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News Research Guide

Headlines don't sell newspapers, newsies do!

What is Satirical News?

Satire is an “artistic form, chiefly literary and dramatic, in which human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, parody, caricature, or other methods, sometimes with an intent to inspire social reform (Britannica, 2019).”

Satirical or parody news uses humor, exaggeration, and other methods in its delivery of news stories – both real and contrived. Some articles are clearly examples of satire like the Onion’s article, “Report: If Earth Continues to Warm at Current Rate Moon will be Mostly Underwater by 2400.” Other articles, however, may be harder to readers to tell.

Examples

Satirical/Parody News Sites

Satirical/Parody News Shows