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TV Execs Say 'Family Hour' Is a Relic
At Paley Center symposium, the notion of "Cosby Show" demand is quickly dismissed.
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Since Arsenio Hall's groundbreaking show went off the air in the late 1990s, others have tried to diversify the late-night airwaves, with mixed results. Three new shows are tackling the issue again. Read more.
The unfulfilled demand for a TV "family hour" represents the biggest missed opportunity in Hollywood today.
That was the major message put forth by the Association of National Advertisers Tuesday, as the trade organization made up of the 40 biggest advertisers in the U.S. hosted it's fifth annual Alliance for Family Entertainment Symposium.
The response from top TV writers and executives on hand for three separate panels at the Paley Center event: Like a lot of things in the modern, fragmented TV business, a family hour might be a thing of the past, a victim of DVR usage and platform dispersion.
"The experience of a nuclear family sitting around in the same place at the same time might be a throwback," said Ali LeRoi, executive producer of the CW comedy "Everybody Hates Chris," speaking on a broad-ranging TV writers panel that only intermittently addressed the ANA's family-friendly topic.
"I think the real question is, are kids watching shows that are (really) appropriate for adults?" added "Lost" co-creator Damon Lindelof. "I know I don't want to watch "The Hills."
According to Paul Lee, president of ABC Family, his network's biggest hit, "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," represents a new model in which family-targeted shows are consumed in different ways by family members."
"Since it's online and on iTunes, 'Secret Life of the American Teenager' is watched by parents and their kids, but not at the same time and not in the same place."
For her part, CW entertainment president Dawn Ostroff said the goal stated in the ANA's symposium introduction Tuesday -- develop more shows like "The Cosby Show" -- is unrealistic in this era.
"Since we target women 18-34, family can take on so many things," Ostroff said.
"(Divorce-themes) shows like "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and "Gary Unmarried" merely reflect a different family dynamic," added CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler.
Fox Broadcasting entertainment president Kevin Reilly, meanwhile, noted that "The Simpsons" -- the scourge of conservative watchdog groups like the Parents Television Council in years past -- is now considered by many to be family friendly.
"That show has done more to influence the American family than any other show on television," agreed his ABC counterpart, Stephen McPherson.
For their part, ANA-affiliated advertisers don't seem to be buying into the notion that the networks are simply reflecting a new vision of the American family that's moved past "The Cosbys."
On Tuesday, the organization announced the creation of a fund to support the Humanitas screenwriting group in the creation of family-friendly fare.
"We took a look around and said, maybe we need to be proactive,"said ANA exec VP Barbara Bacci Mirque. "Maybe we need to go to the source."
Comments
Roger Says
In our family, our kids (ages 6 - 12) are not allowed to watch anything on TV after 7 PM (Dinner time) except on weekends. There is nothing worth watching on the broadcast channels, or at least there is nothing that is appropriate for them.
Chris Ramos Says
I agree with Barry. The "family hour" audience will be there no matter what. It's just that it's no longer mainstream, but just another niche. And for some reason the network execs think that the rules of the 80's and early 90's don't apply anymore. Well, they still do to a certain degree. Content is still content. Quality is still quality. Values will always be values. The family hour should make a comeback.
Susan Says
I think Family Hour is a great idea, whether it comes at 7:00 or 8:00. But Paul, you are angry at east and west coasts for no reason. And you are contradicting yourself. You don't want the Family Hour at 7:00 because it is too early for kids doing their homework who then must watch adult shows at 8 and 9. So you want Family Hour shows at 8, right? Well, if Family Hour existed, that's where it would be--at 8:00, right where you want it, if you were in sync with the big bad Coasts and started your prime time shows at 8, like they do. "Flyover Country" has created the problem for itself by making Prime Time start at 7:00. Also, prime time shows (even the 'live' ones like "Dancing With The Stars") are 'fed' from Los Angeles earlier in the day to local stations to broadcast at the appropriate time, so they could play them in any order or time they wanted. Your complaints should be directed at your local stations not the wicked big city folks who you think are discriminating against you.
Earl Says
Do you think that families are no longer interested in watching quality family programing? Teleivison family hour has become a thing of the past not because of lifesyle changes, it's a relic because family appropriate programs are no longer produced. Like many, our family has chosen to turn off the TV and spend our flat screen hour watching programs available to us through different avenues such as Netflicks. When the TV does come on, we track toward programs from the past (like Retro TV) over the warpped sense of reality programs of today.
Rick Aster Says
It can't really be "family hour" if you have to chain the children to the sofa to watch an outdated genre like situation comedy. If the Alliance for Family Entertainment Symposium was using "The Cosby Show" as its model of family entertainment, it is hard to believe they really intended to succeed.
Barry Says
This is utter garbage. There is an audience out there for family shows, or "family hour". If there is 'demand' for it, then there must be something!. And yet, these people running things, say there isn't and ignore it. But there is!. A lot of people thought the family sitcoms from the 80's were unrealistic too, and they were huge hits!. Not everything has to be edgy. Not everything has to be doctors, lawyers, cops, and reality shows, and another 1,000 carbon copies just like them. The problem isn't that the family hour is a 'relic', or that there isn't an audience, the problem is that the people calling the shots have no real clue. TV is in a sad state, and after reading this, it doesn't look like it's going to get much better.
Doug Says
How stupid. There can never be a family hour as long as time zones divide the country. Cosby aired at 7 o'clock local time in the Central Time Zone, much too early for many families with kids in early evening lessons. Those same kids saw more adult-oriented comedies and dramas at 8 and 9 o'clock, but the policy makers and network bosses all live on the east coast and Hollywood is on the west coast, both of which consider 8 o'clock the family hour. Thus, they are blind to real life in flyover country.
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