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Family Viewing Hour

December 18, 2023

The Family Viewing Hour was a policy established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States in 1975. Under the policy, each television network in the U.S. bore a responsibility to air "family-friendly" programming during the first hour of the prime-time lineup (8 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time). The policy was abandoned in 1977 following a 1976 ruling by a federal court that found it violative of the First Amendment. However, the concept has continued on a voluntary basis in various manifestations.

Background edit

In 1974, widespread public criticism had arisen regarding the amount of sex and violence depicted on American television.[1] One example that caused a particularly strong backlash was a lesbian rape scene during the 1974 NBC television film Born Innocent that was also briefly shown in daytime promotional spots. The scene was blamed for the real-life rape of a young girl, which led to a case before the California Supreme Court.

In January 1975, FCC chairman Richard E. Wiley addressed the Senate and House Communications and Commerce Subcommittees, stating that all three networks had agreed to adopt a "family viewing hour" in response to the criticism. The National Association of Broadcasters advanced the gesture one step further, decreeing that local stations also air family-friendly programming in the 7 p.m. time slot during which the networks were forbidden from programming under the Prime Time Access Rule.[2]

CBS president Arthur R. Taylor wished to adopt the measure but would only agree if NBC and ABC consented, citing a possible decline in ratings if CBS were the only network to try the new policy (the network had been #1 in U.S. households since the mid-1950s). By the end of 1974, each network executive agreed to endorse the Family Viewing Hour, and to implement it by the fall 1975 season.[1]

Many television series were affected by the Family Viewing Hour mandate. All in the Family, which had been the runaway top-rated show in the U.S. since 1971, was moved to 9 p.m. on Mondays after five seasons leading the Saturday night lineup. Producer Norman Lear, citing an infringement on creative freedom and his First Amendment rights, mounted a lawsuit. With the support of varying guilds, including that of the WGA, he won the case.[1] The show's cast responded by recording a satirical, unaired rendition of the show's theme song retitled "These Are the Days".

On November 4, 1976, United States district court Judge Warren J. Ferguson declared the Family Viewing Hour unconstitutional.[3] Ferguson stated while the idea had merits, the FCC had overstepped its bounds by privately lobbying the three major networks to adopt the policy instead of holding public hearings on the matter. The decree issued by the National Association of Broadcasters in 1975 was also overturned, ruling that the NAB had done so under duress. The ruling allowed stations the freedom to program their pre-prime-time slots.[1][4]

Modern usage edit

After the Family Viewing Hour was declared unconstitutional, the networks voluntarily continued to offer family-friendly programs such as The Cosby Show and Happy Days in the early prime-time hours.[5] In 1989, Michigan housewife Terry Rakolta started a public letter-writing campaign to persuade advertisers to stop sponsoring the Fox network sitcom Married... with Children after watching the episode "Her Cups Runneth Over" with her three young children. Consequently, two companies completely withdrew sponsorship from the show, while others, including the Coca-Cola Company, reduced sponsorship.[6] Beginning with the 2000–2001 season, ABC stopped showing commercials for R-rated films during the first hour of primetime.[7] In 2003, FCC commissioner Kevin Martin expressed a desire to resurrect the Family Hour.[8]

In 2001, the Parents Television Council (PTC) issued a report titled The Sour Family Hour and campaigned for the FCC to reinstate the Family Hour on a voluntary basis.[9] The PTC has issued numerous subsequent reports claiming that the first prime-time hour of 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. in Central and Mountain Time Zones) has grown increasingly unsuitable for family viewing.[5][9][10]

Bernard Goldberg and Zell Miller have used the term "family hour" in their books to describe the early prime-time hours.[11]

The advent of streaming television has rendered the concept of a strictly defined "family hour" difficult to enforce, given that the technology provides consumers with the ability to view adult-themed programming (including sexual content, violence and language to a degree that far exceeds that of broadcast television) at any time of the day.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Brown, James A. . Museum of Broadcast Communications. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  2. ^ . Congressional Record. Vol. 121, no. 168. November 12, 1975. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved December 29, 2005.
  3. ^ Formicola, Jo Renee; Segers, Mary C.; Weber, Paul J. (2003). Faith-based Initiatives and the Bush Administration: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 154. ISBN 0742523055.
  4. ^ "Judge says networks, NAB, FCC all acted illegally on family viewing" (PDF), Broadcasting, vol. 91, no. 19, pp. 20–23, November 8, 1976, retrieved December 25, 2019 – via AmericanRadioHistory.com
  5. ^ a b Johnson, Thomas; et al. (May 8, 1997). . Parents Television Council. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
  6. ^ Lane, Frederick S. (2006). The Decency Wars: The Campaign to Cleanse American Culture. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books. pp. 157–159. ISBN 1-59102-427-7.
  7. ^ Carter, Bill (September 13, 2000). "Disney Bans R-Rated Movie Ads Before 9 P.M. on ABC Network". The New York Times. Retrieved March 26, 2009.
  8. ^ Rutenberg, Jim (January 25, 2003). "Few Viewers Object as Unbleeped Bleep Words Spread on Network TV". The New York Times. Retrieved March 26, 2009.
  9. ^ a b . CNN. August 1, 2001. Archived from the original on September 30, 2004.
  10. ^ Gildemeister, Christopher; et al. (September 2, 2007). (PDF). Parents Television Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
  11. ^ Miller, Zell (2005). A Deficit of Decency. Macon, Georgia: Stroud & Hall. p. 221. ISBN 0-9745376-3-2. Retrieved December 12, 2007.

December 18, 2023
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This article needs to be updated The reason given is Very dated and needs better sourcing Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information February 2023 The Family Viewing Hour was a policy established by the Federal Communications Commission FCC in the United States in 1975 Under the policy each television network in the U S bore a responsibility to air family friendly programming during the first hour of the prime time lineup 8 to 9 p m Eastern Time The policy was abandoned in 1977 following a 1976 ruling by a federal court that found it violative of the First Amendment However the concept has continued on a voluntary basis in various manifestations Background editIn 1974 widespread public criticism had arisen regarding the amount of sex and violence depicted on American television 1 One example that caused a particularly strong backlash was a lesbian rape scene during the 1974 NBC television film Born Innocent that was also briefly shown in daytime promotional spots The scene was blamed for the real life rape of a young girl which led to a case before the California Supreme Court In January 1975 FCC chairman Richard E Wiley addressed the Senate and House Communications and Commerce Subcommittees stating that all three networks had agreed to adopt a family viewing hour in response to the criticism The National Association of Broadcasters advanced the gesture one step further decreeing that local stations also air family friendly programming in the 7 p m time slot during which the networks were forbidden from programming under the Prime Time Access Rule 2 CBS president Arthur R Taylor wished to adopt the measure but would only agree if NBC and ABC consented citing a possible decline in ratings if CBS were the only network to try the new policy the network had been 1 in U S households since the mid 1950s By the end of 1974 each network executive agreed to endorse the Family Viewing Hour and to implement it by the fall 1975 season 1 Many television series were affected by the Family Viewing Hour mandate All in the Family which had been the runaway top rated show in the U S since 1971 was moved to 9 p m on Mondays after five seasons leading the Saturday night lineup Producer Norman Lear citing an infringement on creative freedom and his First Amendment rights mounted a lawsuit With the support of varying guilds including that of the WGA he won the case 1 The show s cast responded by recording a satirical unaired rendition of the show s theme song retitled These Are the Days On November 4 1976 United States district court Judge Warren J Ferguson declared the Family Viewing Hour unconstitutional 3 Ferguson stated while the idea had merits the FCC had overstepped its bounds by privately lobbying the three major networks to adopt the policy instead of holding public hearings on the matter The decree issued by the National Association of Broadcasters in 1975 was also overturned ruling that the NAB had done so under duress The ruling allowed stations the freedom to program their pre prime time slots 1 4 Modern usage editAfter the Family Viewing Hour was declared unconstitutional the networks voluntarily continued to offer family friendly programs such as The Cosby Show and Happy Days in the early prime time hours 5 In 1989 Michigan housewife Terry Rakolta started a public letter writing campaign to persuade advertisers to stop sponsoring the Fox network sitcom Married with Children after watching the episode Her Cups Runneth Over with her three young children Consequently two companies completely withdrew sponsorship from the show while others including the Coca Cola Company reduced sponsorship 6 Beginning with the 2000 2001 season ABC stopped showing commercials for R rated films during the first hour of primetime 7 In 2003 FCC commissioner Kevin Martin expressed a desire to resurrect the Family Hour 8 In 2001 the Parents Television Council PTC issued a report titled The Sour Family Hour and campaigned for the FCC to reinstate the Family Hour on a voluntary basis 9 The PTC has issued numerous subsequent reports claiming that the first prime time hour of 8 00 p m 7 00 p m in Central and Mountain Time Zones has grown increasingly unsuitable for family viewing 5 9 10 Bernard Goldberg and Zell Miller have used the term family hour in their books to describe the early prime time hours 11 The advent of streaming television has rendered the concept of a strictly defined family hour difficult to enforce given that the technology provides consumers with the ability to view adult themed programming including sexual content violence and language to a degree that far exceeds that of broadcast television at any time of the day References edit a b c d Brown James A Family Viewing Time Museum of Broadcast Communications Archived from the original on January 11 2014 Retrieved August 4 2014 Television s Family Viewing Hour Congressional Record Vol 121 no 168 November 12 1975 Archived from the original on August 26 2011 Retrieved December 29 2005 Formicola Jo Renee Segers Mary C Weber Paul J 2003 Faith based Initiatives and the Bush Administration The Good the Bad and the Ugly Lanham Maryland Rowman amp Littlefield p 154 ISBN 0742523055 Judge says networks NAB FCC all acted illegally on family viewing PDF Broadcasting vol 91 no 19 pp 20 23 November 8 1976 retrieved December 25 2019 via AmericanRadioHistory com a b Johnson Thomas et al May 8 1997 The Family Hour No Place For Your Kids Parents Television Council Archived from the original on September 30 2007 Retrieved September 5 2007 Lane Frederick S 2006 The Decency Wars The Campaign to Cleanse American Culture Amherst New York Prometheus Books pp 157 159 ISBN 1 59102 427 7 Carter Bill September 13 2000 Disney Bans R Rated Movie Ads Before 9 P M on ABC Network The New York Times Retrieved March 26 2009 Rutenberg Jim January 25 2003 Few Viewers Object as Unbleeped Bleep Words Spread on Network TV The New York Times Retrieved March 26 2009 a b Group calls for voluntary return to TV family hour CNN August 1 2001 Archived from the original on September 30 2004 Gildemeister Christopher et al September 2 2007 The Alarming Family Hour No Place For Your Children PDF Parents Television Council Archived from the original PDF on September 27 2007 Retrieved September 5 2007 Miller Zell 2005 A Deficit of Decency Macon Georgia Stroud amp Hall p 221 ISBN 0 9745376 3 2 Retrieved December 12 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Family Viewing Hour amp oldid 1178639068, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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