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Talk TV: Tunings Into Trouble

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Talk TV: Tunings Into Trouble
Daytime talk shows are certainly controversial there are those who find some of these types of show informational and helpful. There are others who view these shows as pointless and inappropriate. Daily viewers turn on there television and are bombarded with images of sex, drugs, and violence on some of the talk shows. The essay "Talk TV: Tunings into Trouble," written by Jeanne Albronda Heaton and Nana Leigh Wilson is about TV talk shows that are influencing many people. In their essay "Talk TV: Tuning into Trouble," they describe how the old TV talk shows provided useful information but, now modern talk shows have crude and vulgar topics. Heaton and Wilson's main thesis is stated at the end of article where they state "Talk TV initially had great potential as vehicle for disseminating accurate information and as a forum for public debate, although it would be hard to know it from what currently remains. Because most of these talk shows have come to rely on sensational entertainment as the mean of increasing rating, their potential has been lost." Heaton and Wilson argue …show more content…
The "pioneering shows" shows were The Phil Donahue and The Oprah Winfrey. Oprah and Donahue shows were the most immaculate talk shows there is. It is unlikely that you will find guest on Oprah that have committed adultery or are part of a racist hate group. Instead, the shows focused on the improvement of society and individuals quality of life. Topics range from teaching your children responsibility, managing you work week, and entertaining interviews with celebrities. In paragraph four Heaton and Wilson states that "But those pioneering days are over." this is a transition sentence to signal the shift in their focus from pioneering shows to modern shows. Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like toxic waste being dumped on
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