WASHINGTON — Once home to wholesome fare such as "The Waltons" and "The Cosby Show," the early evening "family hour" has become just another seedy destination on broadcast TV unfit for kids, according to a study released Wednesday by a watchdog group that could fuel the push for tougher regulation of the public airwaves.
Sex and violence during the early prime-time slot have increased significantly during the last six years, the Parents Television Council found. And although use of foul language has decreased, stronger words are more plentiful and are bleeped out in a way that enables children to easily fill in the blanks.
"There is no longer a family hour," said Timothy Winter, the group's president. "For people who grew up watching "The Cosby Show" or "The Wonderful World of Disney" . . . those days are gone."
For years, broadcasters voluntarily reserved the time slot from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday -- and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday -- for programs suitable for children. But the family hour began changing 25 years ago when the National Assn. of Broadcasters' code of conduct was struck down because of antitrust concerns.
Winter hopes his group's findings will pressure networks to clean up their early evening programs.
"This is the perfect opportunity to look squarely at the facts, step up and say, 'We've gone awry and we should restore it,' " Winter said of the family hour.
The study is one of three conducted this year by the Parents Television Council.
But broadcasters say the family hour is an outdated notion. With children-oriented cable and satellite channels and the ability to watch recorded shows and DVDs, families have many other options during those times. The solution is parental involvement and blocking technologies such as the V-chip, not more regulation, said Jim Dyke, executive director of TV Watch, a coalition formed by broadcasters and other groups opposed to more regulation of television.
"Parents need to ensure that their kids are watching what's appropriate for them -- not for just one hour but all day," Dyke said.
The Parents Television Council's study could help some in Congress as they try to crack down on blood and mayhem on TV. Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.) is drafting a bill that would allow the Federal Communications Commission to regulate violence on broadcast as well as cable TV.
