Opinion ID: 421804
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Commission's Policy on Children's Programming

Text: 3 In 1974, the FCC, after a lengthy rulemaking, issued a Children's Television Report and Policy Statement (Children's Policy Statement) in which it outlined broadcasters' duty to provide children's programming. 50 F.C.C.2d 1 (1974), reconsid. denied, 55 F.C.C.2d 691 (1975). 1 4 The FCC found that broadcasters have a special obligation to serve children, 50 F.C.C.2d at 5, but declined to establish numerical requirements for what quantity of children's programming would satisfy that obligation. The Commission decided instead to consider on an ad hoc basis whether TV stations were devoting enough time to children's shows. Id. at 6 (footnote omitted). The Commission emphasized, however, that: 5 [W]e do expect stations to make a meaningful effort in this area.... [A] few stations present no programs at all for children. We trust that this Report will make it clear that such performance will not be acceptable.... 6 Id. 7 The Commission also expressed concern over the tendency on the part of many stations to confine all or most of their children's programming to Saturday and Sunday mornings and the relative absence of weekday programming. Id. at 8. While it again declined to adopt a specific scheduling rule, the Commission explained that: 8 [I]t is [not] a reasonable scheduling practice to relegate all [children's] programming ... to one or two days ... [and] we do expect to see considerable improvement in scheduling practices in the future. 9 Id. In short, the Commission expected television stations to provide weekday children's programming, but did not specify how much or what kind.