In the television show The Simpsons, Smartline is a parody of network television cultural affairs programs. The character Kent Brockman (voiced by Harry Shearer) hosts the show-within-the-show. While "Smartline" might be a parody of the NBC news show, Dateline, its clearest model is ABC's Nightline, as it features only the host and a single guest being questioned skeptically. There is also a satirical hint that Nightline takes its intellectual credentials too seriously. However, Smartline is also a parody of small market television stations that attempt to emulate serious journalism. Instead of having nationally known political leaders, Kent Brockman's "Smartline" will have Lisa Simpson or Professor Frink.

On The Simpsons, Smartline has been featured less often than Eye on Springfield, the entertainment tabloid show hosted by Kent Brockman.