Editorials & Other Articles

Last edited Wed Jan 8, 2025, 12:46 PM - Edit history (1)

So was the late Morton Downey, Jr. Their sleazy shows were big in the 1980s, before Springer's national program. There was lots of criticism then.

Take a look at the November 14, 1988, issue of Newsweek featuring Geraldo Rivera on the cover, complete with the broken nose he received during the "skinhead" episode. Springer wasn't unique in the least.

Joe Pyne, Allen Berg, hell, Rush Limbaugh, whether on television or radio, appealed to the lowest common denominator. Springer didn't do anything that wasn't already done time and time again. Whether it involved public figures or just plain folks, this has gone on forever.

If you really want to look at lowest common denominator, go back to the 1950s with Strike It Rich or Queen for a Day, both of which exploited human misery for ratings and peddling prizes. They have never been surpassed.

The "lowest common denominator" is as old as television itself.