Talk shows are often identified by the host's name in the title, an indication of the importance of the host in the history of the television talk show.
Talk shows are indeed forums in which society tests out and comes to terms with the topics, issues and themes that define its basic values, what it means to be a "citizen," a participating member of that society.
The term "talk show" was a relatively late invention, coming into use in the mid-1960s, but shows based on various forms of spontaneous talk were a staple of broadcasting from its earliest days.