Student Scholarship

Document Type

Research Paper

Abstract

This research project, presented in January 1961, examines the role of the Television Code of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in the self-regulation of the broadcasting industry. Established in 1951 and activated in 1952, the Code serves as a formalized clearing house for programming and advertising standards, aiming to protect the public from obscenity, libel, and breaches of good taste. The study details the administrative structure of the Television Code Review Board, which is responsible for maintaining a continuing review of programming, defining Code language, and managing subscriber compliance through monitoring and complaint screening. 

A significant portion of the document focuses on the industry's response to criticisms regarding excessive violence and the advertising of sensitive personal products. The NAB established the Personal Products Subcommittee to develop guideposts for the tasteful presentation of products such as laxatives and foundation garments, emphasizing the need for common sense and ethics to avoid repelling the viewer. The document highlights the delicate balance broadcasters must maintain between satisfying public interest, meeting government licensing requirements, and providing a variety of program fare that ranges from education to entertainment. 

The project concludes that self-regulation is a vital mechanism for preserving the freedom of the airwaves and preventing government censorship. While the confidential nature of the Code's enforcement sometimes obscures its effectiveness from the public, the author argues that the industry's commitment to high standards of decency and community responsibility is essential for the future of American television. Ultimately, the Television Code is presented as a symbolic and practical effort by broadcasters to police themselves and serve the diverse needs of the American home audience.

Research Highlights

  • The Problem: The broadcasting industry sought to establish a system of self-regulation to address public and congressional criticism regarding program content, advertising excesses, and the potential for government-imposed censorship. 

  • The Method: This research project analyzes the 1951 Television Code of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) through a review of its historical development, administrative structure, and enforcement via the Television Code Review Board and monitoring programs. 

  • Quantitative Finding: By the summer of 1960, the NAB monitored approximately 150,000 hours of programming and advertising; 75% of all Code violations were concentrated on 15% of the stations checked; as of 1961, the Code included 380 subscribing stations, three networks, and 23 film affiliates. 

  • Qualitative Finding: Consumer complaints centered on children's program content, excessive violence, and the advertising of alcoholic beverages or "intimately personal" products; the Television Code Review Board issued common-sense guideposts for sensitive advertising categories including cold remedies, foundation garments, and foot powders. 

  • Finding: The effectiveness of the Television Code relies on an "honor system" supported by the "Seal of Good Practice," which can be revoked for willful or gross violations of the established standards. 

Publication Date

1-1961

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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