The New York Times today has a great story today about Jon Stewart.

What does it say about the quality of the mainstream media when Jon Stewart, who's running a fake news show on Comedy Central, can end up being just as credible (if not more credible) than mainstream media outlets?

I've heard random stats throughout the years about the number of people who get their daily dose of news from Jon Stewart.  I'd just shake my head and move on.  Then, when Tim Russert died it spurred some discussions around me about media quality.  I was surprised when people around me actually said Jon Stewart was a high quality source of information.

Honestly, I was shocked.  But, rather than dismiss the argument as crazy I decided to try it out for a while.  I don't get Comedy Central but all the episodes are available free at http://www.thedailyshow.com/  I started watching them a few times a week when working out.

Several weeks later, I have to admit that those people extolling the virtues of Jon Stewart have a point.  The New York Times writes:

"Most important, at a time when Fox, MSNBC and CNN routinely mix news and entertainment, larding their 24-hour schedules with bloviation fests and marathon coverage of sexual predators and dead celebrities, it’s been “The Daily Show” that has tenaciously tracked big, “super depressing” issues like the cherry-picking of prewar intelligence, the politicization of the Department of Justice and the efforts of the Bush White House to augment its executive power."

I cannot believe it has come to this.