Short Reads

Jon Stewart is stepping down as host of The Daily Show after 16 years. During that time, the show has served not only as a source of media criticism, but also as a source of news in its own right. As Stewart’s tenure comes to an end, here are some key facts about how his program has made its imprint on journalism.

About seven-in-ten U.S. adults talk with others about politics at least a few times a month, but whom they talk with most often varies a great deal between men and women.

This first use of a nuclear weapon by any nation has long divided Americans and Japanese. Americans have consistently approved of this attack and have said it was justified. The Japanese have not. But opinions are changing: Americans are less and less supportive of their use of atomic weapons, and the Japanese are more and more opposed.

Minorities are still underrepresented at U.S. news organizations, especially when it comes to the places that would-be journalists traditionally try to break into the business: smaller local TV and newspaper outlets.

Overall, a majority of Americans support stricter limits on power plant emissions, but as with climate change, the views of Democrats differ markedly from those of Republicans.

The religious face of America is largely a Christian one, with roughly seven-in-ten Americans belonging to that faith. But some of the nation’s biggest metropolitan areas have a very different look.

The nation’s population is growing more racially and ethnically diverse – and so are many of its religious groups, both at the congregational level and among broader Christian traditions.

Only three Roman Catholics have ever run for president on a major party ticket, and all were Democrats. But that may be about to change. So far six Catholics (including some early favorites) are running for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

Those surveyed are generally disgruntled about the state of their economy, and many are also pessimistic about the financial prospects of the next generation.