Family Viewing Hour
Encyclopedia
The Family Viewing Hour was a policy established by the United States
Federal Communications Commission
in 1975
. Under the policy, each television network
in the U.S. had a responsibility to air "family-friendly" programming in the first hour of the prime time
lineup (8 to 9 p.m. ET
). The hour disappeared in 1977
after it was overturned in court; however, the concept has continued to be used by some viewers who still believe that the 8:00 p.m. time slot in primetime has an obligation to have family-friendly programming.
, there was widespread public criticism regarding the amount of sex and violence then on American television
.
In January 1975, then-FCC chairman Richard E. Wiley
addressed the Senate
and House Communications and Commerce Subcommittees, stating that all three networks agreed to adopt a "family viewing hour" in response to the criticism. The National Association of Broadcasters
took the gesture one step further, decreeing that local stations also air family friendly programming in the 7 p.m. time slot, which was given to the affiliate
s to air what they wished.
The president of CBS
at the time wanted to go through with the measure but would only agree if NBC
and ABC
consented, citing a possible decline in ratings
(the network had been #1 in U.S. households since the mid-1950s) if they were the only network to try the new policy. By the end of 1974, each network executive agreed to endorse Family Viewing Hour, and to implement it by the fall 1975 season
.
Indeed, many television series suffered from the Family Viewing Hour mandate. All in the Family
, which was 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 on his First Amendment
rights, mounted a lawsuit with the support of varying guilds including the WGA
, but the case was later dropped. The show's cast responded by recording a satirical, never-aired rendition of the show's theme song, retitled "These Are the Days".
In 1976
, United States circuit court
Judge Warren J. Ferguson
declared the Family Viewing Hour null and void, starting with the fall 1977 season
. Ferguson stated while the idea was good in theory, the FCC had overstepped its bounds in having it instituted; the FCC privately lobbied the three major networks to adopt the policy instead of holding public hearings on the matter, and Ferguson ruled on those grounds that the Family Viewing Hour had no binding merit. The decree made by the National Association of Broadcasters in 1975 was also overturned, giving stations free rein on what to air in the pre-prime time
slots.
and Happy Days
in the early primetime hours, so some families still believed in the concept. Due to this point of view, in 1989, Michigan housewife Terry Rakolta
started a highly 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 youngest children. Consequently, two companies completely withdrew sponsorship from the show, while other companies, including The Coca-Cola Company
, simply reduced sponsorship. Starting in the 2000-2001 season, ABC
stopped showing commercials for rated-R films during the first hour of primetime. In 2003, The New York Times reported that FCC commissioner Kevin Martin called to bring back the Family Hour.
In 2001, the Parents Television Council
campaigned for the FCC to reuse the Family Hour voluntarily following its report The Sour Family Hour. Over the years, the PTC has run numerous reports claiming that the so-called "Family Hour" of 8:00 P.M. (7:00 P.M. in Central
and Mountain Time Zone
s) is becoming more unsuitable for family viewing, having recently released a report in September 2007.
Bernard Goldberg
and Zell Miller
have used the term "family hour" in their books to describe the early primetime hours as well.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
in 1975
1975 in television
The year 1975 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1975.For the American TV schedule, see: 1975-76 United States network television schedule.-Events:...
. Under the policy, each television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
in the U.S. had a responsibility to air "family-friendly" programming in the first hour of the prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
lineup (8 to 9 p.m. ET
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
). The hour disappeared in 1977
1977 in television
The year 1977 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1977.For the American TV schedule, see: 1977-78 American network television schedule.-Events:...
after it was overturned in court; however, the concept has continued to be used by some viewers who still believe that the 8:00 p.m. time slot in primetime has an obligation to have family-friendly programming.
Background
In 19741974 in television
The year 1974 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1974.For the American TV schedule, see: 1974-75 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, there was widespread public criticism regarding the amount of sex and violence then on American television
Television in the United States
Television is one of the major mass media of the United States. Ninety-nine percent of American households have at least one television and the majority of households have more than one...
.
In January 1975, then-FCC chairman Richard E. Wiley
Richard E. Wiley
Richard E. Wiley served as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission from March 8, 1970 -October 12, 1977 where he advocated increased competition and lessened regulation in the communications field...
addressed the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and House Communications and Commerce Subcommittees, stating that all three networks agreed to adopt a "family viewing hour" in response to the criticism. The National Association of Broadcasters
National Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association, workers union, and lobby group representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States...
took the gesture one step further, decreeing that local stations also air family friendly programming in the 7 p.m. time slot, which was given to the affiliate
Affiliate
An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity.- Corporate structure :A corporation may be referred to as an affiliate of another when it is related to it but not strictly controlled by it, as with a subsidiary relationship, or when it is desired to avoid...
s to air what they wished.
The president of CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
at the time wanted to go through with the measure but would only agree if NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
consented, citing a possible decline in ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
(the network had been #1 in U.S. households since the mid-1950s) if they were the only network to try the new policy. By the end of 1974, each network executive agreed to endorse Family Viewing Hour, and to implement it by the fall 1975 season
1975-76 United States network television schedule
This was the television schedule on all three United States commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1975. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with a few exceptions, such as Monday Night Football. This was the first season since 1971 in which a four-hour Sunday night...
.
Indeed, many television series suffered from the Family Viewing Hour mandate. All in the Family
All in the Family
All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
, which was the runaway top-rated show in the U.S. since 1971
1971 in television
The year 1971 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1971.For the American TV schedule, see: 1971-72 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, was moved to 9 p.m. on Mondays after five seasons leading the Saturday night lineup. Producer Norman Lear
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...
, citing an infringement on creative freedom and on his First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
rights, mounted a lawsuit with the support of varying guilds including the WGA
Writers Guild of America
The Writers Guild of America is a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different US labor unions:* The Writers Guild of America, East , representing TV and film writers East of the Mississippi....
, but the case was later dropped. The show's cast responded by recording a satirical, never-aired rendition of the show's theme song, retitled "These Are the Days".
In 1976
1976 in television
The year 1976 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1976.-Global television events:*The Olympics, broadcast from Montreal, Canada, draw an estimated one billion viewers worldwide....
, United States circuit court
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
Judge Warren J. Ferguson
Warren J. Ferguson
Warren John Ferguson was an American jurist who served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.-Career:...
declared the Family Viewing Hour null and void, starting with the fall 1977 season
1977-78 United States network television schedule
This was the television schedule on all three United States television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1977. All times are Eastern and Pacific.New fall series are highlighted in bold. Series ending their original runs are in italics....
. Ferguson stated while the idea was good in theory, the FCC had overstepped its bounds in having it instituted; the FCC privately lobbied the three major networks to adopt the policy instead of holding public hearings on the matter, and Ferguson ruled on those grounds that the Family Viewing Hour had no binding merit. The decree made by the National Association of Broadcasters in 1975 was also overturned, giving stations free rein on what to air in the pre-prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
slots.
Use of the concept today
It has been reported that after the Family Viewing Hour was declared unconstitutional, the networks continued voluntarily to offer family-friendly programs such as The Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
and Happy Days
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
in the early primetime hours, so some families still believed in the concept. Due to this point of view, in 1989, Michigan housewife Terry Rakolta
Terry Rakolta
Terry Rakolta led a boycott against the Fox Broadcasting Company sitcom Married... with Children.A Mother Is Heard as Sponsors Abandon a TV Hit New York Times Born Terry Lynn Stern, she is the sister of Ronna Romney, former daughter-in-law of former Michigan governor George Romney. Rakolta's...
started a highly public letter-writing campaign to persuade advertisers to stop sponsoring the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
network sitcom Married...With Children after watching the episode "Her Cups Runneth Over" with her three youngest children. Consequently, two companies completely withdrew sponsorship from the show, while other companies, including The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia...
, simply reduced sponsorship. Starting in the 2000-2001 season, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
stopped showing commercials for rated-R films during the first hour of primetime. In 2003, The New York Times reported that FCC commissioner Kevin Martin called to bring back the Family Hour.
In 2001, the Parents Television Council
Parents Television Council
The Parents Television Council is a U.S. based advocacy group founded by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995 using the National Legion of Decency as a model...
campaigned for the FCC to reuse the Family Hour voluntarily following its report The Sour Family Hour. Over the years, the PTC has run numerous reports claiming that the so-called "Family Hour" of 8:00 P.M. (7:00 P.M. in Central
Central Time zone
In North America, the Central Time Zone refers to national time zones which observe standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC , and daylight saving, or summer time by subtracting five hours...
and Mountain Time Zone
Mountain Time Zone
The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time, during the shortest days of autumn and winter , and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time in the spring, summer, and early autumn...
s) is becoming more unsuitable for family viewing, having recently released a report in September 2007.
Bernard Goldberg
Bernard Goldberg
Bernard Richard Goldberg , also known as Bernie Goldberg, is an eleven-time Emmy Award-winning American writer, journalist, and political commentator...
and Zell Miller
Zell Miller
Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the US state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005....
have used the term "family hour" in their books to describe the early primetime hours as well.