British television satire

Satire is a regular feature of British television, both in fiction and topical comedy. Its contribution to contemporary culture and politics deserves to be taken seriously but it has attracted little academic interest. An exception is Wagg’s analysis of post-war British satirical comedy (1992) where he argues that satire has had a negative effect on political life by encouraging a cynical view of politics. This research discusses satire on contemporary British television, specifically topical news satire in the news quiz. Drawing on literary theory it seeks to illuminate how such satire works as a communicational form and what we might expect of it politically. Extracts are analysed of the news quiz Have I Got News For You? It is argued that topical news satire offers some examples of the traditional version of satire as a moral and pedagogic form identifying vices and urging their correction but it is found to be more likely to involve less conclusive features such as (following Griffin 1994) inquiry, provocation, play and display and to be dedicated to pleasure as much as moral and political persuasion. Whilst contemporary tv satire provides plenty of evidence to support the claim that it abuses politics in general and encourages cynicism, it can equally be argued that it is part of an established tradition of public complaint and mockery which is useful to a healthy democracy.