By the late 1990s, Talk TV had not only survived a murder trial but was now reaching new levels of sensationalism. Driven by viewers' insatiable appetite for sex, violence and conflict, many shows lowered the bar, with "The Jerry Springer Show" leading the race to the bottom. The show's snowballing popularity sends shockwaves through the entire genre, forcing producers to escalate even further to keep audiences hooked. How will rival programs adapt to survive in this unprecedented new landscape?
