Who killed TV “family hour”?

A new Parents Television Council report bemoans the supposed demise of the TV “Family Hour.” This response essay by Adam Thierer sets the record straight on this silly notion.

If you were born in an earlier generation, when broadcast television still dominated America’s media landscape, the family hour might still seem like a big deal. At that time—not so long ago—just about the only shows for kids to watch aired during the early evening. But the days of media scarcity passed away with disco and bell bottoms. Once cable TV and VCRs came along, a viewing revolution began that upended the entire video marketplace.

Adam goes on to outine the proliferation of new media available to kids in years since, and describes his “customization” of one designated TV/DVR entirely for his children. His answer to “who killed the broadcast TV family hour? “[P]arents like me!”