Discuss the appeal of television chat shows by reviewing and comparing two you have watched.

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Kelly Loughran 11G

Discuss the appeal of television chat shows by reviewing and comparing two you have watched.

Chat shows are a very popular and successful modern day television programme. Why? It is probably because as humans we are naturally nosey and curious about the lifestyles of others, especially those of the rich and famous. It is this common characteristic that makes the neighbours peep through the curtains to see what the Jones' are up to next, the reason that village gossip spreads so quickly and the cause of the growing number of reality television programmes. Whether we admit or not, many have a fascination with those in the public eye. We want to know about their secret to success, the skeletons in their closet and if they really are human like the rest of us. When this curiosity is applied to heroes, idols and people that others look up to and want to be like, that is when the appeal of chat shows is brought to life. Chat shows are the ultimate way of finding out the truth about celebrities not from badly taken paparazzi photos or twisted quotes in magazines but from the celebrity themself.

Chat shows are not just popular with the public but also with the celebrities. It is a great way of advertising themselves if they have a new film or book out for instance. Another example is if they have had a lot of bad press recently, maybe over a crime they have committed. The celebrity may appear on a popular chat show to win back the sympathy and popularity of the public.

Chat shows are sometimes confused with talk shows but are very different in the style they are run. Chat shows are interviews with celebrities and are considered more promotional television whereas talk shows are basically public counselling or discussions on topics and involve audience participation.

All chat shows share general similarities as the show is based around the interviews however as there is now great competition each show must have its own unique individuality. Some are run in the more conventional way of just the basic interview for example Parkinson, but others are shown in a more entertaining approach, for example The Kumars at No. 42 and this is due to their target audience. The target audience is who the programme is aimed at and huge factor when considering the target audience is a scheduling time. For example Graham Norton is on weekdays at 10 o’clock and this is a great scheduling time for his audience. It is a good time after the 9 o’clock watershed as Graham Norton attracts a young adult audience due to his adult humour and the guests he has on his show whereas Parkinson is on Saturday evening at around 10.30. This programme is probably aimed more towards older adults, as his style of interviewing is very traditional. Older adults are more likely to be in at this time and will want to watch something before they go to bed whereas a younger audience will watch more television on weekdays, as they will have work the next day.

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Parkinson is a very popular chat show and has been running for many years.

As Parkinson has been in show business for many years, he is now a celebrity himself and has made his fame through interviewing other famous people. We can tell this from the shows opening sequence and title, as when he had just begun his career the show’s title was “The Michael Parkinson Show” which helped introduce him to the public. Now the show is just called “Parkinson” and this conveys his fame as everyone knows who Madonna is just from her first name, Parkinson ...

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