Question 9

9) Find a “news” story from the Onion News Network, and compare it to a contemporary news story or clip from a “real” news source (a TV channel, newspaper, etc.). Discuss them both in terms of gatekeeping and agenda-setting functions, as well as the breakdown and reevaluation of discourse that Baym talks about in his article. Citing Baym will help (100-150 words).





The news story from the Onion News Network depicted a story about a new product created by Sony that is utterly frustrating and useless. This fake news story, compared to the actual News report about a cruise ship in trouble at sea uses humor to relate to its audience. Even while watching both I had to agree with Baym as my interest went more directly to the fake news story rather than listening to actual events. Baym noted that statistically after watching the Daily Show compared to a regular news report , “data further reveal that the audience is more educated, follows the news more regularly, and is more politically knowledgeable than the general population” (260).

In terms of gate-keeping the news report about Sony’s new product held very little back. It was pretty straight forward and allowed true feelings that many people were angry about to be released in the open. This is why people relate more to news reports that use humor because it relates more to people’s lives an actual feelings rather than being told only “half” truths, which is often what occurs on new stations who are biased. Of course the Onion News story is biased, but it is openly biased which differs from the agenda-setting that occurs on news stations like Fox. Fox only reports what they want us to see and believe. I found it interesting that during their news report on the cruise ship in trouble they significantly mentioned that everyone on board was American, it seemed out of place as if they were trying to say, you should care more now because they are “your” people. This is a form of agenda setting because they are determining what we think and should worry about.