In an age when misinformation dominates news cycles and the weight of an evolving humanity feels heavier than ever, satirical news may seem like just another way for falsities and insensitivities to spread. Although this can be true, thoughtfully engaging in satirical news can also present covert tests of media literacy and unconventional cultural critiques, thus making it a valuable outlet in the modern political and social climate.
The Copyright Alliance defines the two mediums of parody and satire through the lens of fair use law: “... both parody and satire use humor as a tool to effectuate a message.” The article also distinguishes between the two; parody comments on or criticizes the work that is its subject while satire poses commentary and criticism about the world as a whole. Although there are many other ways to engage in cultural criticism without the use of humor, scholars indicate the addition of humor can help people not only stomach the news, but also be entertained by it.
A New York Times article titled “When Everything Is Heavy, a Touch of Humor Can Help” includes a quote from Naomi Bagdonas, a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business who advocates for leading with humor: “Levity is a mind-set. It’s looking for reasons to be delighted rather than disappointed in the world around you.” This balance of delight and disappointment is the precise line satirical media aims to walk.
An outlet like The Onion is intended to make light of difficult cultural events or phenomena. Those who find these shows of levity to be insensitive need only look deeper into the meta nature of the medium. For example, The Onion recently published a story titled “Middle East Conflict Intensifies As Blah Blah Blah, Etc. Etc.” This is an example of how the outlet emulates disreputable and insensitive news sources, ones that would genuinely publish a similar headline, and uses those sources as a punching bag in a self-referential critique of news itself.
Satirical news not only challenges consumers' conceptions of news and offers a lighter lens through which to view societal blunders, but it is also a valuable way for a person to practice their media literacy. If a social media user is scrolling on Instagram and comes across four posts from legitimate sources and one from a satirical page like ClickHole, they will be forced to pay attention to detail and practice fact checking in order to not fall victim to phony headlines, which happens a concerning amount. A report from ABC News documents several instances in the 21st century where news outlets cited The Onion as fact, including when People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, referenced Kim Jong-un as People’s Sexiest Man Alive on the basis of an Onion story.
This example points to a phenomenon where media consumers take any bolded headline accompanied by an official-looking photo at face value. The Onion’s social media presence and online interface gives the illusion of a completely reputable news source. While this solidifies its standing as one of the most on-the-nose satirical outlets in circulation, it evidently can cause even official agents of the press to fall for false headlines. Thus, it further emphasizes the importance of cross-checking each piece of news with additional sources.
Satirical media grants consumers the chance to engage in timely news with a refreshing breath of comedy, and it requires those consumers to practice intelligent media consumption if they want to understand the medium’s intentions. These exercises in media literacy are vitally important in today's media landscape and solidify satire as an invaluable device.
Sophia Rooksberry is a junior studying journalism. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Sophia know by tweeting her @sophiarooks_.
