It's no joke: IU study finds The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to be as substantive as network news

An academic study “analyzed coverage of the 2004 national political conventions and the first presidential debate by the [broadcast news] networks and [John] Stewart’s program,” and found them to be equally substantive, although “neither one is particularly substantive“ reflecting the fact that ”it’s a bottom-line… and ratings-driven“ industry and that ”[w]e live in an ‘infotainment’ society.”

The “findings should allay at least some of the concerns about the growing reliance on this non-traditional source of political information.”