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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
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declared the Family
Viewing Hour unconstitutional. 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
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The decision by Judge Warren J. Ferguson was a decisive, all but complete victory for the guilds representing the writers, producers, directors and actors who had filed two suits to block implementation of the family viewing plan, which seeks to restrict the hours of 7 to 9 p.m. to programing
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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
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and campaigned for the FCC to reinstate the Family Hour on a voluntary basis. The PTC has issued numerous subsequent reports claiming that the first prime-time hour of 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. in
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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
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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
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192:, he won the case. The show's cast responded by recording a satirical, unaired rendition of the show's theme song retitled "These Are the Days".
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After the Family
Viewing Hour was declared unconstitutional, the networks voluntarily continued to offer family-friendly programs such as
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250:" with her three young children. Consequently, two companies completely withdrew sponsorship from the show, while others, including
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132:, stating that all three networks had agreed to adopt a "family viewing hour" in response to the criticism. The
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83:). The policy was abandoned in 1977 following a 1976 ruling by a federal court that found it violative of the
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103:. One example that caused a particularly strong backlash was a lesbian rape scene during the 1974
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99:, widespread public criticism had arisen regarding the amount of sex and violence depicted on
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have used the term "family hour" in their books to describe the early prime-time hours.
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started a public letter-writing campaign to persuade advertisers to stop sponsoring the
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Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
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rights, mounted a lawsuit. With the support of varying guilds, including that of the
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Faith-based
Initiatives and the Bush Administration: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
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Broadcasters in 1975 was also overturned, ruling that the NAB had done so under
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400:, vol. 91, no. 19, pp. 20–21, November 8, 1976, archived from
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Many television series were affected by the Family
Viewing Hour mandate.
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389:"Judge says networks, NAB, FCC all acted illegally on family viewing"
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films during the first hour of primetime. In 2003, FCC commissioner
550:"Few Viewers Object as Unbleeped Bleep Words Spread on Network TV"
16:
Defunct television policy by the
Federal Communications Commission
365:. Vol. 121, no. 168. November 12, 1975. Archived from
208:. The ruling allowed stations the freedom to program their pre-
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176:, which had been the runaway top-rated show in the U.S. since
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Formicola, Jo Renee; Segers, Mary C.; Weber, Paul J. (2003).
595:
Gildemeister, Christopher; et al. (September 2, 2007).
524:"Disney Bans R-Rated Movie Ads Before 9 P.M. on ABC Network"
254:, reduced sponsorship. Beginning with the 2000–2001 season,
36:. The reason given is: Very dated and needs better sourcing.
436:. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 154.
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in the early prime-time hours. In 1989, Michigan housewife
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The
Decency Wars: The Campaign to Cleanse American Culture
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286:) has grown increasingly unsuitable for family viewing.
597:"The Alarming Family Hour: No Place For Your Children"
578:"Group calls for voluntary return to TV 'family hour'"
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184:, citing an infringement on creative freedom and his
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wished to adopt the measure but would only agree if
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266:expressed a desire to resurrect the Family Hour.
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497:. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books. pp.
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637:. Macon, Georgia: Stroud & Hall. p.
195:On November 4, 1976, in deciding 2 lawsuits,
602:. Parents Television Council. Archived from
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460:Johnson, Thomas; et al. (May 8, 1997).
680:1977 disestablishments in the United States
462:"The 'Family Hour': No Place For Your Kids"
75:" programming during the first hour of the
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71:in the U.S. bore a responsibility to air "
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130:Communications and Commerce Subcommittees
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580:. CNN. August 1, 2001. Archived from
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134:National Association of Broadcasters
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548:Rutenberg, Jim (January 25, 2003).
522:Carter, Bill (September 13, 2000).
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359:"Television's Family Viewing Hour"
333:Museum of Broadcast Communications
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685:Federal Communications Commission
415:– via World Radio History,
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61:Federal Communications Commission
258:stopped showing commercials for
59:was a policy established by the
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120:In January 1975, FCC chairman
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273:(PTC) issued a report titled
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246:after watching the episode "
197:United States district court
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491:Lane, Frederick S. (2006).
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466:Parents Television Council
271:Parents Television Council
67:. Under the policy, each
32:This article needs to be
243:Married... with Children
115:California Supreme Court
690:Television terminology
584:on September 30, 2004.
138:Prime Time Access Rule
609:on September 27, 2007
472:on September 30, 2007
329:"Family Viewing Time"
252:the Coca-Cola Company
248:Her Cups Runneth Over
634:A Deficit of Decency
363:Congressional Record
301:streaming television
275:The Sour Family Hour
79:lineup (8 to 9 p.m.
339:on January 11, 2014
284:Mountain Time Zones
101:American television
57:Family Viewing Hour
554:The New York Times
528:The New York Times
369:on August 26, 2011
201:Warren J. Ferguson
69:television network
173:All in the Family
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122:Richard E. Wiley
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652:. Retrieved
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629:Miller, Zell
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476:September 5,
474:. Retrieved
470:the original
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373:December 29,
371:. Retrieved
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182:Norman Lear
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308:References
229:Happy Days
210:prime-time
146:president
128:and House
91:Background
77:prime-time
559:March 26,
533:March 26,
343:August 4,
304:the day.
631:(2005).
411:June 17,
499:157–159
280:Central
260:R-rated
212:slots.
160:ratings
34:updated
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206:duress
199:Judge
126:Senate
607:(PDF)
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656:2007
643:ISBN
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535:2009
503:ISBN
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438:ISBN
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375:2005
345:2014
292:and
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178:1971
154:and
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55:The
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256:ABC
238:Fox
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144:CBS
105:NBC
95:In
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