MEDIA SOURCE TELEVISION TALK SHOWS -- From "Oprah" to "Jerry Springer," talk shows dominate daytime television and shape popular culture. UC Davis sociology assistant professor Laura Grindstaff has gone "behind the scenes" on two such programs and now is writing a book. She has written about the daytime talk phenomenon, including essays in the book "Media Scandals" (1997) and "Talk, Talk, Talk: The Cultural Life of Everyday Conversation," (forthcoming fall 2000). Grindstaff also researches gender, sex and race in popular culture. Contact: Laura Grindstaff, Sociology, (530) 752-1580, lagrindstaff@ucdavis.edu.