However, when a movie airs on a network channel, numerous changes are made. The networks replace inappropriate language with less offensive words and they cut out other scenes or moments that may be insulting to the viewer. To examine those changes made by the network, a comparison was done between a pre-recorded video of Reality Bites and a video recording of Reality Bites from an airing on the ABC network a year ago. When movies air on television these days, a parental advisory warning or a notification of the changes made to the movie almost always precedes them. Airing on a Sunday night, and also on the Disney-owned ABC network Reality Bites was lead in by just such a warning.
Content is probably the biggest reason that many movies are edited for television.
Content can refer to foul and inappropriate language, as well as situations or scenes that may appear to be offensive to the average viewer. Reality Bites was one of these movies that was most affected by content editing. Whereas with some movies the network's judgement is questionable as to what is actually offensive or not, most of the alterations done for this movie are justifiable. There were some parts of scenes of Reality Bites that were edited based strictly on the context of the situation presented. One excluded bit of a scene, where many of the major characters are passing around a homemade pipe, made out of a soda can, is understandable given that it intimates the possibility of drug use.