In sitcoms was ABC trying to gain a family friendly image in the 80's/90's?

[Hawkee]

During the 80's and 90's it seemed that in sitcoms ABC was number one sitcom king and had loads of sitcoms that were aimed at families and so it makes me think that ABC was starting a family-friendly sitcom image. When you look at the general picture when Growing Pains debuted in 1985 it was praised for being a family friendly sitcom that showcased the family of the 1980's and with Alan Thicke as Jason Seaver Alan was a positive role model for TV dads. When Full House debuted in 1987 it showed that some family styles were different and just like Jason Seaver Danny Tanner was also a role model for many fathers with daughters. When the 90's came ABC still showed their family-friendly sitcom image with Family Matters which if you look at the first season which debuted in 1989 you can see why they chose Louis Armstrong's What A Wonderful World as a theme song because when families get closer to each other it truly is a wonderful world and Family Matters served it's wholesome messages. But when Step By Step debuted in 1991 it showed a brand new step that ABC was heading toward with family sitcoms and when Thunder Alley debuted the same message was repeated. It is a shock that ABC hasn't had a family friendly sitcom since My Wife And Kids ended it's run and ABC should develop family friendly sitcoms again that are wholesome
Bestie

[jason88cubs]

I would say yes and I feel they had success with it

[Route66Fan]

This reminded me that, around 1994, ABC aired some PSA's with Susanne Somers, from Step by Step, promoting how to find ABC's family friendly shows. Here is one of those PSA's.

[Mace Dolex]

TGIF is proof of the family friendly sitcom and while it was successful it also proved to be its failure as too many more shows with bland sappy writing on competing networks produced lots of garbage.

[Frank Gannucci]

Originally Posted by Route66Fan

This reminded me that, around 1994, ABC aired some PSA's with Susanne Somers, from Step by Step, promoting how to find ABC's family friendly shows. Here is one of those PSA's.

This practice that ABC adapted for people finding family friendly shows predated the Parental TV Ratings system by a few years. I think when the Parental TV Ratings were introduced, ABC realized their own system for people looking for family friendly shows wasn’t needed anymore.