Does Anybody Else Hate the "E/I" Children's Television Rule

[TMC]

I'm pretty sure that was a contributing factor in why The CW is going to do away with Kids' WB in the coming year or so. It's Here's some background info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weekday_cartoon#Decline

That year, Congress passed—and then-President Bill Clinton signed into law—the Telecommunications Act of 1996, relaxing radio and television ownership limits. But it would regulate children's television substantially. All television stations would be required to air three hours of educational and informative ("E/I") children's programming. With a few exceptions, however, the weekday cartoons were not considered E/I under the requirements. Also, the Federal Communications Commission regulated content in advertising, making selling such programming difficult on over-the-air stations. Cable channels would not be as regulated. In 1997, the decline of the weekday cartoon began. FCC regulations in children's programming resulted in complaints from local affiliates in terms of ability to make money airing cartoons.

Regardless of the new regulations, UPN attempted to run a teen sitcom block in 1997, only to end the following year. Warner Brothers would stop syndicating their vintage theatrical and made-for-TV cartoons to local stations in 1997, relegating those to cable. They still continued their Kids' WB! block for their affiliates.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturda...rning_cartoons

While animated production is still present on most broadcast networks on Saturday mornings, it has been noticeably reduced. Because of FCC-mandated regulations that began in the mid-1990s, broadcast stations were forced to program a minimum of three hours of children's educational/informational ("E/I") programming.

To help their affiliates comply with the regulations, broadcast networks began to reorganize their efforts to adhere to the mandates, so its affiliates wouldn't bear the burden of scheduling the shows themselves on their own time. NBC abandoned its Saturday morning cartoon lineup in 1992, replacing it with a Saturday morning edition of The Today Show and added an all live-action teen-oriented block, TNBC, which featured Saved By The Bell, California Dreams, and other teen comedies. Even though the educational content was minimal to nonexistent, NBC labelled all the live-action shows with an E/I rating.

CBS followed NBC's example by producing a Saturday edition of The Early Show in the first two hours of its lineup and an all live-action block of children's programming. The experiment lasted a few months, and CBS brought back their animated CBS Storybreak series.

In 2004, ABC was the last of the broadcast networks to add a Saturday morning edition of their morning news program, Good Morning America in the first hour of its lineup. Prior to that, especially through the 1990s, it was not uncommon for ABC affiliates to preempt part or all of ABC's cartoon lineup with local news programming.

"Netlets" like Fox and The WB carried little or no E/I programming, leaving the responsibility of scheduling the E/I shows to the affiliates themselves.

It really agonizes me because personally, I don't want the government to dictate how television networks and/or stations should conduct their business operations. They want to make money first and for most, not raise your children. It's the whole latch-key kid effect in which, television (we already have PBS to teach our children) is now obligated to do the educating instead of the parents and school teachers.

Don't get me wrong, cable television is another major factor in why Saturday morning programming as gradually gone downhill in the past 10-15 years. But I feel that the FCC rules has only made things happen much, much sooner.

[Ireneparalegal]

Ohhhhhhkay. That is why when I see certain shows on channels I see in the prominently in the corner screen E/I. I always wondered what that stood for / meant.

[catlover79]

I never knew what it meant either. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Ireneparalegal]

I was changing the channel and Saved By The Bell had the E/I thingy in the corner! Educational television????

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I was changing the channel and Saved By The Bell had the E/I thingy in the corner! Educational television????

I saw this crap for the first time a few weeks ago on World Harvest Television during Daniel Boone and The Lone Ranger. These shows are shown uncut and I wanted to record Daniel Boone but I can't with that stupid E/I in the corner.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

I saw this crap for the first time a few weeks ago on World Harvest Television during Daniel Boone and The Lone Ranger. These shows are shown uncut and I wanted to record Daniel Boone but I can't with that stupid E/I in the corner.

Why is that? Does it ruin the quality of it for you?

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Why is that? Does it ruin the quality of it for you?

I just find it annoying along with logos, ratings, voiceovers and split-screen credits which thankfully WHT doesn't do.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

I just find it annoying along with logos, ratings, voiceovers and split-screen credits which thankfully WHT doesn't do.

Yeah, I hate those things too. The other day I was watching a movie and as that movie's closing credits were showing, suddenly the screen squeezed down to half its size and above the closing credits, the OPENING CREDITS of the next movie were showing. God, why can't they just let movies run their course (or shows for that matter) before starting the next one? That is what happens when they squeeze in too many commercials.

[friendsfan77]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I was changing the channel and Saved By The Bell had the E/I thingy in the corner! Educational television????

This is one of the bigger reasons why I hate this stuff. It's put on stuff that you wouldn't find educational and/or informational. I'm not gonna learn anything watching an episode of That's So Raven.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by friendsfan77

This is one of the bigger reasons why I hate this stuff. It's put on stuff that you wouldn't find educational and/or informational. I'm not gonna learn anything watching an episode of That's So Raven.

Yeah, Saved By The Bell, although it was a hit and still is in reruns, I don't find it to be educational television. That is putting it on the same level as Sesame Street, Mister Rogers and all those wonderful kids' programs.

[DSfan]

that must be why SBTB has been on TBS for the last 15 years!

[dlemond]

If you actually care so much about your show, god knows you aren't waiting around to tape them off a station.

If you want to be angry about the government demanding some kiddy programs, i think it's your right, but you also have way too much free time.
You're getting mad at kid tv. Is something a little wrong here? Where's my Saved By The Bell? Well, besides it sucking, you can get in on DVD. ANd bitch all you want but in the middle of the day, when kids are around, i absolutely approve of shows for them.

Does anyone owe you anything?

And I understand the government dictating can inspire some rebuke, but your posturing is blatant, and you are just too unoccupied.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by dlemond

If you actually care so much about your show, god knows you aren't waiting around to tape them off a station.

If you want to be angry about the government demanding some kiddy programs, i think it's your right, but you also have way too much free time.
You're getting mad at kid tv. Is something a little wrong here? Where's my Saved By The Bell? Well, besides it sucking, you can get in on DVD. ANd bitch all you want but in the middle of the day, when kids are around, i absolutely approve of shows for them.

Does anyone owe you anything?

And I understand the government dictating can inspire some rebuke, but your posturing is blatant, and you are just too unoccupied.

I have no issue with the E/I in the screen as long as it's put there during programs for which it's warranted. Daniel Boone, Saved by the Bell and The Lone Ranger do not qualify as educational and informative programming as far as I'm concerned. Also, Most kids are in school during the middle of the day and should be studying not watching tv unless the program has some educational benefit.

I approve of shows for kids also but there's a proper time for it. Daniel Boone and The Lone Ranger air at 5 & 6pm Eastern and by that time kids are out of school and I guarantee you that most all of them have no interest in watching these programs. They're too busy with homework, video games and other things.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

I have no issue with the E/I in the screen as long as it's put there during programs for which it's warranted. Daniel Boone, Saved by the Bell and The Lone Ranger do not qualify as educational and informative programming as far as I'm concerned. Also, Most kids are in school during the middle of the day and should be studying not watching tv unless the program has some educational benefit.

I approve of shows for kids also but there's a proper time for it. Daniel Boone and The Lone Ranger air at 5 & 6pm Eastern and by that time kids are out of school and I guarantee you that most all of them have no interest in watching these programs. They're too busy with homework, video games and other things.

The thought of any child I know wanting to watch Daniel Boone or the Lone Ranger cracks me up. The only way they'd watch that would be if they were in a waiting room with no iPod, no hand held video game player, no magazines and the tv in that room was playing those shows.

Re-reading the poster's initial post again, I am now beginning to think that may be why certain shows we complain abt showing on certain channels are airing for the government regulations as stated above. I know I have complained at least on one occasion abt TBS airing Saved by the Bell too much. Since SBTB is considered "E/I" standards, that could be why it airs as much as I think it does. However, who is to say what is considered "educational"? Could the tv stations that air SBTB, merely be putting that "E/I" label on the show just to give them a reason to continue showing it?

[Scoobiedoo30]

I dont even know what E/I Means