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Show TV12—THE HERALD,Provo, Utah. Monday, June 1, 1981 Secondin a Series NetWorksTighten Reins on Sex, Violence in TV Viewing By CHUCK BINS This is the second in a series of articles examining the controversy over network programs and the effects of television on viewers. Since the Coalition for Better Television was formed earlier this year. high-ranking network executives have all denounced the Coalition's prospective advertiser boycott. calling their tactics everything from “a threat to democracy” to “‘censorship.” But if any group deserves thetitle of “censor” it is the networks themselves. and more specifically the standards and practices departments, for they are the primary gatekeepers. They decide whetheror not a particular scene conforms to what is within the boundaries of ‘good taste.”” The networksare rightfully upset becauseif the Coalition can persuade advertisers to pull out of particular series the Coalition deemsoffensive. it would effectively short-circuit the networks’ own censoring system. The rules and guidelines on programs that the him) or what kind of script changes have to be madefor Mork. rather than Mindy. to have a baby on “Mork and Mindy (They get married next year and move to Ork. whereit is perfectly natural for males to hatch their children) At each of the three networks. The S&P departments are autonomous. organizationally insulated from the pressures of ratings and advertising and holding the ultimate say-so in anyediting decisions they make. If a change is madein responseto lagging Nielsen ratings (e.g. adding sevenlady truckers to “B.J. and the Bear’) that is a programming change,attributable to the Program Department The S&P departments are composed of people from various backgrounds — law. teaching. English. psychology. journalism. the social sciences, and early childhood education. These departments don't operate in a vacuum but also receive input from their own audience research departments and viewers mail (Your letters do count) While hundredsof highly subjective decisions are madeevery dayin these departments, they are not made capriciously. Ralph Daniels. NBC Vice President of Program Standards. explains how the S&P review procedure works. “As soon as the Program Department gets an’ idea for a script. we'll concurrently look at it and readit through and say. ‘yes, you can’or ‘you can’t” do that show, make a variety of suggestions. meet with the writers and say. ‘Here are the modifications which would makeit acceptableto us,’ Then we go through this long process, reviewing each version of the script. They (the production company) send back revisions until we can find the CLASSRINGS 10K Oversize (22.5 grams) BO*S BG”! Average (6.0grams)_ 145 29 oversize (20 grams)... 7 5! 99" large (15 grams) ..... 53° 74 “28 39 SILVER Knives, Forks, Spoons, Plates, Trays, Frames, Tea Sets, Trophies, etc.* Rates change cuts 2 '224.5301]$F TICENSED CONTRACTOR I 440 WEST CENTER . OREM LAWN PESTS ARE BEGINNING THEIR ACTIVITY AGAIN. HERE ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS: LAWN MOTHS Thelittle white moths that fly up when you walk across your lawn. Green worm-like young do damage. CONTROL ALL OF THESE PESTS WITH SCOTT'S LAWN INSECT CONTROL OR LAWN INSECT CONTROL & FERTILIZER LAWN INSECT CONTROL FERTILIZER LAWN INSECT CONTROL Reg. 22.95 Reg. 16.95 sae ®419% sae 14% SAVE $3.00 SAVE $2.00 WE HAVEA LARGE SELECTION OF “it ks a fmoned Toxco Sterling 925 999 FRUIT & SHADE TREES, ROSES JUST IN Limited to those on hand. 100% Guarantee. fluxuation. | ACME FENCE CO. oi Hank Savage Sez: RENE WEDDING BANDS 10K 14K according to daily market eee 14K 1] Ve large (17.5 grams)... 6957 Window Guards FREE ESTIMATES 798 $. State, Orem New to the area. Onepositive identification in east Orem. Small aphid-like insect injects poison in grass andkillsit. —_ © Gates well “Because we deal with the suppliersall the time. they know whatwe want. Particularly from an outContunued on Page 14 Discount to SeniorCitizens 225-7550 CHINCH BUGS average (8 grams) elronwood Fences , ©Ornamental Iron anykindoffinal word. we havethe final say-so. And manytimes, what they want serves our purposes as Prompt Service Shop or Home Small white grubs which are mostactive in hot areas chew roots off of grass. Has been a bad problem in most areasof the valley. directly, since the networks are not licensed by the ultimately decide,for example, under what circumstancesit's 0.K.to show Schneider's girlfriend puffing on a joint on “One Day at a Time” (Schneider refuses and later decides the girl is too young for “Separately. the Program Departmentis reviewing and revising for dramatic reasons and if there’s a conflict between what they want and “shat we want. wetry to negotiate that out. And 1 there's GOODWILL TV BILL BUGS, GRUBS self-regulation. The Communications Act of 1934 specifically prohibits the Federal Communications Commisson (FCC) from censoring broadcast programming. although the FCC canlevy fines on stations that have broadcast obscene or indecent language. (This only applies to the networks in- as advisors or editors than censors,it is they who cut Revie Procedure networks have adopted were borne out of industry FCC. but feed their licensed affiliates with programming — showstheaffilates can ultimately turn down.) In the famous Red Lion Broadcasting vs. FCC decision in 1938, the Supreme Court ruled that broadcasters are public trustees with fiduciary responsibilities to their communities. As public trustees, broadcasters were left to govern themselves, and what's left to protect the public are the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Code and the broadcasters’ own guidelines. At the networks,it is the Standard and Practices (S&P) rtments which hold this fiduciary responsibility to the public. The editors in these departments, read scripts. screen shows and write reports for thousands of programs (and commercials). Although they tend to see themselves more script we can agree on... then they shootit or tape it Then there are the dailies (clips from the day's shoot) from the West Coast. and we look at those dailies. Particularly,if it's a very sensitive show. if there's violence in it or it’s a docu-drama. our editors are onthe scene rightthereuntilit’s a rough ie vo @4 the expediter = 6 A ® 213 North 100 East Provo, Utah 84601 2, o Sat. 8:0 a.m.-6:00 p.m. On the Orem-Provo Hill by the Garomat “\\__880 West 1850 N., Prove — 375-4844 |