[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9466-S9469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FAMILY HOUR PROGRAMMING
Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, earlier this week, the President of the
United States gathered the TV networks together to work out a much-
trumpeted agreement on quality TV programming for children. I certainly
applaud the President's efforts, and I am pleased that the meeting has
served to at least spotlight this important issue. But the sad fact
remains that this new and improved agreement to bring quality
programming to our children is really nothing more than a ratification
of the status quo. In fact, two of the major networks announced they
already met this agreement. Another said that it is just barely short
of compliance now.
So, essentially, the President has come out and said he approves of
what the networks are already doing about quality programming; the
status quo is OK.
Mr. President, as the father of eight children, and now the
grandfather of three, let me just say that I do not approve of what the
networks are doing. In fact, I find that some of what you see on
television during the so-called family hour, from 8 to 9 o'clock at
night, is absolutely outrageous today. I do not approve of it. I can
say with assurance that parents I have talked to are clearly frustrated
with television programming today. The last thing we want to say to the
networks is, ``Just keep on doing what you are doing.''
Parents do not want a measure that has a lot of fanfare and no
substance. They want to do something real. Personally, I would like to
be able to sit down after dinner with my 13-year-old daughter, Alice,
or my 9-year-old son, Mark, or my 4-year-old daughter, Anna, and watch
a half an hour or an hour of TV without having to always be in some
sort of high state of alert for things that might not be appropriate
for any one of them to see.
You know, Mr. President, it was not that many years ago that we did
not have this problem. We could all watch TV with our children between
8 and 9 o'clock at night without having to worry about them. While
every show between 8 and 9 wasn't a great show, at least you could find
one show between 8 and 9 o'clock at night that was appropriate for a
child to watch with a parent.
Mr. President, I think we should take advantage of the attention that
the White House has focused on this issue, and I think we should use it
to call for some measures that really would make a difference.
Our distinguished colleague from Connecticut, Senator Lieberman, has
recently proposed a resolution that I think would do a great deal to
accomplish this goal. His resolution would call upon the networks, on a
strictly voluntary basis, to restore the idea of family hour
programming.
That, Mr. President, would make a real difference in the lives of
America's families. I would guess that, on this issue, my experience is
not unique or unusual. Who among us--among all the parents in this
country--has not been very worried about what their children might
suddenly be exposed to on TV?
Just a few years ago, during the family hour, you did not have to do
that. I am not talking about just the 1950's or the 1960's; I am
talking about as recently as less than a decade ago. I think many of us
in politics do not fully realize how much and how fast TV has changed
just in the last few years. That is why I think my colleagues will be
interested in seeing a comparison of the TV Guide listings for the hour
between 8 and 9 o'clock as they have changed over the years.
I ask unanimous consent that this very interesting document be
printed in the Record at the conclusion of my remarks, and I recommend
it to the attention of my colleagues.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
(See Exhibit 1.)
Mr. DeWINE. This was put together by Dan Wewers, a young man who
interned in my office. He researched the TV Guides going back to 1954
and looked at a typical week. We take it every so many years, in 1954,
in 1960, all the way up through July 14 through the 20th of 1996.
People are not going to approve or like every program on here. They
weren't all great shows. But the point is, I think there were very few
times where you could not at least find one program between 8 and 9
o'clock that was suitable to watch with your children.
Mr. President, the networks recognize, at least in principle, that
they have a responsibility to the public. As parents and citizens, we
have both the right and the duty to tell the networks what we think
they should do--the little changes they can make that we believe will
make a positive difference in the lives of our children and our
families.
Scheduling 1 hour of programming in the early evening that is
appropriate for parents to watch with their children would be a very
big positive step, and it would be a great change from the status quo.
That is why I support the Lieberman initiative, and I think my
colleagues, if they look at the document I am submitting today, which I
asked be printed in the Record, they will come to the same conclusion.
I think the President should talk to Senator Lieberman about this
idea. It is a good idea, and it would make a real difference.
I yield the floor.
Exhibit 1
Family Hour Programming
(8:00-9:00 p.m.)
TV GUIDE LISTINGS
New York Metropolitan Area \1\
Major Network Stations
(CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX)
For the dates of:
\1\ Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
APRIL 2-8, 1954
[[Page S9467]]
APRIL 2-8, 1960
APRIL 4-10, 1964
APRIL 4-10, 1970
APRIL 5-11, 1975
APRIL 5-11, 1980
APRIL 6-12, 1985
APRIL 4-10, 1992
JULY 14-20, 1996
Week of April 2-8, 1954
TV GUIDE
New York Metropolitan Area
Friday, April 2, 1954
8:00 p.m.
CBS Mama--Peggy Wood
NBC Dave Garroway--Variety
ABC Ozzie & Harriet--Comedy
8:30 p.m.
CBS Topper--Comedy
NBC Life of Riley--Bendix
ABC Playhouse--Anita Colby
Saturday, April 3, 1954
8:00 p.m.
CBS Jackie Gleason--Comedy
NBC Spike Jones--Variety
ABC My Hero--Comedy
8:30 p.m.
CBS Amateur Hour--Mack
ABC The Unexpected--Film
Sunday, April 4, 1954
8:00 p.m.
CBS Toast of the Town
NBC Comedy Hour--Variety
ABC The Mask--Drama
Monday, April 5, 1954
8:00 p.m.
CBS Burns & Allen--Comedy
NBC Name That Tune--Quiz
ABC Sky King--Kirby Grant
8:30 p.m.
CBS Talent Scouts--Godfrey
NBC Concert--Barlow
ABC Movie--``World Without End''
Tuesday, April 6, 1954
8:00 p.m.
CBS Gene Autry--Western
NBC Milton Berle--Comedy
ABC The Mask--Drama
8:30 p.m.
CBS Red Skelton--Comedy
Wednesday, April 7, 1954
8:00 p.m.
CBS Godfrey & Friends
NBC I Married Joan--Comedy
ABC Film Drama
8:30 p.m.
NBC My Little Margie--Comedy
ABC Into the Night--Mystery
Thursday, April 8, 1954
8:00 p.m.
CBS Meet Mr. McNutley--Film
NBC Groucho Marx--Quiz
ABC Boston Blackie--Film
8:30 p.m.
CBS Four Star Playhouse
NBC Justice
ABC Ray Bolger--Comedy
____
Week of April 2-8, 1960
TV GUIDE
New York Metropolitan Area
Saturday, April 2, 1960
8:00 p.m.
CBS Perry Mason--Mystery
NBC Bonanza--Western
ABC High Road--Gunther
8:30 p.m.
CBS Wanted--Dead or Alive--Western
NBC Man and the Challenge
ABC Leave It to Beaver
Sunday, April 3, 1960
8:00 p.m.
CBS Playhouse 90--Drama
NBC Hollywood Sings--Variety
ABC Maverick--Western
8:30 p.m.
ABC Lawman--Western
Monday, April 4, 1960
8:00 p.m.
CBS Texan--Western
NBC Riverboat--Adventure
ABC Cheyenne--Western
8:30 p.m.
CBS Father Knows Best
NBC Wells Fargo--Western
ABC Bourbon Street Beat
Tuesday, April 5, 1960
8:00 p.m.
CBS Dennis O'Keefe
NBC Laramie--Western
ABC Bronco--Western
8:30 p.m.
CBS Dobie Gillis--Comedy
NBC Startime--Drama
ABC Wyatt Earp--Western
Wednesday, April 6, 1960
8:00 p.m.
CBS Be Our Guest--Variety
NBC Wagon Train--Western
ABC Spring Night--Music
8:30 p.m.
CBS Men Into Space--Adventure
NBC Price Is Right--Contest
ABC Ozzie and Harriet
Thursday, April 7, 1960
8:00 p.m.
CBS Betty Hutton--Comedy
NBC Bat Masterson--Western
ABC Donna Reed--Comedy
8:30 p.m.
CBS Johnny Ringo--Western
NBC Producers' Choice--Drama
ABC Real McCoys--Comedy
Friday, April 8, 1960
8:00 p.m.
CBS Rawhide--Western
NBC Troubleshooters
ABC Walt Disney--Cartoon
8:30 p.m.
CBS Hotel De Paree
NBC Art Carney--Drama Special
ABC Man From Blackhawk
____
Week of April 4-10, 1964
tv guide
New York Metropolitan Area
Saturday, April 4, 1964
8:00 p.m.
CBS Jackie Gleason
NBC Lieutenant--Drama
ABC Hootenanny--Songs
8:30 p.m.
CBS Defenders--Drama
NBC Joey Bishop--Comedy
ABC Lawrence Welk
Sunday, April 5, 1964
8:00 p.m.
CBS Ed Sullivan--Variety
NBC Walt Disney's World
ABC Empire--Drama
8:30 p.m.
NBC Grindl--Imogene Coca
ABC Arrest and Trial
Monday, April 6, 1964
8:00 p.m.
CBS I've Got a Secret--Panel
NBC Movie--``The Virgin Queen''--Biography
ABC Outer Limits--Drama
8:30 p.m.
CBS Lucille Ball--Comedy
ABC Wagon Train--Western
Tuesday, April 7, 1964
8:00 p.m.
CBS Red Skelton--Comedy
NBC Mr. Novak--Drama
ABC Combat!--Drama
8:30 p.m.
NBC You Don't Say!--Kennedy
ABC McHale's Navy
Wednesday, April 8, 1964
8:00 p.m.
CBS CBS Reports
NBC Virginian--Western
ABC Patty Duke--Variety
8:30 p.m.
CBS Suspense--Mystery
ABC Farmer's Daughter
Thursday, April 9, 1964
8:00 p.m.
CBS Rawhide--Western
NBC Temple Houston--Western
ABC Donna Reed--Comedy
8:30 p.m.
NBC Dr. Kildare--Drama
ABC My Three Sons
Friday, April 10, 1964
8:00 p.m.
CBS Great Adventure
NBC International Showcase
ABC Destry--Western
8:30 p.m.
CBS Route 66--Drama
NBC Ernie Ford--Variety
ABC Burke's Law--Mystery
Week of April 4-10, 1970
tv guide
New York Metropolitan Area
Saturday, April 4, 1970
8:00 p.m.
CBS Jackie Gleason
NBC Andy Williams
ABC Newlywed Game
8:30 p.m.
CBS My Three Sons
NBC Adam-12
ABC Lawrence Welk
Sunday, April 5, 1970
8:00 p.m.
CBS Ed Sullivan
NBC World of Disney
ABC FBI
8:30 p.m.
NBC Bill Cosby
Monday, April 6, 1970
8:00 p.m.
CBS Gunsmoke
NBC Laugh-In
ABC ABC News Special
8:30 p.m.
CBS Here's Lucy
ABC Movie--``An Eye for an Eye''--Western
Tuesday, April 7, 1970
8:00 p.m.
CBS Lancer
NBC NBC White Paper
ABC Mod Squad
8:30 p.m.
CBS Red Skelton
NBC Julia
ABC Comedy Special
Wednesday, April 8, 1970
8:00 p.m.
CBS Hee Haw--Variety
NBC Virginian
ABC Nanny
8:30 p.m.
CBS Beverly Hillbillies
ABC Room 222
Thursday, April 9, 1970
8:00 p.m.
CBS Jim Nabors
NBC Daniel Boone
ABC That Girl
8:30 p.m.
NBC Ironside
ABC Bewitched
Friday, April 10, 1970
8:00 p.m.
[[Page S9468]]
CBS Adventure
NBC High Chaparral
ABC Tales From Muppetland (Regularly, the Brady Bunch)
8:30 p.m.
CBS Hogan's Heroes
NBC Name of the Game
ABC Ghost/Mrs. Muir
____
Week of April 5-11, 1975
tv guide
New York Metropolitan Area
Saturday, April 5, 1975
8:00 p.m.
CBS All in the Family
NBC Emergency!
ABC Kung Fu
8:30 p.m.
CBS The Jeffersons
Sunday, April 6, 1975
8:00 p.m.
CBS Cher--Variety
NBC World of Disney
ABC Jacques Cousteau--Documentary
8:30 p.m.
CBS Kojak--Crime Drama
NBC McCloud
ABC Movie--``Man in the Wilderness''--Adventure
Monday, April 7, 1975
8:00 p.m.
CBS Gunsmoke
NBC Carl Sandburg's Lincoln
ABC Rookies
Tuesday, April 8, 1975
8:00 p.m.
CBS Good Times--Comedy
NBC Adam-12
ABC Happy Days--Comedy
8:30 p.m.
CBS M*A*S*H
NBC Cavalcade of Champions Awards
ABC Movie--``Guess Who's Sleeping in My Bed?''
Wednesday, April 9, 1975
8:00 p.m.
CBS Tony Orlando and Dawn--Variety
NBC Little House on the Prairie--Drama
ABC That's My Mama--Comedy
8:30 p.m.
ABC Movie--``The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd''--Drama
Thursday, April 10, 1975
8:00 p.m.
CBS The Waltons
NBC Movie--``Conspiracy of Terror''--Comedy-Drama
ABC Barney Miller--Comedy
8:30 p.m.
ABC Karen--Comedy
Friday, April 11, 1975
8:00 p.m.
CBS Comedy Special--``Rosenthal and Jones''
NBC Sanford and Son
ABC Night Stalker--Drama
8:30 p.m.
CBS We'll Get By
NBC Chico and the Man--Comedy
____
Week of April 5-11,1980
tv guide
New York Metropolitan Area
Saturday, April 5, 1980
8:00 p.m.
CBS Tim Conway--Variety
NBC B.J. and the Bear
ABC Easter Bunny is Comin to Town--Cartoon
Sunday, April 6, 1980
8:00 p.m.
CBS Archie Bunker's Place
NBC Chips--Crime Drama
ABC Movie--``The Ten Commandments''--Biography
8:30 p.m.
CBS One Day at a Time
Monday, April 7, 1980
8:00 p.m.
CBS WKRP in Cinicinnati
NBC Little House on the Prairie
ABC That's Incredible
8:30 p.m.
CBS Stockard Channing
Tuesday, April 8, 1980
8:00 p.m.
CBS White Shadow
NBC Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo
ABC Happy Days
8:30 p.m.
ABC Laverne & Shirley
Wednesday, April 9, 1980
8:00 p.m.
CBS Movie--``A Boy Named Charlie Brown''--Cartoon
NBC Real People
ABC Eight is Enough
Thursday, April 10, 1980
8:00 p.m.
CBS Palmerstown, U.S.A--Drama
NBC Buck Rogers in the 25th Century--Sci Fi
ABC Mork & Mindy
8:30 p.m.
ABC Benson--Comedy
Friday, April 11, 1980
8:00 p.m.
CBS Incredible Hulk
NBC Here's Boomer--Adventure
ABC When the Whistle Blows--Comedy
8:30 p.m.
NBC The Facts of Life.
____
Week of April 6-12, 1985
tv guide
New York Metropolitan Area
Saturday, April 6, 1985
8:00 p.m.
CBS Daffy Duck--Cartoon
NBC Diff'rent Strokes
ABC T.J. Hooker--Crime Drama
8:30 p.m.
CBS Bugs Bunny--Cartoon
NBC Gimme a Break!
Sunday, April 7, 1985
8:00 p.m.
CBS Murder, She Wrote--Mystery
NBC Movie--``Florence Nightengale''--Drama
ABC Movie--``Superman II''--Fantasy
Monday, April 8, 1985
8:00 p.m.
CBS Scarecrow and Mrs. King
NBC TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes
ABC Hardcastle and McCormick--Crime Drama
Tuesday, April 9, 1985
8:00 p.m.
CBS Lucie Arnaz--Comedy
NBC A-Team
ABC Three's a Crowd
8:30 p.m.
CBS Movie--``Coal Miner's Daughter''--Biography
ABC Foul-ups, Bleeps & Blunders
Wednesday, April 10, 1985
8:00 p.m.
CBS Double Dare--Crime Drama
NBC Highway to Heaven--Drama
ABC Fall Guy
Thursday, April 11, 1985
8:00 p.m.
CBS Magnum, P.I.--Crime Drama
NBC Cosby Show
ABC Wildside--Western
8:30 p.m.
NBC Family Ties
Friday, April 12, 1985
8:00 p.m.
CBS Detective in the House--Mystery
NBC Knight Rider
ABC Webster
8:30 p.m.
ABC Mr. Belvedere--Comedy
____
Week of April 4-10, 1992
TV Guide
New York Metropolitan Area
Saturday, April 4, 1992
8:00 p.m.
CBS NCAA Basketball
NBC Golden Girls
FOX Cops
ABC Who's the Boss?
8:30 p.m.
NBC Powers That Be
FOX Cops
ABC Billy--Comedy
Sunday, April 5, 1992
8:00 p.m.
CBS Murder, She Wrote
NBC Mann & Machine--Crime Drama
FOX ROC--Comedy
ABC Funniest Home Videos
8:30 p.m.
FOX In Living Color
ABC America's Funniest People
Monday, April 6, 1992
8:00 p.m.
CBS Evening Shade
NBC Fresh Prince
FOX Movie--``Night of the Comet''--Science Fiction
ABC FBI: The Untold Stories
8:30 p.m.
CBS Major Dad
NBC Blossom
ABC American Detective
Tuesday, April 7, 1992
8:00 p.m.
CBS Rescue 911
NBC In the Heat of the Night--Crime Drama
FOX Movie--``Tough Enough''--Drama
ABC Full House
8:30 p.m.
ABC Home Improvement
Wednesday, April 8, 1992
8:00 p.m.
CBS Royal Family
NBC Unsolved Mysteries
FOX Movie--``All the Right Moves''--Drama
ABC Wonder Years
8:30 p.m.
CBS Davis Rules
ABC Doogie Howser
Thursday, April 9, 1992
8:00 p.m.
CBS Top Cops
NBC Cosby Show
FOX Simpsons
ABC Columbo
8:30 p.m.
NBC Different World
FOX Drexell's Class
Friday, April 10, 1992
8:00 p.m.
CBS Tequila and Bonetti--Crime Drama
NBC Matlock
FOX America's Most Wanted
ABC Family Matters
8:30 p.m.
ABC Step by Step
____
[[Page S9469]]
Week of July 14-20, 1996
tv guide
Washington, DC. Metropolitan Area
Sunday, July 14, 1996
8:00 p.m.
CBS Murder, She Wrote
NBC Mad About You
FOX Simpsons
ABC Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
8:30 p.m.
NBC Movie: ``Tequila Sunrise''--Drama
FOX Married . . . With Children
Monday, July 15, 1996
8:00 p.m.
CBS Nanny
NBC Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
FOX Movie: ``So I Married An Axe Murderer''--Comedy
ABC Marshal
8:30 p.m.
CBS Almost Perfect
NBC Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Tuesday, July 16, 1996
8:00 p.m.
CBS The Client
NBC 3rd Rock From the Sun
FOX Movie: ``Alien Nation: Dark Horizon''--Sci Fi
ABC Roseanne
8:30 p.m.
NBC Newsradio
ABC Drew Carey
Wednesday, July 17, 1996
8:00 p.m.
CBS Dave's World
NBC Dateline
FOX Beverly Hills, 90210
ABC Ellen
8:30 p.m.
CBS Can't Hurry Love
ABC Faculty
Thursday, July 18, 1996
8:00 p.m.
CBS Wynonna: Revelations--Special
NBC Friends
FOX Martin
ABC High Incident
8:30 p.m.
NBC Mad About You
FOX Living Single
Friday, July 19, 1996
8:00 p.m.
CBS Movie: ``National Lampoon's Vacation''--Comedy
NBC Summer Olympic Games: Opening Ceremony
FOX Sliders
ABC Family Matters
8:30 p.m.
ABC Boy Meets World
Saturday, July 20, 1996
8:00 p.m.
CBS Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
NBC Summer Olympic Games
FOX Cops
ABC Movie: ``Project ALF''--Comedy
8:30 p.m.
FOX Cops
Mr. WYDEN addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.
____________________