Sure, he's funny.

Jon Stewart cracks jokes about everything from Mel Gibson's recent arrest to President Bush's unusual vernacular.

But is "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" as informative as the regular evening news?

The answer is "Yes," according to a study released last week.

The Indiana University study analyzed the show's coverage of the 2004 presidential election and compared it to traditional networks' evening news.

"Neither one had very much substance," said Julia Fox, an assistant professor at Indiana University who conducted the study.

"The Daily Show" used comedy and mockery, while the networks mostly reported hype, such as polling statistics instead of real issues affecting voters, she said.

Fox said each program had about the same amount of informative content.

With midterm elections one month away and an already proven track record — "The Daily Show" won Peabody Awards in 2000 and 2004 for its political coverage — it's looking like the charismatic Stewart is shaping up to be Generation Y's Walter Cronkite.

Julia Schoolenberg and Jennifer Hall sure think so.

The best friends are both sophomores and fans of the show, as well as share the same major. But that's where their similarities end.

"We're so opposites," said Schoolenberg, a Spanish and political science and pre-law sophomore. "We agree to disagree."

Schoolenberg, who leans toward the left when she votes, takes a pro-choice stance on abortion and supports gay rights. Hall, an Atlanta, Ga., native, was raised a Southern Baptist and votes Republican.

Together, they sit down and watch "The Daily Show" a few times a week. As Stewart talks about different issues — from stem cell research to affirmative action — dialogue sparks between the two roommates.

But no fiery debates rage on, Hall said.

"We sit down and talk about what we think," said the psychology political science and pre-law sophomore. "It leads to other conversations."

Now, the study suggests more college students like Schoolenberg and Hall are essentially watching the news when they turn on Stewart's snarky parodies.

In 2004, 21 percent of people ages 18-30 said they watched "The Daily Show" to learn about presidential campaign news, a figure that doubled since the 2000 election.

Compared to "The Daily Show," 23 percent of that age group said they watched the major three networks' evening news for the same election coverage.

"I think the value of 'The Daily Show' is the fact they are getting political information," journalism Assistant Professor Kim Piper-Aiken said. "Even if it's satire, even if it's comedy."

Just like a political cartoon, "The Daily Show" might not be that informative, but it catches people's attention, said Piper-Aiken, who teaches broadcast news.

Still, she defended the regular evening news, saying networks often broadcast more in-depth news stories earlier in the campaign season. By the time November rolls around, they are unlikely to cover the same issue again.

In addition, time constraints make it difficult for the networks to cover important issues packed with details.

"You can't always do justice to any issue in two minutes," Piper-Aiken said.

However, many students shy away from the more uptight, traditional coverage and look to Comedy Central as their source of information.

"If you're in a lecture for class, and the professor is droning on and on, nobody pays attention," theater freshman Maren Fischer said.

But with "The Daily Show," Fischer gets international current affairs with a satirical twist, she said.

However, not everyone is as impressed with Stewart's wit.

Finance sophomore Junaid Mattu said "The Daily Show" has lost its political message now that it relies so heavily on humor. Before Bush was re-elected, the show was more informative regarding political issues, he said.

"Jon Stewart used to be at his all-time best," Mattu said. "He's drifted so much to sarcasm, he stopped making sense."

Instead, Mattu gets his news from CNN or online.

At any rate, other MSU students prefer "The Daily Show" because of the offbeat humor.

"It puts a good spin on the news," said accounting freshman Annie Aladjova, a fan of the show since she was in middle school, before Stewart took over as host in 1999.

Stewart talks about the struggling economy or the country's tense international relations — and makes it funny.

"He'll just make a joke about it," Aladjova said. "It helps to laugh about it."

But she doubted "The Daily Show" alone was enough for young people.

"That's better than nothing at all, but it shouldn't be a substitute," Aladjova said. "He'll exaggerate a situation to make it funny. You understand that if you watch the news."

Gabrielle Russon can be reached at russonga@msu.edu.