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American Morning
Is Television Unsafe?
Aired August 14, 2001 - 10:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, now, back to a question we asked right before the break: Is it safe for families to watch television together?
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're about to find out. Let's check in with Jodi Ross in New York for "Showbiz."
HARRIS: Hi, Jodi.
JODI ROSS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Morning, Daryn and Leon. Hi, guys. And we will answer that question.
Hello, everyone. With hundreds of channels available, things on the small screen have gone through some big changes. With so many viewing choices, television has moved beyond the family-oriented shows of the '50s in order to accommodate every kind of audience. But some watchdog groups are less than pleased.
CNN's Lauren Hunter tell us if the family hour is a thing of the past.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "FATHER KNOWS BEST")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Jim, be careful! You'll hurt yourself!
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Me, Anderson the ox?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAUREN HUNTER CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For decades, three TV networks were the only game in town and families gathered around the set to watch shows such as "Father Knows Best." But today's prime-time lineup is as diverse as its audience.
One hundred channels provide shows to satisfy every taste, programming that alarms one TV watchdog group.
BRENT BOZELL, PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL: The face of the so-called family hour has changed dramatically. It's an ugly, ugly sight.
HUNTER: The Parents Television Council calls the 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. prime-time slot the sour hour, with shows like "Boston Public," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Friends" on their list of worst shows. The PTC has asked broadcast networks to voluntarily create a family-friendly hour of viewing each night, but some critics say there hasn't been a family hour on TV in more than a decade.
MERYL MARSHALL DANIELS, TELEVISION ACADEMY: Between the Internet, videocassettes, DVDs, the ability to reschedule programming, Tivo, Replay, all kinds of technologies, what is shown at one particular moment in time is not the definitive answer of what is available to a family for entertainment.
MARK SCHWED, "TV GUIDE": We are in the golden age of family viewing. There are now 100 channels -- some of them, all 24 hours a day suitable for children and families. We have far more programming on television now suitable for the whole family than we ever did back in the days when we had the so-called family hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "GILMORE GIRLS")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Ow, OK, I'm still attached to the head.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: OK, sorry. I'm a little worked up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTER: Last year a unique alliance was formed between networks and a group of 43 advertisers, called the Family-Friendly Programming Forum. The critically-acclaimed "Gilmore Girls" was its first effort.
ANDREA ALSTRUP, FAMILY FRIENDLY PROG. FORUM: The goal of the group is really to bring more opportunities for families to watch programming together.
HUNTER: Both "Gilmore Girls" and "Malcolm in the Middle" were recently honored at the forum's third annual family television awards.
JANE KACZMAREX, "MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE": I think that we depict, for the majority of America, what life in a household is really like.
HUNTER: The forum now works with CBS, NBC, ABC and the WB, providing seed money to fund development of family-friendly scripts, money that's reimbursed if the script becomes a pilot.
JORDAN LEVIN, ENTERTAINMENT PRES., THE WB: We bought about 10 more scripts. We shot about three more pilots. We got "Gilmore Girls" last season and this season we've got "Raising Dad." So it's been a very successful relationship.
HUNTER: The success of those shows is now up to viewers, as ratings determine which of this fall's 60+ series will succeed.
Lauren Hunter, CNN Entertainment News, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROSS: One new talk show that has a good chance to succeed is "Iyanla." Say that three times fast! The best-selling author and motivational speaker has loyal fans that include reigning talk queens Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters. We'll hear more from the new kid on the talk show block in one hour.
In New York, I'm Jodi Ross. Let's go back to Leon in Atlanta. Can you say that three times fast, Leon?
HARRIS: I don't think so. I'm not even going to try.
Jodi will check back with you later on.
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