This is Hidden Brain, I'm Shankar Vedanta.

When Aiton Hirsch was growing up, newspapers were a central part of the family's daily routine.

My parents raised me and my siblings in a politically engaged environment.

At least I thought so. You know, we always were.

We knew what was going on in the news. The newspaper was delivered to our home.

After Aiton went off to college, his father kept reading, listening to the radio,

staying up to speed. And then a few years ago, Aiton learned that his dad

had developed a new habit. He would lie on his bed at night and watch cable news.

Aiton, now a political scientist, found this puzzling.

I've never really gotten into cable news. It's never been something I've enjoyed.

I asked him why I was doing it. He said, you know, it's our duty to be informed.

And I said, you've already already aren't informed.

You know, you've already read the newspaper. You've already listened to all the radio.

Well, possibly more could you be getting from this?

I think in the end, it was pretty clear that he just likes politics. A lot of people like politics.

To decompress that night, you know, more than the food network, the Kardashians,

whatever else is on TV, he likes watching cable news.

Millions of Americans are like Aiton's dad. They eagerly follow television personalities

and the ups and downs of the latest scandal in Washington.

Nearly a month after the house passed two lanes of news from teachers and again.

To you who started Kim Kardashian, who was pleased to be the president.

Thanks for watching.

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