Alan Alda discusses censorship on MASH - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG
FoundationINTERVIEWS・7 minutes read
Television networks historically faced political influence on censorship, leading to self-censorship among artists to avoid external control. Despite initial strict regulations, creative freedom eventually increased, with rules on language use and a Family Hour initiative facing backlash and eventual discontinuation.
Insights
- Politicians historically influenced TV censorship through networks' standards and practices, particularly regarding sex and violence, impacting content creation.
- Networks imposed strict censorship on TV shows initially but later allowed more creative freedom, enforcing rules on language use, like limiting profanities, leading to innovative solutions by writers and artists.
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Recent questions
How did networks handle censorship historically?
Networks had an office of standards and practices for censorship, influenced by politicians to control TV content, especially regarding sex and violence. Self-censorship was encouraged to avoid external censorship.
What restrictions were imposed on TV shows initially?
Initially, stringent censorship was imposed on TV shows, leading to limitations on language use, such as censoring the word "virgin" and regulating profanity.
How did networks enforce rules on language use?
Networks enforced rules on language use by limiting the number of profanities allowed per episode and censoring certain words, prompting writers to find creative workarounds.
Why was The Family Hour introduced and what happened to it?
The Family Hour was introduced due to congressional pressure for family-friendly TV content but faced backlash and was eventually discontinued, highlighting ongoing concerns about censorship in television.
How were artists and writers pressured in censorship?
Artists and writers were pressured to collaborate in censoring content to avoid external censorship, leading to self-censorship being encouraged by networks.
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Summary
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Evolution of TV Censorship: From Restrictions to Freedom
- Networks had an office of standards and practices for censorship, historically influenced by politicians to control TV content, particularly regarding sex and violence.
- Self-censorship was encouraged by networks to avoid external censorship, with artists and writers pressured to collaborate in censoring content.
- Initially, stringent censorship was imposed on TV shows, but success led to more creative freedom, with examples like censoring the word "virgin" and regulating the use of profanity.
- Networks enforced rules on language use, limiting the number of profanities allowed per episode and censoring certain words, leading to creative workarounds by writers.
- The Family Hour, a period of family-friendly TV content, was introduced due to congressional pressure, but faced backlash and was eventually discontinued, highlighting ongoing concerns about censorship in television.
