A recent study by Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, professor of communication, found that satirical news has an impact on the political attitudes of viewers. More specifically, the study found people with little interest in politics were more likely to select satirical news sources than serious ones. In addition, watching satirical news affected feelings of political efficacy, or their belief that they can influence the political process. 

"Satirical news matters," Knobloch-Westerwick said. "It's not just entertaining -- it has a real-life impact on viewers." 

The study involved 146 college students and aimed to measure the impact of shows like The Daily Show, which uses comedy and satire to examine the political news of the day. Graduate student, Simon Lavis, conducted the study with Knobloch-Westerwick and their findings are published online in the Journal of Communication.