TV shows watched by liberals and conservatives

A new survey reveals political partisans are divided when they reach for the TV remote, too. And not just between Fox News and MSNBC.

Larry the Cable Guy and Jon Stewart appear to split conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats as surely as President Barack Obama's health reform law.

Republicans prefer competitive reality TV and shows about hard work, while Democrats are looking for sarcastic humor and complex characters.

Some seem obvious: Democrats love the Daily Show with Jon Stewart for the biting criticisms of (often Republican) politicians and wry wit that the program dishes out from New York City.

Conservatives list Jon Stewart's program as one of their most hated for his sarcastic commentary and his pretentious media-watching.

Republicans, meanwhile, are drawn to Only in American with Larry the Cable Guy, a show featuring the self-styled plain-talking comedian and his adventures exploring everyday people doing strange jobs across the United States.

To liberals, Larry the Cable Guy is a caricature of a redneck, an anti-intellectual who plays the the lowest grade of humor. They rank his show among the worst on TV.

On the late-night lineup, Republican viewers love Jay Leno, while Democrats split their time between David Letterman, Craig Ferguson and Conan O'Brien.

This was the 2011 survey.

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The 2012 Survey by Experian Simmons rates the shows in these categories: Super Democrats (The Daily Show with Jon Steward), Ultra Conservatives (College Football on ESPN), Mild Republicans (Rules of Engagement), On The Fence Liberals (The Graham Norton Show), Green Traditionalists (Lizard Lick Towing).

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And according to Conservapedia:

The Worst Liberal TV Shows

The Greatest Conservative TV Shows (including Family Ties, The Office, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Cosby Show, Ozzie and Harriet, American Idol, Star Trek, The Waltons, The Lawrence Welk Show, Little House on the Praire, The Bob Newhart Show, Dick Van Dyke Show)