It seems like every day there is a new article published on how corrupt and technologically dependent the millennial generation is. There is a noticeable absence of articles about what society is going to do about it. It is true that today some teenagers and young adults are so caught up in social media, romantic comedies, and video games that they don’t even know "what an ISIS is" or “what Russia’s deal is.” But how about rather than beating a dead horse, someone does something about it?
Newspapers are on their way to becoming the record players of this generation, which is why innovative new ways of communicating current events are needed. Ironically, people are beginning to find valuable information from an unlikely source: Comedy Central.
Shows such as “The Daily Show” and “Drunk History” have taken an interesting approach in conveying important information through innovative methods that have adapted to this generation’s interests.
Today, major news sources are commonly discredited for their lack of impartiality. And no, this is not just referring to Fox. So, what is it that Comedy Central is doing differently? Is it the limited censorship? The comedic tone? Whatever it is, it’s working. The straightforward and modern approach that these shows take is the type of news source this generation needs.
For instance, take a look at the nude photo leak fiasco that took place last week, spotlighting stars like Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton. One CBS interviewee disclosed, “We know that the data made it onto the phone, and the phone stored the photographs. What we don’t know is what happened next.”
This is truly groundbreaking.
This interview, along with a few others conducted by networks such as CNN and ABC, was featured on “The Daily Show” in an effort to mock the sometimes hollow nature of popular news stations. Jon Stewart followed this up with a statement of his own on the issue:
“These pictures weren’t shared. These are pictures of their private parts. They were password protected. That is even safer than peoples’ pants, where they keep their money, keys and actual privates.”Despite this statement being made in good humor, that is the type of insight that resonates with the millennial generation and is an admittedly good point.
“Drunk History” takes another approach. For those who are unfamiliar with it, the show consists of comedians drinking until they can no longer stand, and then narrating a historical event. As this is being done, famous stars, ranging from Courteney Cox to Will Ferrell, act out the narration. Despite the slurring and occasional pause to use the bathroom, the narration is easy to follow and relatively accurate. Episodes range from popular historical events, such as the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, to lesser-known events, such as Sybil Ludington, a 16-year-old girl who traveled 40 miles in the pouring rain to fend off a robber. This show spotlights some historical events that even most textbooks don’t cover and would otherwise go untold.
History and current events will always be important to society, but even more important is how they are conveyed. Society may not change quite as frequently as the news, but there does come a time that the news needs to be adjusted as such. At the end of the day, whether it’s Katie Couric on ABC, Jon Stewart on “The Daily Show” or an intoxicated comedian on “Drunk History,” news is news. Convey it anyway that works. The millennials will thank you.
Reach the columnist at ralynch3@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @ryguy916
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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