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.
19-407: In 1974 , widespread public criticism had arisen regarding the amount of sex and violence depicted on American television . 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
38-686: A city whose borders overlap both Alberta and Saskatchewan. The city charter stipulates that it shall observe Mountain Time and DST, putting the community on the same time as all of Alberta (UTC−7) in the winter, and in time with Saskatchewan (UTC−6) during the summer. Ten states are contained entirely in the Central Time Zone: Five states are split between the Central Time Zone and the Mountain Time Zone : Five states are split between
57-571: A lawsuit. With the support of varying guilds, including that of the WGA , 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". On November 4, 1976, in deciding 2 lawsuits, United States district court Judge Warren J. Ferguson declared the Family Viewing Hour unconstitutional. Ferguson stated while the idea had merits,
76-603: A list of television -related events of that year. Central Time Zone The North American Central Time Zone ( CT ) is a time zone in parts of Canada , the United States , Mexico , Central America , and some Caribbean islands . In parts of that zone (20 states in the US, three provinces or territories in Canada, and several border municipalities in Mexico), the Central Time Zone
95-493: Is five hours behind UTC and known internationally as UTC−5. The province of Manitoba is the only province or territory in Canada that observes Central Time in all areas. The following Canadian provinces and territories observe Central Time in the areas noted, while their other areas observe Eastern Time : Also, most of the province of Saskatchewan is on Central Standard Time year-round, never adjusting for Daylight Saving Time. One major exception includes Lloydminster ,
114-533: Is affected by two time designations yearly: Central Standard Time (CST) is observed from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March. It is six hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and designated internationally as UTC−6. From the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November the same areas observe daylight saving time (DST), creating the designation of Central Daylight Time (CDT) which
133-576: Is called "Central Daylight Time" (CDT) and is UTC−05:00 . In the United States, all time zones that observe DST were effectively changed by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 . Beginning in 2007, DST would now begin at 2 a.m. (02:00) on the second Sunday in March instead of the first Sunday in April, moving the time from 2 to 3 a.m. (i.e., from 02:00 to 03:00). Additionally, DST would end at 2 a.m. (02:00) on
152-536: Is known locally as the Zona Centro . The federal entities of Mexico that observe Central Time: Out of the seven countries comprising Central America , all but one use Central Standard Time year-round: Panama , which recognizes Eastern Standard Time (UTC−5) year round, is the exception. Daylight saving time (DST) is in effect in much of the Central time zone between mid-March and early November. The modified time
171-532: 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
190-511: The 7 p.m. time slot during which the networks were forbidden from programming under the Prime Time Access Rule . 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
209-519: The Central Time Zone and the Eastern Time Zone : Additionally, Phenix City, Alabama , and several nearby communities in Russell County, Alabama , unofficially observe Eastern Time. This is due to their close proximity to Columbus, Georgia , which is on Eastern Time. Although legally located within the Central Time Zone, Kenton, Oklahoma —located to the adjacent east of the defined border of
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#1732852023801228-544: The Central and Mountain time zones (at the Oklahoma− New Mexico state line)—unofficially observes Mountain Time. This is reportedly because most people who interact with the town reside in either New Mexico or Colorado . Most of Mexico—roughly the eastern three-fourths—lies in the Central Time Zone, except for five northwestern states ( Baja California , Baja California Sur , Sinaloa , Sonora , and most of Nayarit ) and one southeastern state ( Quintana Roo ). It
247-558: 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. After the Family Viewing Hour
266-608: 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 Central and Mountain Time Zones ) has grown increasingly unsuitable for family viewing. Bernard Goldberg and Zell Miller have used the term "family hour" in their books to describe the early prime-time hours. The advent of streaming television has rendered
285-531: The Family Viewing Hour, and to implement it by the fall 1975 season . 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
304-401: 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. 1974 in television The year 1974 involved some significant events in television. Below is
323-558: The first Sunday in November instead of the last Sunday in October, moving the time from 2 to 1 a.m. (i.e., from 02:00 to 01:00). At the time, Mexico decided not to go along with this change and observed their horario de verano ("summer schedule") from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. In December 2009, the Mexican Congress allowed ten border cities, eight of which are in states that observe Central Time, to adopt
342-588: The show, while others, including the Coca-Cola Company , reduced sponsorship. Beginning with the 2000–2001 season, ABC stopped showing commercials for R-rated films during the first hour of primetime. In 2003, FCC commissioner Kevin Martin expressed a desire to resurrect the Family Hour. In 2001, the Parents Television Council (PTC) issued a report titled The Sour Family Hour and campaigned for
361-552: 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. 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
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