What explains the popularity of morning shows & talk shows

[Max]

I have always wondered why morning shows and trash talk shows are so popular. For morning shows such as Today and Good Morning America, how can any one viewer possibly watch for the full duration of the program. It's sad that such shows with mostly fluff (and very little hard news) are what is in demand today. The popularity of trash talk shows (such as Dr. Phil and Jerry Springer) is just as big of a mystery. I mean, wouldn't people get sick of shows dealing with such topics as "my former lover is a transvestite" after having seen such topics already having being dealt with for a dozen previous times. As bad as soap operas get, most of them have never sunk to such creative lows. That's why I cannot understand why soap's ratings are so much worse than morning shows and trash talk.

Does anybody here know why morning shows and trash talk shows are much more popular than soap operas, and why such shows are even so popular in and of themselves?

[JackPeyton]

i think as far as 4 hour news shows go... well, i dont think most people do sit there and watch all four hours. i think that so many people get up and getr eady and go to work at diff times and they just watch it while they are doing that.

as for talk shows and trash shows, you can watch it here and there and randomly.you dont have anything to fallow. nothing is invested. you dont have to watch, you can watch whenever you can or feel like it and i think a lot of people feel that there is so much going on on a soap they cant just hop in there and get cought up and know whats going on.