News media and media consumption have experienced several shifts, but the newest trend resides in the growing popularity of serious/political comedy. This thesis presentation focuses on research of John Oliver's 'Last Week Tonight,' specifically focused on the findings from a survey of millennial students and their reactions to his program compared to two other news outlets. Through the research, the argument proposed is that Oliver's program can be a source for sharing real news that uses comedy as an effective tool to entice viewers' interests in complicated subject matter and allows for better retention of the reported topic. The presentation will also include review of the subsequent effects of this transition to 'infotainment' on journalism as a whole.
