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First day of "modern" commercial television.
FCC grants the first commercial TV license to WNBT-TV, New York, making it the first commercial television station in the United States. This date marks the first time that commercials and sponsors are allowed during television programs. -
First instance of television censorship.
NBC turns off the sound on a performance of “We’re Having a Baby” by Eddie Cantor because, according to NBC representatives, the song contains “objectionable” lyrics. -
First call for hearings on radio/TV content-House Resolution 278
First call for a government hearing to study “the extent to which the radio and television programs currently available … contain immoral and otherwise offensive matter, or place improper emphasis on crime, violence and corruption” (House Resolution 278). -
Senate Subcommittee hearings on TV effect on delinquency.
Senate Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency holds a number of hearings on television and its effect on delinquency.
The 1954 hearings, chaired by Sen. Estes Kefauver, D-Tenn., are the first to raise a possible link between TV violence and juvenile crime. -
FCC Chairman Minow characterizes TV as “a vast wasteland.”
New FCC Chairman Newton Minow makes a speech before the National Association of Broadcasters in which he characterizes television as “a vast wasteland.” This speech helps push the FCC and the issue of television violence back into the public eye. -
Johnson-Commission Causes/Prevention of Violence.
Five days after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, President Lyndon Johnson signs Executive Order 11412 establishing the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence. In remarks during the signing ceremony, Johnson asks the commission to consider questions including: “Are the seeds of violence nurtured through the public’s airwaves, the screens of neighborhood theatres, the news media, and other forms of communication from our leaders that reach the family and reach the you -
preliminary indication causality-viewing violence on television and aggressive behavior
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior, appointed by Surgeon General Dr. William Stewart at the request of Sen. John O. Pastore, D-R.I., issues its report from its one-year study “to state the present scientific knowledge about the effects of entertainment television on children’s behavior.” The committee finds “a preliminary and tentative indication of a causal relation between viewing violence on television and aggressive behavior; an indication that any such causa -
FCC “Report on the Broadcast of Violent, Indecent, and Obscene Material.”
The FCC, in response to congressional directives, releases “Report on the Broadcast of Violent, Indecent, and Obscene Material.” The FCC acknowledges that it has “received substantial evidence that parents, Congress, and others are deeply concerned” about violence on television and its effect on children. However, it states that “industry self-regulation is preferable to the adoption of rigid government standards” in part because of constitutional issues. -
“family viewing” hour-reduce amount of violent TV material
The National Association of Broadcasters and the three major networks, ABC, CBS and NBC, adopt the “family viewing” hour in an attempt to reduce the amount of violent and sexually oriented material on TV. In 1976 a federal court in California declares the family viewing hour unconstitutional because of FCC pressure on the networks to adopt the policy. (Although the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacates that ruling in 1979 on jurisdictional grounds, the family viewing hour is never reinstated -
“Involuntary subliminal television intoxication” insanity defense of 15-year-old murder defendant Ronny Zamora.
“Involuntary subliminal television intoxication” is used as the basis for the insanity defense of 15-year-old murder defendant Ronny Zamora. Ellis Rubin, Zamora’s lawyer, claims his client was electronically “brainwashed” and did not realize he was committing murder, owing to his prolonged exposure to violent television shows. Zamora is convicted on all counts. -
reports caution television violence contributes to actual violence.
Several published reports specifically state or caution that television violence contributes to actual violence. The publishing institutions include the National Institute of Mental Health, the Attorney General’s Task Force on Family Violence, the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Critics identify many flaws in the studies, noting that the studies do not conclusively establish a causal link between TV violence and actual violence. Seven separate hearings -
“artificial rape” scene in a network broadcast of the movie “Born Innocent,”
State appeals court ruling in Olivia N. v. NBC. Olivia N. had sued NBC in 1977 for damages for injuries suffered after a group of minors “artificially raped” her with a bottle. Olivia N. alleged that her attackers had viewed and discussed the “artificial rape” scene in a network broadcast of the movie “Born Innocent,” and that the film caused them to commit their act. After the originally filed case was improperly dismissed by the trial judge, a new trial was ordered, but the case was again dism -
The Television Program Improvement Act first legislation re. TV violence to be signed into law
The Television Program Improvement Act is the first legislation dealing with TV violence to be signed into law, on Dec. 1, 1990. The law gives the TV networks a three-year exemption from the 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act, allowing them to hold joint discussions for the sole purpose of “developing and disseminating voluntary guidelines to alleviate the negative impact of” TV violence. In 1992 the networks send a letter to Sen. Paul Simon, D-Ill., the sponsor of the Television Program Improvement Ac -
“Due to some violent content, parental discretion is advised.”
During another round of congressional hearings about violence on TV, executives from the major television networks announce plans to include a warning on programs that broadcasters judge to be too violent for children: “Due to some violent content, parental discretion is advised.” -
Telecommunications Act of 1996 is signed into law/V-Chip 1/1/00
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is signed into law. It mandates that the broadcasting industry develop a rating system to identify sexual, violent or other indecent programming. It also requires TV manufacturers to install the V-chip in all newly manufactured sets by Jan. 1, 2000. -
Telecommunications Act mandate “TV Parental Guidelines.”
In response to the Telecommunications Act mandate, broadcasters implement the “TV Parental Guidelines.” These constitute a program-rating system based on the age-appropriateness of different types of shows, rather than on specific contents of programs.. -
FTC report “Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children.”
The The Federal Trade Commission releases a report, “Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children.” In Appendix A, “A ReviIn Appendix A, “A Review of Research on the Impact of Violence in Entertainment Media,” the FTC says: “Most researchers and investigators agree that exposure to media violence alone does not cause a child to commit a violent act, and that it is not the sole, or even necessarily the most important, factor contributing to youth aggression, anti-social attitudes, and violence.” -
S.161,Children Protection from Violent Programming Act.
Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., introduces S. 161, the Children’s Protection from Violent Programming Act. The bill directs the FCC to review and assess the effectiveness of the rating and blocking measures in use. The bill also authorizes the FCC, if it finds the measures ineffective, to prohibit violent programming during the hours when children would make up a substantial part of the viewing audience. The bill dies in committee but is tacked on to S. 2056, the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act -
Excessively Violent Programming Control Act of 2005.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., introduces S. 616, the Indecent and Gratuitous and Excessively Violent Programming Control Act of 2005. The bill would allow the FCC to regulate, for the first time, cable and satellite television and also allow it to regulate violence on regular broadcast television. The measure is referred to the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, where it dies. -
FTC 5th report "Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children."
The Federal Trade Commission releases its fifth follow-up report on "Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children." Though the FTC is mainly concerned with movies, music and electronic games, its findings on violence in media are relevant. The FTC concludes, “Given important First Amendment considerations, the Commission supports private sector initiatives by industry and individual companies” to control minors’ access to media with violent content. Also in Appendix A of the report, “The First Am -
FCC eport, “In the Matter of Violent Television and Its Impact on Children.”
The FCC releases a report, “In the Matter of Violent Television and Its Impact on Children.” This is the report requested in 2004. Among its conclusions: (1) exposure to violence in the media can increase aggressive behavior in children; (2) although there are constitutional barriers to regulating violent programming, the courts have said indecent programming can be regulated (in other words, if violence could be equated with indecency, then violent content could be regulated); (3) current “fixe -
Senate Committee hearing-impact of violent TV programming on children,
The Senate Commerce Committee holds a hearing on issues related to the impact of violent television programming on children, including issues raised by the latest FCC report. on children, including issues raised by the latest FCC report.