m ute ▁the ▁text ▁and ▁voice ▁chat ▁ability ▁of ▁guests ▁in ▁the ▁show . ▁It ▁allows ▁guests ▁to ▁listen ▁to ▁the ▁show ▁in ▁streaming ▁audio ▁if ▁they ▁have ▁not ▁ph oned ▁in ▁( the ▁stream ▁is ▁automatically ▁m uted ▁when ▁the ▁software ▁sens es ▁a ▁voice ▁connection ▁from ▁the ▁same ▁user ), ▁or ▁to ▁set ▁a ▁flag ▁indicating ▁they ▁wish ▁to ▁be ▁un m uted ▁( that ▁is , ▁allowed ▁to ▁speak ▁" on ▁the ▁air ") ▁if ▁they ▁have ▁ph oned ▁in . ▁It ▁allows ▁both ▁host ▁and ▁guests ▁to ▁chat ▁via ▁text - message ▁to ▁each ▁other , ▁and ▁to ▁see ▁who ▁is ▁currently ▁and ▁no ▁longer ▁connected ▁to ▁the ▁show . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁T alk S ho e ▁was ▁launched ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁by ▁Dave ▁N elsen , ▁a ▁former ▁employee ▁of ▁the ▁FO RE ▁Systems ▁tele communic ation ▁company . ▁Early ▁talk cast s ▁were ▁by ▁local ▁Pitts burgh ▁personal ities , ▁including ▁radio ▁talk show ▁hosts ▁who ▁sim ul cast ▁via ▁T alk S ho e ▁as ▁another ▁method ▁of ▁broadcast ing ▁their ▁show ▁and ▁taking ▁call - ins . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁talk show ▁hosts ▁Am ber ▁Mac Ar thur ▁and ▁Leo ▁Lap orte ▁decided ▁to ▁start ▁hosting ▁their ▁Net @ N ite ▁show ▁via ▁T alk S ho e . ▁The ▁large ▁increase ▁in ▁traffic ▁to ▁T alk S ho e , ▁both ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁guests ▁into ▁the ▁Net @ N ite ▁show ▁and