In more than one case, the chase ended in a real suicide. Had former TV talk show host Phil Donahue had his way, TV viewers would now be watching real prison executions. No longer content with reading about the latest developments in sensational court trials, TV viewers have a channel devoted to transforming the real pursuit of justice into mass entertainment. Not content with providing TV viewers with totally unscripted peril, suffering and tragedy, the gurus behind daytime talk shows discovered that they could create circumstances that put people at risk of real reputational, emotional and physical harm. Despite nearly universal condemnation of the resulting verbal and physical abuse on daytime talk, the networks defended the shows on the grounds that they were just giving viewers what they wanted and that guests knew what they were getting into.
TV One can only wonder what lessons our nation's youth are learning from such near madness.
One can also only wonder how much good might have resulted had the talent, time and money necessary to produce such programming gone into telling the stories of people facing real life challenges. In some cases, viewers facing similar challenges might have been encouraged. In other cases, viewers might have been moved to extend a helping hand. Some of the greatest and most beneficial films and TV programs ever produced were based on the lives of real people and historical events. For example, most Americans enjoy watching athletic events.