From Television to YouTube: The Evolution of Social Discourse in American Talk Shows. The Oprah Winfrey Show and Dr. Phil case.

This thesis focuses on the interpretative analysis of the reactions and interactions of the American audience concerning social issues. The research was conducted by considering a major format of American television, the talk show, comparing two main TV programs: The Oprah Winfrey Show and Dr. Phil. The analysis was carried out on a contemporary platform that directly competes with traditional television, namely YouTube. To better understand the context in which the research was conducted, the literature concerning today's media environment was first examined. Nowadays, we speak of communication that is no longer unidirectional, as in traditional television, but rather of an interactive and digital process in which public opinion is formed through various communication theories, such as Agenda Setting or Spiral of Silence, and other phenomena like Social TV and multiscreening. It is also important to consider how algorithmic personalization and content radicalization are intrinsic to this digital landscape and shape audience perspectives in turn. The objective of this thesis is to understand how the two selected television programs, once recontextualized on a digital platform, contribute to the formation of public opinion. Indeed, the main research question is as follows: How do audiences and public opinion react to and engage with the social and cultural issues addressed in American talk shows, and what role does YouTube play in the dissemination and polarization of these reactions? The research was mainly based on a qualitative analysis of the content and messages conveyed in the talk shows through the YouTube platform. A total of 60 videos were analyzed, with a total of 595 comments. For a more in-depth analysis, artificial intelligence tools were used, including Python. Following several hypotheses, primarily focused on comparing these two talk shows, results were drawn. The research confirmed the differences between the two programs: despite the fact that the topics covered by the formats are largely the same (as identified: family, violence, and mental health), it was possible to observe that the approach on social themes where completely different. It was discovered a generally more positive and engaging approach in The Oprah Winfrey Show, and a more critical and negative one in Dr. Phil. Consequently, the audience presented two different responses: Oprah Winfrey’s audience displayed a more empathetic and supportive attitude toward the topics, whereas Dr. Phil’s audience showed strong polarization, often focused on criticism without genuine engagement with the story presented. An illustrative example lies in the data showing that Oprah's audience was supportive in 46.64% of cases, whereas Dr. Phil’s audience was skeptical and offended in 58.92% of comments. YouTube's role appeared to be dual. On one hand, it helped disseminate social themes, especially aiding Oprah's audience in proactive listening, drawing inspiration from the topics and sharing personal stories. On the other hand, it is fair to acknowledge that this platform also has the power to shape the messages transmitted at its discretion. This is due to the comment section, where phenomena such as echo chambers, polarization, and filter bubbles are present and influence public opinion. Thanks to the research, and in conclusion, it was possible to assess how users do not limit themselves to a purely passive consumption of the content but contribute to the formation of an ongoing and dynamic discourse between the audience itself and the content presented. YouTube is capable of both amplifying the social message and the interpretative tensions. In light of this, talk shows reproduced in the digital environment can simultaneously act as representations and negotiations of social issues.