Soft news programming: A pentadic analysis of Stephen Colbert and The Colbert Report

In the world of soft news programming, Stephen Colbert has created a niche for his use of satire and parody. His television program, The Colbert Report, has received many awards for its coverage of current events and journalism in America. This thesis provides a Pentadic analysis of The Colbert Report to identify how and why Colbert uses satire and parody on his show. Two segments of the program are discussed: “The Word”, and “Better Know A District.” I discuss the limitations of Colbert performance on his program and how his satirical work hinders his ability to advocate for specific change in the current political climate of America.