As Satire and Entertainment Sites Embrace Journalism amid Media Landscape Shifts, so too Must Government (Opinion)

The evolving media landscape is seeing a significant transformation, with traditional news outlets consolidating and local news coverage dwindling. This shift has created what are known as “news deserts,” areas lacking comprehensive local reporting. In response, some outlets that began as satire or entertainment platforms, including this one, are stepping in to fill this void by engaging in serious journalism. But this shift has sometimes created confusion at local governments. Recently, a Montgomery County based media outlet, the Montgonion, has started covering serious news topics to help fill the reporting gap, but are encountering government roadblocks with Montgomery County Government due to their previous satire-only affiliation.

The traditional model of media buying, which once involved purchasing advertising space across various platforms like newspapers and broadcast television, has appeared to have fundamentally changed. Today, this often translates to the acquisition of entire news outlets. Companies like Gannett, for instance, have been actively purchasing local newspapers, subsequently reducing staff and producing content that mirrors national publications like USA Today, with only minimal local elements. This consolidation leads not only to a scarcity of local news but also to a uniformity in reporting across the country, diminishing the diversity of perspectives available to the public.

Radio Free Hub City, for example, began as an entertainment-focused website but later expanded its scope to include local news to address the growing information gap. Our site has also integrated The Hagerstown Report, a satirical publication previously focused on Hagerstown and Washington County and responsible for continuous rumors that Hagerstown City Park contains an alligator. This pivot reflects a broader trend observed in media organizations like BuzzFeed, which have demonstrated the capacity for sites to change their focus and begin producing legitimate journalism.

Another notable instance is The Babylon Bee, which operates two distinct websites: one for satire and another, Not The Bee, for straightforward reporting. The close association between these platforms highlights how satire and entertainment-focused brands can extend into news reporting. More recently, “The Montgonion,” a publication serving Montgomery County, has also begun to produce serious journalistic content. However, this transition has reportedly led to challenges in accessing county government information, stemming from its previous classification primarily as a satire outlet. Montgomery County’s definitions regarding news media, are below.

Member of the News Media. An individual who works for a news organization who gathers and reports the news, by publishing, broadcasting, or cablecasting articles, commentaries, books, photographs, video, film, or audio by electronic, print, or digital media such as radio, television, newspapers, magazines, wire, books, and the Internet, based on journalistic ethics and guidelines.

News Organization. An entity that gathers and reports the news by publishing, broadcasting, or cablecasting articles, commentaries, books, photographs, video, film, or audio by electronic, print, or digital media such as radio, television, newspapers, magazines, wire, books, and the Internet, based on journalistic ethics and guidelines.

Journalistic Ethics and Guidelines. Commonly taught principles in journalism education and standards in the field of journalism as published by the American Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.

Council President Media Availability. A specified time and forum designated at the discretion of the Council President for purposes of addressing members of the news media be it in person or by other means such as by virtual means or telephone conference.

Policy. The Council President schedules Council media availability events as needed. Access to these events is for members of the news media, representatives presenting information at the request of the Council president and Montgomery County communications staff.

Access to media availabilities may also be granted to freelance journalists who request access in writing to the Council’s communications staff at least 24 hours prior to the media availability, follow journalistic ethics and guidelines, provide examples of published work that follow these standards, and are not engaged in advocacy or lobbying before any branch of the Montgomery County Government, the State of Maryland, Congress or any federal government department.

Montgomery County email to Montgonion, Jan 27, 2025

The publisher of The Montgonion, Glenn Fellman, has challenged Montgomery County’s decision to deny the publication access to official press availabilities, specifically the Council President. The county’s stance appears to be based on the assertion that The Montgonion’s inclusion of satire disqualifies it as a legitimate news outlet and that the county can subjectively determine which entities qualify as “members of the news media.” Satirical content has a long-standing place in journalism, and its presence does not invalidate an outlet’s non-satirical reporting. Governments cannot impose content-based restrictions on press access to public information.

The Montgonion asserts that it now publishes clearly labeled non-satirical news articles with transparent bylines and has provided evidence of its reporting influencing governmental actions. The publisher has also highlighted to Montgomery County his own 25 years of professional publishing experience, arguing that arbitrary exclusion is discriminatory and unreasonable. And while the County Government did offer Fellman an interview with the County Council President, that’s still not quite the same as the access being offered to other news media outlets.

Fellman is formally requesting that the County Council reconsider its exclusion of The Montgonion, provide written reasons for any future denials based on content-neutral grounds, and affirm in writing that satire or activism within a publication’s output does not disqualify it from press access. He has also indicated a willingness to pursue legal avenues to uphold press freedoms if the county does not alter its position, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. I am not a constitutional scholar, nor do I play one on TV, but I imagine there is a very strong case to be made that any outlet which provides at least some serious reporting should be granted appropriate access – after all, if Tim Pool can get access to White House Press Briefings, then a local site at least partially dedicated to local news should at least able to get press access to the Montgomery County Council President’s press briefings. But ignore the legal aspects for a minute here, and ask what is the best for Montgomery County residents? Doesn’t it greatly benefit the residents by enabling another local news outlet the access it needs in order to properly report on local happenings?

While Fellman struggles in getting equal access for news media, at least he hasn’t been criminally charged for satire, as the Takoma Torch’s creator Eric Saul faced. Fortunately that criminal complaint was dropped, but it does illustrate the impact satire can have in shaping public discourse. And then of course there is Shaun Porter, who is being sued for $10 million by Washington County Commissioner John Barr, due to a satire/parody sign. Satire may not be considered traditional journalism, but it can be equally or even more impactful. And as long as satire and non-satire are clearly delineated as The Montgoinion and many other sites do, then satire should be treated no differently than opinion articles, which are extremely commonplace among all news media outlets nationwide.

But there’s also a deeper story here, in that not only are satire and entertainment sites working to fill the news gap, but more Americans are now turning to satire and entertainment sites for their news. While this might sound counter-productive, Columbia University has a fascinating study published called “Satire as Journalism: The Daily Show and American Politics at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century”. The study argues that Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” fundamentally altered the landscape of political news and public engagement in the early 21st century by effectively blending satire with journalism. The study, submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, posits that Stewart’s program provided a vital alternative for citizens disillusioned with traditional media and political institutions, fostering a sense of community and offering a critical perspective often missing from mainstream news.

The research, conducted by Joe Hale Cutbirth, who has fifteen years of experience as a daily newspaper reporter, political writer, and press secretary, delves into the audience’s demand for Stewart’s unique brand of “fake news.” By examining data from surveys and conducting ethnographic research, including interviews with comedians and writers involved with “The Daily Show,” “The Colbert Report,” and “Tough Crowd,” the study suggests that Stewart’s audience views him not merely as an entertainer but as a trusted voice holding power accountable. This perspective challenges the notion that viewers are isolated individuals seeking entertainment, instead proposing they are part of a collective seeking to connect with like-minded individuals and find a voice that mirrors their concerns and values.

A significant portion of the research focuses on how “The Daily Show” dissects the practices of mainstream media, often exposing what the dissertation calls the “aloofness” and “feigned voice of God” of traditional anchors. Stewart’s use of actual news footage juxtaposed with comedic commentary, the study argues, allows viewers to see inaccuracies and absurdities that might otherwise go unchallenged. This approach, combined with a willingness to offer opinion and interpretation, has led many to consider Stewart a new kind of journalist, despite his own claims to the contrary.

Ultimately, the dissertation positions that Jon Stewart and similar satirists have not merely disrupted the lines between news and entertainment but have tapped into a deep-seated public demand for authenticity, critical inquiry, and a more direct connection to political and social issues. This shift, the study concludes, has profound implications for the future of journalism and its traditional role in a participatory democracy, suggesting that audiences are actively seeking out and shaping their own narratives in response to what they perceive as failures in established institutions.

It’s also important to note that satire as a means of relaying important information to the public is not new, simply being more widely adopted. Benjamin Franklin mastered the use of satire to inform the public beautifully, as illustrated by multiple satirical columns published by one of the founding fathers of our great nation. As an avid American history lover, Franklin was in fact one of my inspirations for The Hagerstown Report’s brand of satire.

Clearly, there is a broader tension between traditional journalistic standards and the emerging forms of media that are responding to the decline of local news coverage and traditional journalism. There will always be traditionalists who refuse to budge on this issue, but it is critical that government begin accepting this radical shift in news consumption habits. No-one understands this struggle more than myself – having been well known for The Hagerstown Report’s satire, at first many did not take me seriously when I said Radio Free Hub City was going to start doing local journalism. However, now that we have established ourselves, we have excellent working relationships with many local governments and routinely report not only local news, but even regional and national news.

I hope that Montgomery County, and local governments across the country, will embrace this shift and begin to allow more non-traditional outlets news media access, as long as the intention of these outlets is to provide serious news content and not just satire and entertainment. The ability to keep the public well informed of current issues depends upon it, and the continuing shift in consumer habits justifies it.

Opinion article by Ken Buckler, President of Radio Free Hub City. All opinions are his own, and do not reflect those of our clients or staff.

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