The news cycle is tumultuous. News satirists aim to deliver the laughs people ‘need so badly’ [Video]

Given a federal election campaign, whiplash over tariffs, a mercurial leader to the south, plus a steady stream of everything else going on in the world, satirists think humour can be the balm we need.

Today’s tumultuous news cycle is proving to be prime source material for satirical news outlets, but unlike their predecessors, they also face a thorny challenge: distinguishing their comedic “fake news” from nefarious misinformation and disinformation.

In dark or difficult times, satirists have to “meet the moment” they’re in, says Luke Gordon Field, editor in chief of Canadian satirical outlet the Beaverton.

“The fact that every day we kind of live in this chaos bubble of, ‘What’s going to happen? What’s [U.S. President Donald Trump] going to throw at us next?’ … You have to strive to do what the Onion did so beautifully after 9/11, which is give people that laugh that they need so …