The Final Curtain for Classic TV
The Final Curtain for Classic TV
“It was the year CBS killed everything with a tree in it.”
- Pat Buttram, aka Mr. Haney from “Green Acres”, on the Rural Purge (of 1971)
The 1970-71 season is usually regarded as the final season of classic television, because it marked a number of important milestones for the medium. First and foremost, a brand new regulation was enacted that completely changed the nature of primetime network television.
This regulation, the Prime Time Access Rule (PTAR), continued the proud American tradition of antitrust legislation. In essence, it existed because there were only three broadcast networks on American television – and had been since 1956, as it happened; though, as was so often the case, it took the while for the law to catch up with the changing times. The PTAR enacted a number of new restrictions to prevent the three networks from exercising too much power over their affiliate stations – many of which were not (and, under already existing antitrust laws, could not be) owned and operated by them. It also prevented simultaneous control of broadcasters and syndicates [1], in anticipation of a relationship forming that would be analogous to that between the theatres and the studios in the Golden Age of Hollywood, outlawed by the Miracle Decision of 1952. But the most important aspect of the new regulations was the effect that it would have on the primetime network schedule: Starting on September 13, 1971, it would begin at 8:00, instead of the customary 7:30 (7:00 on Sundays). [2] This meant that each network would lose four hours of primetime, for a total of twelve lost hours on the weekly aggregate network schedule. Therefore, the standard round of cancellations at the end of the season would have to be more drastic than usual, given the premium on timeslots. NBC and ABC were forced to be discriminating in choosing which shows to renew. CBS, on the other hand…
CBS had an image problem. Though it was still the #1 network in terms of overall ratings, many of its most popular programs were considered over-the-hill; most of the hot, new shows with all the buzz were on the other two networks. And with all the buzz came the favourable demographics. A new paradigm had emerged among the mass of advertisers who funded the television industry: it just wasn’t enough to get eyeballs any more; they needed to be attached to young, affluent, and urban viewers, who weren’t watching CBS, derisively nicknamed the “Country Broadcasting System”. It was the network for old fogies and hayseed bumpkins. And this was a reputation would need to be overhauled in order to move forward. Enter Fred Silverman, the new Vice-President of Programming. Relatively young, and with an unusually keen talent for tapping into the zeitgeist, he had already set the network on the right track with “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, and more recently Those Were the Days. But taking a risk on new shows was only half the battle; as far as Silverman was concerned, those old shows that continued to hang around the network like an albatross needed to go, yesterday. There would be no sacred cows at the new CBS, and the PTAR provided a golden opportunity for him to put his radical plans into action.
Thus, the Rural Purge came into being. Under Silverman’s watch, at the conclusion of the 1970-71 season, virtually all programs that were perceived to appeal to primarily rural (or older) audiences were cancelled. Among the many shows on the chopping block were:
“Beverly Hillbillies”, which had been one of the highest-rated programs of the 1960s, along with sister series “Green Acres”. Additionally, the rural-tinged variety show “Hee Haw”, another cornerstone of the CBS Tuesday night lineup, got the axe; though it was successfully revived in first-run syndication, and would continue to run for many years thereafter. It also had the dubious distinction of being the top-rated casualty of the Purge, finishing in the Top 20 that season, and standing as proof positive of the value of viewer demographics.
“Family Affair” [3] and “Hogan’s Heroes”, neither of which had a rural setting, were both cancelled because of unfavourable demographics, particularly with regards to their decidedly “un-hip” reputations, and poor critical reviews. Tentative attempts were made to revive both shows, neither of which really went anywhere, much to the consternation of their legions of fans.
“Lassie”, the longest-running of the shows targeted by the Purge, having aired since 1955. The famous show about a boy and his dog, based on the beloved series of films, was considered unbelievably quaint and even trite. It, like “Hee Haw”, survived in first-run syndication. “Mayberry R.F.D.”, a spinoff of “The Andy Griffith Show”, was also eliminated, as was “The Jim Nabors Hour”, another variety show starring the one-time “Gomer Pyle” star. [4]
“Gunsmoke”, famously rescued from oblivion in 1967 by none other than the network CEO, William Paley, was finally cancelled for good, becoming perhaps the most notorious victim of the Rural Purge. [5] But it had fallen out of the Top 30, thanks to the tough competition from Star Trek, and even though that show would not be returning in the following season, Silverman’s mind was made up. This time, Paley did not come to his beloved program’s rescue. After 16 years, it was finally time to get the hell out of Dodge.
The combined factors of the PTAR and the Rural Purge would result in a completely revamped network schedule for CBS in the coming 1971-72 season, with a turnover of over 38% – or nearly two-fifths – from the previous season. [6] Without a doubt, Silverman’s solution to the problems facing the network was an extremely risky one, but with great risks, there would surely come great rewards. But when it came to bringing an era to a definite close, he was without question one of the primary agents responsible.
ABC and NBC, though far less comprehensive in meeting their own needs to make tough cancellation calls, also tended to eliminate shows with older, rural audiences. Lawrence Welk, Andy Williams, and Johnny Cash, all of whom hosted variety programs, saw their shows cancelled at the end of the season. Welk, like “Hee Haw” and “Lassie”, was able to continue in first-run syndication. Surprisingly enough, however, NBC did bring back all three of its flagship Western series, “Bonanza”, “The Virginian”, and “The High Chaparral”, for the following season. [7] This was in stark contrast to much of the other programming on its schedule, which would form the core of an emerging identity crisis for the network as it continued to move into the 1970s.
The combination of the PTAR and the Rural Purge resulted in a natural dividing line between what had come before and what would come after. This was complemented by several other, lesser milestones that only served to solidify the sense of two distinct “eras” of television.
Star Trek, one of the most popular and influential programs on television, fittingly ended its run in 1971 – July, as it happened, making it the final product of that season and, therefore, “The Last of the Classic TV shows”. This unique legacy was bolstered by its association with Desilu, which had also produced the pioneering “I Love Lucy”, and it was seen as fitting that the bounds of “Classic TV” were bookended by those two equally groundbreaking series. [8] In addition, several products from the twilight years of the Classic era would find prominence in the era of “Modern TV”, and indeed would come to define it: PBS, launched in 1970, would only gradually take shape as a cohesive network, with a strong brand of programming; “Mary Tyler Moore” and Those Were the Days, two shows that had a profound influence on much of the programming of the 1970s, and especially the shift in situation comedy from ridiculous and broad “madcap” plots to relatable, character-based stories. There were some enduring trends that bridged the gap between old and new, such as the continuing popularity of the science-fiction genre; but all things considered, there was a surprisingly potent air of finality involved for such an inherently fluid medium. It was truly the end of an age…
---
[1] This combination of syndicates independent of the networks, and a strong presence of unaffiliated stations (along with more free timeslots for those that did have a network affiliation) would result in the rise of the first-run syndication market; this became the first widespread method of disseminating original television programming that did not involve the conventional broadcast networks.
[2] The FCC allowed the networks to reclaim their lost hour of Sunday primetime in 1975 IOTL. On all nights of the week, primetime ends at 11:00, typically followed by the local nightly news, and then late night programming (in this era, that’s Johnny Carson on NBC, against all comers on the other two networks). Worth noting is that the concept of a “watershed” has never really existed in the United States.
[3] “Family Affair” was almost brought back by ABC IOTL, because it was considered along the same lines as “The Brady Bunch” and “The Partridge Family”. The Bradys never aired ITTL, and in their place we have “Barefoot in the Park”, about a young married couple. Therefore, “Family Affair” would be less attractive to ABC, though “The Partridge Family” did finish in the Top 30 for the 1970-71 season.
[4] “Mayberry R.F.D.” was the highest-rated casualty of the Purge IOTL, finishing at #15 for the 1970-71 season, and with that ranking still stands as one of the most popular shows ever to be cancelled in all of broadcast history. However, it only ran for three seasons, and followed in the footsteps of the beloved “Andy Griffith”, which explains its lack of staying power, even among classic TV buffs.
[5] “Gunsmoke” finished at #5 in the 1970-71 season IOTL, and indeed, had seen something of a renaissance in the ratings in the late 1960s. But with Star Trek as competition ITTL, this doesn’t happen. Indeed, it quickly became very clear that all the attractive viewers were watching Star Trek, and all the unattractive ones were watching “Gunsmoke”. IOTL, given the show’s much higher ratings, it survived until 1975, with every indication that it would continue for a twenty-first season until the very last minute. With an original run of 20 seasons, it set a record that was finally tied by Law & Order in 2010.
[6] That rate is calculated from eight new hours of programming out of twenty-one on the post-PTAR schedule. At eight hours out of twenty-five, measured according to the traditional schedule, that’s a turnover of “only” 32%. IOTL, the turnover was seven hours (one-third and 28%, respectively), given the survival of “Gunsmoke”.
[7] IOTL, both “The Virginian” (renamed “The Men from Shiloh”) and “The High Chaparral” were cancelled at the end of the 1970-71 season. Both had higher ratings ITTL, particularly “Chaparral”, which had an attractive berth at the end of the now-legendary NBC Monday night lineup from 1968 onward, and duly benefitted from that.
[8] This defines the bounds of “Classic TV” as being from 1951 – 1971. The era prior to that becomes known ITTL as “Experimental TV”, though many standards and conventions were firmly in place by the late 1940s. IOTL, the end of “Classic TV” is also traditionally defined as 1971, given the combined impact of the PTAR and the Rural Purge; but it was never as widely used as ITTL and, given all the time that has passed since then, the end boundary is continually shifting forward.
---
And thus ends the 1970-71 cycle! And if I were inclined to divide this timeline into "Parts", in the vein of epic novels, then this would be as good a place as any to mark the end of "Part I". Thank you all for your continued interest in this timeline! Please join me as we continue the story with an exploration of the 1971-72 cycle. Until then, may all your channel-surfing end with something worth watching
“It was the year CBS killed everything with a tree in it.”
- Pat Buttram, aka Mr. Haney from “Green Acres”, on the Rural Purge (of 1971)
The 1970-71 season is usually regarded as the final season of classic television, because it marked a number of important milestones for the medium. First and foremost, a brand new regulation was enacted that completely changed the nature of primetime network television.
This regulation, the Prime Time Access Rule (PTAR), continued the proud American tradition of antitrust legislation. In essence, it existed because there were only three broadcast networks on American television – and had been since 1956, as it happened; though, as was so often the case, it took the while for the law to catch up with the changing times. The PTAR enacted a number of new restrictions to prevent the three networks from exercising too much power over their affiliate stations – many of which were not (and, under already existing antitrust laws, could not be) owned and operated by them. It also prevented simultaneous control of broadcasters and syndicates [1], in anticipation of a relationship forming that would be analogous to that between the theatres and the studios in the Golden Age of Hollywood, outlawed by the Miracle Decision of 1952. But the most important aspect of the new regulations was the effect that it would have on the primetime network schedule: Starting on September 13, 1971, it would begin at 8:00, instead of the customary 7:30 (7:00 on Sundays). [2] This meant that each network would lose four hours of primetime, for a total of twelve lost hours on the weekly aggregate network schedule. Therefore, the standard round of cancellations at the end of the season would have to be more drastic than usual, given the premium on timeslots. NBC and ABC were forced to be discriminating in choosing which shows to renew. CBS, on the other hand…
CBS had an image problem. Though it was still the #1 network in terms of overall ratings, many of its most popular programs were considered over-the-hill; most of the hot, new shows with all the buzz were on the other two networks. And with all the buzz came the favourable demographics. A new paradigm had emerged among the mass of advertisers who funded the television industry: it just wasn’t enough to get eyeballs any more; they needed to be attached to young, affluent, and urban viewers, who weren’t watching CBS, derisively nicknamed the “Country Broadcasting System”. It was the network for old fogies and hayseed bumpkins. And this was a reputation would need to be overhauled in order to move forward. Enter Fred Silverman, the new Vice-President of Programming. Relatively young, and with an unusually keen talent for tapping into the zeitgeist, he had already set the network on the right track with “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, and more recently Those Were the Days. But taking a risk on new shows was only half the battle; as far as Silverman was concerned, those old shows that continued to hang around the network like an albatross needed to go, yesterday. There would be no sacred cows at the new CBS, and the PTAR provided a golden opportunity for him to put his radical plans into action.
Thus, the Rural Purge came into being. Under Silverman’s watch, at the conclusion of the 1970-71 season, virtually all programs that were perceived to appeal to primarily rural (or older) audiences were cancelled. Among the many shows on the chopping block were:
“Beverly Hillbillies”, which had been one of the highest-rated programs of the 1960s, along with sister series “Green Acres”. Additionally, the rural-tinged variety show “Hee Haw”, another cornerstone of the CBS Tuesday night lineup, got the axe; though it was successfully revived in first-run syndication, and would continue to run for many years thereafter. It also had the dubious distinction of being the top-rated casualty of the Purge, finishing in the Top 20 that season, and standing as proof positive of the value of viewer demographics.
“Family Affair” [3] and “Hogan’s Heroes”, neither of which had a rural setting, were both cancelled because of unfavourable demographics, particularly with regards to their decidedly “un-hip” reputations, and poor critical reviews. Tentative attempts were made to revive both shows, neither of which really went anywhere, much to the consternation of their legions of fans.
“Lassie”, the longest-running of the shows targeted by the Purge, having aired since 1955. The famous show about a boy and his dog, based on the beloved series of films, was considered unbelievably quaint and even trite. It, like “Hee Haw”, survived in first-run syndication. “Mayberry R.F.D.”, a spinoff of “The Andy Griffith Show”, was also eliminated, as was “The Jim Nabors Hour”, another variety show starring the one-time “Gomer Pyle” star. [4]
“Gunsmoke”, famously rescued from oblivion in 1967 by none other than the network CEO, William Paley, was finally cancelled for good, becoming perhaps the most notorious victim of the Rural Purge. [5] But it had fallen out of the Top 30, thanks to the tough competition from Star Trek, and even though that show would not be returning in the following season, Silverman’s mind was made up. This time, Paley did not come to his beloved program’s rescue. After 16 years, it was finally time to get the hell out of Dodge.
The combined factors of the PTAR and the Rural Purge would result in a completely revamped network schedule for CBS in the coming 1971-72 season, with a turnover of over 38% – or nearly two-fifths – from the previous season. [6] Without a doubt, Silverman’s solution to the problems facing the network was an extremely risky one, but with great risks, there would surely come great rewards. But when it came to bringing an era to a definite close, he was without question one of the primary agents responsible.
ABC and NBC, though far less comprehensive in meeting their own needs to make tough cancellation calls, also tended to eliminate shows with older, rural audiences. Lawrence Welk, Andy Williams, and Johnny Cash, all of whom hosted variety programs, saw their shows cancelled at the end of the season. Welk, like “Hee Haw” and “Lassie”, was able to continue in first-run syndication. Surprisingly enough, however, NBC did bring back all three of its flagship Western series, “Bonanza”, “The Virginian”, and “The High Chaparral”, for the following season. [7] This was in stark contrast to much of the other programming on its schedule, which would form the core of an emerging identity crisis for the network as it continued to move into the 1970s.
The combination of the PTAR and the Rural Purge resulted in a natural dividing line between what had come before and what would come after. This was complemented by several other, lesser milestones that only served to solidify the sense of two distinct “eras” of television.
Star Trek, one of the most popular and influential programs on television, fittingly ended its run in 1971 – July, as it happened, making it the final product of that season and, therefore, “The Last of the Classic TV shows”. This unique legacy was bolstered by its association with Desilu, which had also produced the pioneering “I Love Lucy”, and it was seen as fitting that the bounds of “Classic TV” were bookended by those two equally groundbreaking series. [8] In addition, several products from the twilight years of the Classic era would find prominence in the era of “Modern TV”, and indeed would come to define it: PBS, launched in 1970, would only gradually take shape as a cohesive network, with a strong brand of programming; “Mary Tyler Moore” and Those Were the Days, two shows that had a profound influence on much of the programming of the 1970s, and especially the shift in situation comedy from ridiculous and broad “madcap” plots to relatable, character-based stories. There were some enduring trends that bridged the gap between old and new, such as the continuing popularity of the science-fiction genre; but all things considered, there was a surprisingly potent air of finality involved for such an inherently fluid medium. It was truly the end of an age…
---
[1] This combination of syndicates independent of the networks, and a strong presence of unaffiliated stations (along with more free timeslots for those that did have a network affiliation) would result in the rise of the first-run syndication market; this became the first widespread method of disseminating original television programming that did not involve the conventional broadcast networks.
[2] The FCC allowed the networks to reclaim their lost hour of Sunday primetime in 1975 IOTL. On all nights of the week, primetime ends at 11:00, typically followed by the local nightly news, and then late night programming (in this era, that’s Johnny Carson on NBC, against all comers on the other two networks). Worth noting is that the concept of a “watershed” has never really existed in the United States.
[3] “Family Affair” was almost brought back by ABC IOTL, because it was considered along the same lines as “The Brady Bunch” and “The Partridge Family”. The Bradys never aired ITTL, and in their place we have “Barefoot in the Park”, about a young married couple. Therefore, “Family Affair” would be less attractive to ABC, though “The Partridge Family” did finish in the Top 30 for the 1970-71 season.
[4] “Mayberry R.F.D.” was the highest-rated casualty of the Purge IOTL, finishing at #15 for the 1970-71 season, and with that ranking still stands as one of the most popular shows ever to be cancelled in all of broadcast history. However, it only ran for three seasons, and followed in the footsteps of the beloved “Andy Griffith”, which explains its lack of staying power, even among classic TV buffs.
[5] “Gunsmoke” finished at #5 in the 1970-71 season IOTL, and indeed, had seen something of a renaissance in the ratings in the late 1960s. But with Star Trek as competition ITTL, this doesn’t happen. Indeed, it quickly became very clear that all the attractive viewers were watching Star Trek, and all the unattractive ones were watching “Gunsmoke”. IOTL, given the show’s much higher ratings, it survived until 1975, with every indication that it would continue for a twenty-first season until the very last minute. With an original run of 20 seasons, it set a record that was finally tied by Law & Order in 2010.
[6] That rate is calculated from eight new hours of programming out of twenty-one on the post-PTAR schedule. At eight hours out of twenty-five, measured according to the traditional schedule, that’s a turnover of “only” 32%. IOTL, the turnover was seven hours (one-third and 28%, respectively), given the survival of “Gunsmoke”.
[7] IOTL, both “The Virginian” (renamed “The Men from Shiloh”) and “The High Chaparral” were cancelled at the end of the 1970-71 season. Both had higher ratings ITTL, particularly “Chaparral”, which had an attractive berth at the end of the now-legendary NBC Monday night lineup from 1968 onward, and duly benefitted from that.
[8] This defines the bounds of “Classic TV” as being from 1951 – 1971. The era prior to that becomes known ITTL as “Experimental TV”, though many standards and conventions were firmly in place by the late 1940s. IOTL, the end of “Classic TV” is also traditionally defined as 1971, given the combined impact of the PTAR and the Rural Purge; but it was never as widely used as ITTL and, given all the time that has passed since then, the end boundary is continually shifting forward.
---
And thus ends the 1970-71 cycle! And if I were inclined to divide this timeline into "Parts", in the vein of epic novels, then this would be as good a place as any to mark the end of "Part I". Thank you all for your continued interest in this timeline! Please join me as we continue the story with an exploration of the 1971-72 cycle. Until then, may all your channel-surfing end with something worth watching
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