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FCC Moves to Roll Back Children’s Television Rules

Even if PBS were to fade away, carrying its outstanding children's programming with it, the commercial broadcasters aren't going to fill that void. These rules, while probably well intentioned by those who championed them, are outdated relics of a bygone era.
 
We've discussed this here before...the issue isn't the amount of children's programming, but the amount of advertising that was permitted. O'Rielly is correct in saying the rules have led to less children's programming on commercial TV. Not sure that removing the rules will change that. No question that PBS remains the one consistent source for free children's programming.
 
even if they eliminate the restrictions on advertising, non-EI Saturday Morning Cartoons on Network TV aren't coming back, kids wouldn't even know they were on since they don't watch linear TV
 
This would be a good move to roll back these rules. While unlikely to result in a return to the glory days of Saturday Morning TV, it would give stations more flexibility and would likely result in more, and better, programming, that kids would actually watch.
 
I know that the cartoons my daughter watches are on the big 3 cable kid's networks (Disney, Nick, and Cartoon Network), and she also watches online as well. If the big 4 OTA networks came back with Saturday morning cartoons she very likely wouldn't watch them.

Like I've said before if E/I is eliminated Saturday mornings will go to more news and sports at best, and infomercials at the worst.
 
Saturday morning kids programming on commercial broadcast exists only to meet the outdated mandates. They don’t really serve a meaningfully significant audience and there isn’t going to be sufficient support in the future. That era has passed.
 
Yet Litton's Weekend Adventure ratings are still very good - the May 21st ratings showed the ABC Saturday Morning block with a 5.5 household rating and 5th place, behind the three top game shows (Feud/Wheel/J!) and Judge Judy:
https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/weekly-ratings/syndicated-tv-ratings-may-21-27-2018/
While every ABC station airs Litton's block, it's actually a *syndicated* block...that's why you never see an ABC bug in the lower right or any ABC promos for that matter. On the other hand, the NBC 'More You Know,' CBS 'Dream Team' and CW 'One Magnificent Morning' blocks have their network logo bugs. Xploration (Awesome Planet, Nature Knows Best, etc.) while aired by most of the Fox O&Os, is syndicated.
So could Litton keep the block going since the ratings are decent...but not for any E/I credit? I wouldn't see why a high-ranked block would be taken off for infomercials or more news. Rock the Park, Sea Rescue and the Jeff Corwin show are well-produced programs and I watch them here and there - my mother likes watching CW's Dog Whisperer Family Edition.
 
I wonder how Kids Click is doing on Sinclair stations or if it isn't in too many homes that ratings aren't reported for that report.
 
If the block is being rated as a cumulative whole, much as double runs of Feud or Judge Judy, the number is not so strong as it appears on the surface. That aside, local news or paid programs mean all the revenue is retained by the station. The economics work better.
 
AbrahamJSimpson said:
Even if PBS were to fade away, carrying its outstanding children's programming with it, the commercial broadcasters aren't going to fill that void. These rules, while probably well intentioned by those who championed them, are outdated relics of a bygone era.
Click to expand...

This not only affects the quantity of children's' programming but the quality as well. Let's show more violent shootings, more dissension, more weird behavior and then wonder why the world and especially children are the way they are...............
 
This might not be a year round thing, but if E/I is eliminated I could see the networks starting college football and basketball earlier on Saturday mornings, at least with pre-game shows like are done on ESPN or Fox Sports. I can remember college sports starting earlier on Saturdays before E/I was put in place. That would be better than news or infomercials to me.
 
TheBigA said:
We've discussed this here before...the issue isn't the amount of children's programming, but the amount of advertising that was permitted. O'Rielly is correct in saying the rules have led to less children's programming on commercial TV. Not sure that removing the rules will change that. No question that PBS remains the one consistent source for free children's programming.
Click to expand...

I would have to agree with that. If the rules are removed the stations are not going to go back to their prior levels of childrens' programming. They are going to go with something that is more profitable (or, in the case of subchannel diginets they will no longer have to break format with a block of E/I programming).

When programming for children got going in the 50's and 60's it was primarily to provide an advertising vehicle for cereal, candy, toys, etc. In hindsight it was probably the earlier generation of activists who objected to this who killed it.
 
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Prescott Joe said:
This not only affects the quantity of children's' programming but the quality as well. Let's show more violent shootings, more dissension, more weird behavior and then wonder why the world and especially children are the way they are...............
Click to expand...

What? What does that even mean?

Kids are not starved for content. PBS is outstanding. Digital and cable/satellite services and the web offer a near limitless array of choices. It may require more effort to sort through the myriad options, but what happens for three hours on a
weekend morning is not the make-or-break issue for the well-being of a generation.
 
Prescott Joe said:
This not only affects the quantity of children's' programming but the quality as well. Let's show more violent shootings, more dissension, more weird behavior and then wonder why the world and especially children are the way they are...............
Click to expand...

I would think loosening the KidVid rules, or eliminating them completely, would actually improve the quality of educational television. We’ve got the smaller syndicators pitching shows that might be educational, but not enjoyable (or even professionally produced). If there wasn’t so many slots for “E/I” programming on subchannels and smaller independent stations, etc., the bad product would just fade away.
 
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