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edwest2
Guest
Basically, broadcasters had a Standards and Practices Department. In the 1960s, a man would appear on TV and explain that they watched everything we watched to make certain it was suitable for the entire family. And it was. Briefly:
"The Code of Practices for Television Broadcasters was a set of ethical standards adopted by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) for television. The code was established on December 6, 1951. Compliance with the code was indicated by the “Seal of Good Practice”, displayed during closing credits on most United States television programs from 1952 through the early 1980s.
“The code prohibited the use of profanity, the negative portrayal of family life, irreverence for God and religion, illicit sex, drunkenness and addiction, presentation of cruelty, detailed techniques of crime, the use of horror for its own sake, and the negative portrayal of law enforcement officials, among others. The code regulated how performers should dress and move to be within the “bounds of decency”. Further, news reporting was to be “factual, fair and without bias” and commentary and analysis should be “clearly defined as such”. Broadcasters were to make time available for religious broadcasting and were discouraged from charging religious bodies for access. Most importantly, it limited the commercial minutes per hour.” Source: Wikipedia
Peace,
Ed
"The Code of Practices for Television Broadcasters was a set of ethical standards adopted by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) for television. The code was established on December 6, 1951. Compliance with the code was indicated by the “Seal of Good Practice”, displayed during closing credits on most United States television programs from 1952 through the early 1980s.
“The code prohibited the use of profanity, the negative portrayal of family life, irreverence for God and religion, illicit sex, drunkenness and addiction, presentation of cruelty, detailed techniques of crime, the use of horror for its own sake, and the negative portrayal of law enforcement officials, among others. The code regulated how performers should dress and move to be within the “bounds of decency”. Further, news reporting was to be “factual, fair and without bias” and commentary and analysis should be “clearly defined as such”. Broadcasters were to make time available for religious broadcasting and were discouraged from charging religious bodies for access. Most importantly, it limited the commercial minutes per hour.” Source: Wikipedia
Peace,
Ed
J
JustaServant
Guest
There’s a lot of mythology about that. The sitcoms and westerns of the day were pretty squeaky clean, but other dramas, medical shows, and soaps, all aimed at adults, were filled with all the above. Maybe not to today’s extent, but it was still there.
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edwest2
Guest
Since I was there. I can state with some certainty that none of it was there. Not until the 1970s did I see a very gradual loosening of standards. Just pick up a DVD for shows from the period prior to 1970.
Peace,
Ed
M
Maxirad
Guest
JustServant, can give some examples as far as cop shows were concerned?
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JustaServant
Guest
I was born in 1961.
Just go to this site:
ctva.biz/index.htm
and look up dramas prior to the 1970s, medical shows, cop shows and the like. They;re are detailed episode descriptions.
In cop shows, look up 60s episodes of Ironside, Hawaii-5-0, Dragnet ect.
The Untouchables (which I have on DVD) got in hot water for a several brutal scenes in the first season, including a body in a freezer on a meat hook, at the mass killing of a truckload of prostitutes.
And despite Norman Lear’s assertion that sitcoms avoided touchy subjects, Room 222, preceded All in the Family by over a year. Love American Style was doing birth control jokes. What about the Smothers brothers or Laugh-In? Even the Beverly Hillbillies was doing drug humor in the famous “Robin Hood” episode…
Actually that’s one of my favorite episodes.
My point is, yes the dam was broken in the 1970s, but many of the subjects that are mentioned were being used in entertainment shows prior to the 70s, but in a far more appropriate manner.
That’s the only point I was making, maybe I didn’t phrase it right.
Just go to this site:
ctva.biz/index.htm
and look up dramas prior to the 1970s, medical shows, cop shows and the like. They;re are detailed episode descriptions.
In cop shows, look up 60s episodes of Ironside, Hawaii-5-0, Dragnet ect.
The Untouchables (which I have on DVD) got in hot water for a several brutal scenes in the first season, including a body in a freezer on a meat hook, at the mass killing of a truckload of prostitutes.
And despite Norman Lear’s assertion that sitcoms avoided touchy subjects, Room 222, preceded All in the Family by over a year. Love American Style was doing birth control jokes. What about the Smothers brothers or Laugh-In? Even the Beverly Hillbillies was doing drug humor in the famous “Robin Hood” episode…
Actually that’s one of my favorite episodes.
My point is, yes the dam was broken in the 1970s, but many of the subjects that are mentioned were being used in entertainment shows prior to the 70s, but in a far more appropriate manner.
That’s the only point I was making, maybe I didn’t phrase it right.
C
Catholic1954
Guest
They did go a little too far; Laura Petri was only allowed one scene, per episode, to wear her capri (or any kind of) pants and The Fonz, for the first season, was only allowed to wear his black leather jacket contacting his motorcycle. Now adays, we are lucky if any is wearing pants and the jacket will have some famous logo on it.
J
JustaServant
Guest
That reminds me. Why is it that Rob and Laura Petri had to have separate beds, but not Herman and Lily Munster?
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edwest2
Guest
Now almost nothing gets in hot water. Nice theory, but the goal was, and is, to get what we have now. And Combat! showed soldiers getting killed but left out the graphic violence of Saving Private Ryan. Even as a kid, I got that people died, sometimes in terrible ways, but not the in your face details we have today. Who needs that? A forensic pathologist?
Nope, it was much, much better then.
Peace,
Ed
Nope, it was much, much better then.
Peace,
Ed
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