Watching talk shows is a way of associating yourself with a more extensive group of people. Talk show hosts try to interact with viewers in a friendly and intimate atmosphere. Conflict is an important strategy in entertainment. Talk show hosts choose guests with different opinions and experiences to create conflict and provide audience with new points of view. Talk shows are a space where people from the fringes of society (and sometimes even deviants!) can talk about their sex life, violence in their families and other themes that are taboo in society. 

Emotional moments are what talk shows seek. Such moments positively impact rating and proves that the story the guest is telling is authentic. Emotion also strengthens the guest’s reputation. Exposing themselves in front of the camera gives them the opportunity to talk to the public. For producers, a guest’s emotional stories are a way to make the show popular. 

The talk show genre was born is 20th century. The first important feature of a talk show is a host or group of hosts who are responsible for the content, direction tone and depth of the discussions being had. The hosts work like chief editors. From a marketing point of view, they sell the product. The second important identifier of a talk show is its real-time feel – regardless of whether the show is actually live or not. Talk shows are very structured and spontaneous at the same time. 

Television talk shows are divided into three groups: late night comedy talk shows; interactive day shows and morning magazine format shows. 

Steve Allen and Jack Paar created the “The Tonight Show”, which aired in the evening from 1954 until 1961. The show was based on funny interactions between the host and the guests. Late night shows became popular in 1950. Some examples include “Broadway Open House and The Tonight Show”. At the end of 1960s and beginning of 1970s interest in talk shows increased because of the dispute between the “Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson and his competitors. 

Late night shows combine funny interviews with celebrities and musical numbers. Jokes on talk shows free viewers from socio-cultural taboos because jokes are mostly response to the cultural environment. 

In 1967, Phil Donahue invented a new division of talk shows – day shows. These shows interacted with the audience. Donahue acted as the mediator between the guests and the audiences, which would jump into dialog with guests. At the end of 1980s and beginning of 1990s, focus of the talk show became entrainment, shows like “The Ricki Lake Show and The Jerry Springer Show” had comercial value. 

The first morning magazine format show “The Today Show with Dave Garroway” (1952–1959) was invented by Garroway himself. 

Using ratings from Nielsen, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” was the most watched late night show in total viewers for the 2020-2021 television season. It is American political satire, which premiered in 2015. Two important competitors for the show were “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has been airing on ABC since 2003. It is the oldest talk show on TV. “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” premiered on NBC in 2014. 

Similar talk shows are broadcast on Georgian TV channels. According to “Tri media intelligence” data for 2020-2022, the most popular late night talk show was “Ghamis Show Giorgi Gabuniastan Ertad” on “Imedi” channel. In 2022 (from 1 January till November), 96,000 viewers per minute watched the show. In second place with 84,000 viewers per minute was “Vanos Show” on “Mtavari Arkhi”. In 2021, “The Nika Arabidzis Show” switched channels from “Rustavi 2” to “Formula” which decreased its rating by approximately 70%. In 2022 (from 1 January till November), 19,000 people used the rewind function on late night shows (“Ghamis Show Giorgi Gabianstan Ertad”; “Vanos show”; “Nika Arabidzis show”; “Ghamis  Show  Noe Zhorzholianitaan ertad ”, “Ilo Beroshvilis Show”, Paata Guliashvilis Show) which increased the ratings by 35%. 

In 2020-2022, in day show ratings, the lead was “Imedis Dghe” on “Imedi” channel, with 37,000 viewers per minute. In 2022 (from 1 January till November), on second and third places were day shows of “Rustavi 2” and “Mtavari Arkhi”. 

In 2020-2022 “Imedi” channel took the leading position in morning shows, as well as on weekdays and on weekends. Second in the ratings was the morning show on “Mtavari Arkhi”.

Mixed-type talk shows featuring guests with differing opinions are popular on Georgian TV. ”Skhva Rakursi Gia Jajanidzestan ertad” (Imedi); “Prime show” (Imedi) and “Ghamis prime time” (Rustavi 2) are in this category. In 2020-2022, “Skhva Rakursi Gia Jajanidzestan ertad” was the most popular with 88,000 viewers per minute in 2022. In the same year (from 1 January till November), 22% of viewers used the rewind function on mixed type of talk shows. As a result, 13,000 more people watched the shows.