DNN Study: All Issues
Divide Evenly After
Split-Screen Interviews
Digital News Network
January 5, 2010
A recent study showed that people sided 50/50 on any issue split-screen-debated on cable news.
"It's almost as if people are just visually-driven animals that believe anything they hear," said analyst Chuck Haeder.
The study, conducted by the Jones Research Institute, found that the subject didn't matter.
"Healthcare, global warming, immigration, bail-outs, abortion- people are stupid enough to think they're supposed to disagree on everything," said Haeder.
"I was listening to the president of NAMBLA defend his position," said Betty Finch, mother of three, "and I could kind of see his point."
According to Haeder, most cable-news viewers just believe
"And they appreciate the host not interrupting to say who's lying," said MSNBC's Chris Matthews.
These days, everything boils down to the polarizing political spectrum.
"We had to actually start putting the liberals on the left side and conservatives on the right," said Irene Paulus, a producer at CNN. "Before that, right-wingers complained we were trying to trick them."
Furthermore, cable news has often been accused of forcing a left/right spin on issues that didn't warrant partisanship.
"They told me, 'neo-cons are against church shootings, so you have to argue for them,'" said Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Eugene Robinson. "I was like, 'what the fuck?'"
Conversely, almost all on-air polls featuring leading questions found that 95% always agreed with the anchor.
"See, I told you I was right," said Fox News' Bill O'Reilly.
split-screen debates on channels like DNN, Fox News and MSNBC have lead to people assuming half the population would defend any indefensible position
