The TV Talk Show

A TV talk show is a program that involves one or more guests and a

moderator, and the guests, who have knowledge or experience related to
the topic, are the main attraction. The guests may be expert on water
management, weather conditions, business or political and social
activities, representatives of government or international institutions.

What kinds of guests does a TV talk show

include?
The choice of guests on a talk show is very important. The success or
failure of any talk show depends very much on that choice, the guests’
qualifications and their interactions.

A guest should have expert knowledge or interesting experiences related

to the topic under discussion – they should also present well on screen.
There is always the danger that talk show guests will only push their
own agenda during the talk show (for example, politicians, business
owners) and the careful choice of guests can mitigate this.

When there is more than one guest it is also important to ensure that the
guests hold differing viewpoints. While all the guests should be given
equal time to speak, this means that rather than simply agreeing with one
another, they will challenge one another and encourage debate. This
makes the talk show dynamic and adds dramatic tension.

What is the difference between a TV talk show

and a TV interview?
A talk show is longer than an interview and has a different format. An
interview has a more tightly controlled format while in a talk show
guests are more free to say what they wish. Guests can make statements,
tell personal stories and assess situations.

A talk show also includes more chances for follow-up questions.

To illustrate the topic and the relevant problem short video clips can be
displayed during the talk show.

The host or moderator shows their personality but tries to remain

relatively neutral, simply allowing the guests to speak in turn.

The goal is a lively discussion among the guests.

How is a TV talk show constructed?

A TV talk show is much longer than a TV interview. The length of the
talk show depends on how many guests are involved and the format. It
can be as long as 90 minutes or as short as 15 minutes. A longer 90-
minute talk show usually involves at least three guests.
A talk show begins with a lead-in by the moderator or presenter, who
introduces the topic and the guests (name and role or function) to
viewers. Guest introductions may include brief ad general information
about where they each stand on the issue under discussion.

The moderator keeps the talk show running smoothly with their
questions and keeps it going according to a pre-planned dramatic arc, as
much as possible.

Checklist
 Is the topic being discussed relevant and up-to-date?

 Is the topic meaningful and is it interesting enough to work as a

talk show topic?

 Does it have enough angles and aspects to keep people talking?

 Have the guests been carefully selected?

 Do they all have different viewpoints on the topic? And is the

moderator aware of where each guest stands?

 Is there a plan for the talk show? What are the questions that
will be asked to keep the talk show moving forward and to keep
it on track?

 Has the guests’ seating or positioning been considered? For

example, those with opposing viewpoints should sit opposite
one another.

 Are the clothes of the moderator suitable for the situation? The
presenter’s clothing should be “impartial” and adhere to the
widely accepted standards of professional or business clothing;
avoid brand-name clothes. Unusual or eye catching clothing
draws the viewer’s attention away from the topic.
 Soap opera
soap opera, broadcast dramatic serial program, so called in the United States
because most of its major sponsors for many years were manufacturers of soap and
detergents. The soap opera is characterized by a permanent cast of actors, a
continuing story, emphasis on dialogue instead of action, a slower-than-life pace,
and a consistently sentimental or melodramatic treatment.
The soap opera began in the early 1930s with 15-minute daytime radio episodes
and was inherited by television in the early 1950s and expanded to 30 minutes. By
the mid-1950s soap operas dominated late morning and early afternoon weekday
television programming as they had dominated a similar time frame in radio
programming during the previous decade.
From the 1930s to the 1950s the classical American soap opera was typically a
continuing play about a middle-class family living in a small town. Sin and
violence, always offstage, frequently affected the daily lives of the family
members, but good inevitably triumphed, or at least all wrongdoing was justly
punished. Most settings were indoors, usually in an immaculate home or office.
The reality of housework or business seldom intruded; conversation abounded with
intensity and only occasional humour.
By the 1970s the style and content of soap operas had undergone a revolution.
There was open discussion of such matters as abortion, drug abuse, wife abuse, and
sexually transmitted diseases. Characters of various racial and ethnic backgrounds
were introduced into a previously all-white, Anglo-Saxon population. The
traditional emphasis on romantic and marital problems remained, but promiscuous
behaviour, violence, and criminal activity came to be treated more directly. Some
of the programs expanded to 60 minutes, and a few even aired during prime-time
evening viewing hours.
India's first television drama was Hum Log (Hindi), which aired in 1984–85, and
concluded with 154 episodes. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (Hindi) (2000–
2008) was the first Indian TV drama to cross 1,000 episodes and concluded with
1,833 episodes. Char Divas Sasuche (Marathi) (2001–2013) was the first Indian
serial to cross 2,000 and 3,000 episodes, also entering in Limca Book of Records,
which concluded with 3,200 episodes.
 Reality shows
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly
unscripted real-life situations, often starring unknown people rather than
professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early
1990s with shows such as The Real World, then achieved prominence in the early
2000s with the success of the series Survivor, Idols, and Big Brother, all of which
became global franchises.[1] Reality television shows tend to be interspersed with
"confessionals", short interview segments in which cast members reflect on or
provide context for the events being depicted on-screen; this is most commonly
seen in American reality television. Competition-based reality shows typically
feature gradual elimination of participants, either by a panel of judges, by the
viewership of the show, or by the contestants themselves.
Documentaries, television news, sports television, talk shows, and traditional game
shows are generally not classified as reality television. Some genres of television
programming that predate the reality television boom have been retroactively
classified as reality television, including hidden camera shows, talent-search
shows, documentary series about ordinary people, high-concept game shows, home
improvement shows, and court shows featuring real-life cases.
Reality television has faced significant criticism since its rise in popularity. Critics
argue that reality television shows do not accurately reflect reality, in ways both
implicit (participants being placed in artificial situations), and deceptive
(misleading editing, participants being coached on behavior, storylines generated
ahead of time, scenes being staged). Some shows have been accused of rigging the
favorite or underdog to win. Other criticisms of reality television shows include
that they are intended to humiliate or exploit participants; that they make stars out
of untalented people unworthy of fame, infamous figures, or both; and that they
glamorize vulgarity.
Reality TV is a genre of television that presents unscripted events, or documents
actual events. In India, reality shows is a success since it allows the audience to be
the part of the show.
The reality show became popular in India with ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, anchored
by the legend Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. The list of Indian reality shows is vast
here’s a list of some Indian reality shows which became popular and successful in
India.
1. Indian Idol 2. Bigg Boss 3. Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) 4. Roadies 5. MTV
Splitsvilla 6. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 7. Dance India Dance