Most-Informed Americans watch The Colbert Report

[XanBcoo]

NEW YORK A new survey of 1,502 adults released Sunday by Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found that despite the mass appeal of the Internet and cable news since a previous poll in 1989, Americans' knowledge of national affairs has slipped a little. For example, only 69% know that Dick Cheney is vice president, while 74% could identify Dan Quayle in that post in 1989.

Other details are equally eye-opening. Pew judged the levels of knowledgeability (correct answers) among those surveyed and found that those who scored the highest were regular watchers of Comedy Central's The Daily Show and Colbert Report. They tied with regular readers of major newspapers in the top spot -- with 54% of them getting 2 out of 3 questions correct. Watchers of the Lehrer News Hour on PBS followed just behind.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003571876

Pretty funny, but I'm not surprised. the humor in both The Daily Show and the Colbert Report is completely aimed towards politically informed senses.

The thing about Fox news also made me laugh.

[Inazuma]

Steven Colbert is what people need in america together with Chris Rock.
But that's just my P.o.v.

[Honoko]

And yet, O'Reilly Factor ranks #4:
Link (http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/16/daily-show-fox-knowledge/)

Go figure.

[Assassin]

for a survey thats suposed to find how knowledgable americans are, shouln't they have taken more then 1500 people? i mean, 1500 out ot 300 million....pretty tiny sample population.

Still, pretty intresting results. I can't wait to see colbert's reaction to this :D. I can see the ceiling balloon drop already.

I find it odd though that 30% didn't know who dick cheney was. You'd think shooting a guy in the face would make you a household name.

[Carnage]

I thought America had 198 million people?

[Assassin]

you thought wrong.

2006 2000 1990

Population 299,398,484 || 281,421,906 || 248,709,873

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006 Population Estimates, Census 2000, 1990 Census

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_submenuId=population_0&_sse=on

[DB_Hunter]

I find it odd though that 30% didn't know who dick cheney was. You'd think shooting a guy in the face would make you a household name.

I don't... if you happen to live in a place where you are competing with a guy who shot dozens to death then one is small fry, especially if he didn't die.

But yea, people are a bit thick in the UK as well. I can't remember the stats, but a few years ago they did a survey and a a significant part of the population didn't know who Tony Blair was.

[Lucifus]

I know more than most of the people I know combined from the Colbert Report........
Its kinda sad.

[master_me]

I'm one of those people who watches both shows :)
Of course, I know for a fact that if you interviewed 1500 people in my town, at least 99% of even the dumber ones could answer those questions correctly. They were probably interviewing people in local bars.


But yea, people are a bit thick in the UK as well. I can't remember the stats, but a few years ago they did a survey and a a significant part of the population didn't know who Tony Blair was.
Wow, I'm from the US and I know who Tony Blair is. That's mildly funny.