Conversation Structure in Talk Show

Abstract

In Malaysia, the talk show is a popular television genre and has become an important place in television scheduling. A talk show that presents information about household matters is a favorite among women. Talk show Wanita Hari Ini does not only presents interesting and informative shows but also plays an important role in educating, influencing and entertaining audiences. Ordinary speech by the host and interviewees can attract the attention of the audience to keep up with the plan. Thus, this study was conducted to identify and discuss the structure of the conversation contained in the talk show Wanita Hari Ini. The data of the study is the chosen speech contained in the Asam Garam Rumah Tangga segment. The method of analysis of textual content by applying the Conversation Analysis Theory (Heritage, 1992) was applied in this study. The findings of the study show that the structure of the conversation in the talk show Wanita Hari Ini comprises the opening sequence, adjacency pair, insertion sequence, pre-sequence, preference sequence, dispreferred sequence, and closing sequence. In addition, research findings show that structured conversations create order and effectiveness in reaching the true purpose of a talk show. This study is thought to be of great use as a guide and reference to the cast for good conversation and understanding of what is being said.