is represented as fact unless it is indeed fact.
So I think we're approaching a new generation in broadcasting here, and it will be one that a lot of purists aren't going to like. We're reaching a point where satire and humor is no longer verboten, where perhaps everybody doesn't have to wear a tie, or never smile, or be stodgy by default, maybe there'll even be a jazz band (After Hours on MSNBC, anyone?) Do we still need fact before opinion? Absolutely. But the American people are smart enough to receive and process these facts with a bit of levity thrown in the mix, and I'm excited to see where this will lead.

I sure trust him more than I do Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity or any of those other nitwits! And HE'S funny to boot!

Annie