Barstool Sports/ Satirical News Shows

By Myles Cohen

Barstool Biography● Barstool Sports was created by David Portnoy (El

Presidente)● Graduated from the University of Michigan in 1999● After graduating he started working for Yankee Group

which was based in Boston, Portnoy left after 4 years and started what is now Barstool Sports

● “It’s the stuff you don’t find anywhere else”

Satirical News Biography● Has been on TV since the 1960’s● It started in the UK with the show That Was the Week

That Was which aired in 1962● The American version was launched in 1964 but did not

have much success● Satirical News did not get popular in the US until the

1980s when SNL started the weekend update which was hosted by Chevy Chase starting in 1975

Target Audiences● “By the common man, for the common man” is one of Barstool’s mottos● The target audience of Barstool Sports is young men ranging from high

schoolers to men in their late 20’s● Everyone who reads Barstool consistently loves it and it is pretty much

every guy’s dream job.● Satirical News has no specific target audience● Anyone can watch it and enjoy a break from the traditional news● Typically the younger generation watches more than the older generation

but it’s not limited to them like Barstool is.● People have loved Satirical News since the beginning and still do love it

Chevy Chase: Weekend Update

https://screen.yahoo.com/weekend-chevy-chase-000000391.html

Cecily Strong: Weekend Update

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5bhYdr1gps

Evolution of Satirical News

● The Weekend update has not changed much● The Video Clips show that since the beginning

SNL has been making fun of politicians and the culture surrounding them.

● Shows like the Daily Show hosted by Jon Stewart have started to bring in actual politicians rather than having actors play them

Evolution of Barstool● Started as a 4 page newspaper that was given out for

free at T stations in Boston● Now it is a major franchise: clothing, cups, flags, and

pretty much everything you can think of they put their logo on

● They have expanded to have a website, podcasts, videos, and a mass following on social media

● Their willingness to change to fit what the people want is part of why they are so successful.

Barstool Merchandising

Impact of Satirical News● Research conducted by East Carolina University shows that people

think that they know politics better when they watch “The Daily Show” consistently, there is also a higher possibility that those same people would be in the highest percentile on a test on current events.

● surveys have shown that the majority of men and women under the age of 35 list "The Daily Show" as their primary source of television news.

● Overall people who watch these shows test higher in political knowledge than those who don’t.

Impact of Barstool Sports

● Major marketing brand now● Doing its job, revolutionizing culture around

obtaining sports info and general information● Has started to expand from just sports news● changing culture in general life

Works Cited● "Jon Stewart." The Daily Show. Comedy Central, n.d. Web. 10 June 2015.● Portnoy, David. "Barstool Sports." Barstool Sports. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2015.● "Saturday Night Live (TV, 1975)." Pop Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas. ABC-CLIO, 2015.

Web. 10 June 2015.

● "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (TV, 1990)." Pop Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas. ABC-CLIO, 2015. Web. 10 June 2015.

● Kakutani, Michiko. "Is Jon Stewart the Most Trusted Man in America?" The New York Times. The New York Times, 16 Aug. 2008. Web. 10 June 2015.

● Coulehan, Erin. "'SNL' Picks New Weekend Update Anchor." Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, 16 Sept. 2013. Web. 10 June 2015.