First Advisor
Tanner Cooke
Date of Award
8-18-2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Communication Studies and University Honors
Department
Communication
Language
English
Subjects
Television comedies -- United States -- Influence, Public opinion, Television in politics, Television comedies -- Political aspects, Daily show (Television program), Colbert report (Television program)
DOI
10.15760/honors.1010
Abstract
This thesis examines the relationship between late-night comedy news shows and their audiences, in terms of how they impact public opinion, political attentiveness and civic engagement. It looks at how the genre of late night political comedy is not a monolith, and neither is its audiences, and addresses the different ways these two interact with one another. Through an in-depth literature review, this thesis finds that late night political comedy has the most impact on politically inattentive audiences who end up learning about politics inadvertently, and that the jokes featured on these shows actively primes these viewers to hold certain views on political candidates and systems. The research points to key communication and humor theories that help explain these findings.
Rights
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Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/35457
Recommended Citation
Olmstead, Molly J., "Late-Night Political Comedy's Impact on Audience Political Attentiveness, Public Opinion, and Civic Engagement" (2020). University Honors Theses. Paper 986.
https://doi.org/10.15760/honors.1010