Matthew Phillips
According to a 2018 study from the Knight Foundation and Gallup poll, the American public's trust in the news media is in decline. While many suppose that this decline is in part caused by the Trump Administration's nonending criticisms of the media as "fake news" and "the enemy of the people," data supporting this theory is inconclusive.
However, the fact remains that the news media has an image problem. Part of this problem stems from how devoid of humanity journalists may sometimes seem. This image problem is not new. Stigmas abound which characterize journalists as conniving, distant and focused on the story first, often at the expense of the people involved.
There is ongoing debate in the world of journalist as to whether or not we should be reporters or humans first. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer, as each instance is different. While the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics offers some guidelines, ultimately it is up to the discretion of reporters and editors as to how they should proceed. This has led to mistakes in the past, which could in part explain journalists' perceived lack of humanity.
Enter John Oliver and HBO's "Last Week Tonight."
Really? Yes, really.
Increasingly, many young people between 18-30 are turning to "Last Week Tonight" as a viable news source, despite Oliver's insistence that he is not a journalist.
For over five years, Oliver's weekly program has focused on a variety of important yest seemingly mundane topics, which Oliver simplifies into easily digestible segments.
Notably, "Last Week Tonight" has tackled abortion laws, infrastructure, gerrymandering, net neutrality and civil forfeiture, among numerous other often difficult to understand topics. Each episode is informative, yet Oliver knows when to lighten the mood with a joke or take a needed aside about another topic before getting back to the point at hand.
During the show's six season run, Oliver has also conducted a number of interviews with key figures, including most recently Monica Lewinsky in an episode about public shaming, Anita Hill in an episode about workplace harassment, and former NSA employee Edward Snowden for an episode about government surveillance.
However, Oliver's greatest strength is in his openness about his his beliefs and biases. While most television news anchors maintain a neutral tone when reporting on difficult topics, Oliver is unafraid to call out individuals, organizations and policies for their unethical practices and to wear his emotions openly. This openness can seem like Oliver is "telling it like it really is," a compelling sentiment among his key audience of young democratic progressives.
In crafting a message for a younger audience, Oliver often features guest stars who serve to drive a point home, often through elaborate gimmick or audience call to action.
In a recent episode about the unethical dealings of pharmaceutical mogul Richard Sackler, Oliver brought on actors such as Michael Keaton and Bryan Cranston to read excerpts of Sackler's testimony from a 2015 deposition. All of those clips can be found here.
Through his own expressions of emotion, Oliver inspires his audience to action, with each episode typically ending with some call-to-action, either through a witty hashtag for his followers to use, or more specific directions.
Overall, "Last Week Tonight" is fun. Oliver isn't afraid to be silly or embark on shenanigans to make a point. The following clip is now years old, but still captures the essence of why so many people regularly tune in:
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