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{{short description|American broadcasting regulation}} {{short description|American broadcasting regulation}}{{More footnotes|date=March 2023}}

{{Update|date=December 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2020}}
The '''Prime Time Access Rule''' ('''PTAR''') was a broadcasting regulation that was instituted in the United States by the ] (FCC) in 1970 to restrict the amount of network ] that a local television station either ] or ] with a television network can air during evening ] hours. This rule was repealed by the FCC in 1996, though remnants remain. The '''Prime Time Access Rule''' ('''PTAR''') was an ] ] regulation enforced by the ] (FCC) from September 13, 1971 to August 30, 1996. It was instituted under concerns that ] controlled too much of their ]' programming, and that there was not enough competition in program production and distribution; under the regulation, network programming was prohibited from airing in the 7:30 p.m. ]/] half-hour on Mondays through Saturdays, and the 7:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT half-hours on Sundays, on affiliated and ] stations in the top 50 ].

In the '''prime access''' timeslots, stations were expected to schedule local programming; the FCC also prohibited ] of networked programming from airing in the prime access timeslots. In practice, they were most often used for first-run ] programming. A second regulation—the ] (fin-syn)—was introduced alongside the PTAR, which prohibited the major networks from owning their prime time programs. The PTAR was partially loosened in 1975, allowing the networks to re-claim an hour of programming it had lost on Sunday evenings, but provided that the 7:00 p.m. hour be used to schedule either news-based or ] programming. In 1996, the PTAR was repealed by the FCC, which deemed it to be no longer necessary.

The regulations had a major impact on the television industry, some of which are still apparent in the present day: the PTAR moved the traditional start of prime time programming on the ] on weekdays and Saturdays from 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.—a scheduling pattern that has remained to this day, and was adopted by later networks such as ] and ]. In 1971, the networks ], in order to to free up their limited schedules for programs targeting ] that were more desirable to advertisers. Some of these cancelled shows—such as '']'' and '']—''resurfaced in first-run syndication, and were often picked up in the slots created by the PTAR. ] have also been frequently aired in the prime access slots; ]'s '']'' and '']'' became especially prominent fixtures of the timeslot in the late-1980s, when many stations began to also air syndicated programming in the 7:00 p.m. slot to form a full "'''prime access hour'''".

Even with the repeal of the PTAR, the Big Three networks did not reclaim the 7:00 p.m. hour on weekdays due to the strength and profitability of this ], whose top programs often enjoy ratings comparable to those of network programs.


==Issuance== ==Issuance==
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==Implementation== ==Implementation==
⚫ Initially, the rule required the commercial networks to cede one half-hour of their nightly programming to their affiliates (or owned-and-operated stations) in the 50 largest markets, Mondays through Saturdays, from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Eastern (6:30 to 7 Central), and a full hour on Sundays, between 7 and 7:30 p.m. (6 to 6:30 Central) and 10:30 to 11 p.m. (9:30 to 10 Central). Because it would have represented a large if not prohibitive loss of advertising exposure for the networks to have their programs excluded from the largest stations (and thus not reaching half or more of the U.S. population), the networks opted to relinquish those timeslots to all their stations, not just those required by the text of PTAR.
In surrendering time back to their affiliates, with fewer time slots available, networks issued a higher-than-normal number of ] in the summer of 1971. The networks, CBS in particular, disproportionately removed shows that were popular among rural and older audiences as part of their cancellations, a phenomenon known as the "]", in an attempt to revamp their lineups to appeal more to younger viewers (i.e., ]) with more disposable income and less product brand loyalty than older, non-metropolitan Americans, two things advertisers of the time strongly desired. (NBC took a somewhat different approach by expanding its ] schedule in 1973, with '']'' and '']''. By 1975, '']'' was added.)


⚫ Regardless of the night of the week, the ] instituted a decree that the early evening programs not portray violent, sexual, or ] content unsuitable for younger audiences. This was made in conjunction with the ] networks were encouraged to program in the hour following access; this decree was ruled to have been made under illegal ] in fall 1976.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Formicola |first1=Jo Renee |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lem3-J5t76sC&q=%22warren+ferguson%22+%22November+4+1976%22&pg=RA1-PA154 |title=Faith-based Initiatives and the Bush Administration: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly |last2=Segers |first2=Mary C. |last3=Weber |first3=Paul J. |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2003 |isbn=0742523055 |location=Lanham, Maryland |page=154}}</ref> Exceptions to the PTAR applied for live sports telecasts that overran into the access slots, and "special news, documentary and children's programming, and certain sports and network programming of a special nature".<ref name=":0" />
⚫ Initially, the ruling required the networks to cede one half-hour of their nightly programming to their affiliates (or owned-and-operated stations) in the 50 largest markets, Mondays through Saturdays, from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Eastern (6:30 to 7 Central), and a full hour on Sundays, between 7 and 7:30 p.m. (6 to 6:30 Central) and 10:30 to 11 p.m. (9:30 to 10 Central). Because it would have represented a large if not prohibitive loss of advertising exposure for the networks to have their programs excluded from the largest stations (and thus not reaching half or more of the U.S. population), the networks opted to relinquish those timeslots to all their stations, not just those required by the text of PTAR.


With fewer time slots available, networks issued a higher-than-normal number of ] in the summer of 1971. The networks, CBS in particular, disproportionately removed shows that were popular among rural and older audiences as part of their cancellations—a phenomenon known as the "]"—in an attempt to revamp their lineups. The networks aimed to appeal more to younger, urban and suburban viewers with more disposable income and less product brand loyalty than older, non-metropolitan Americans—two things advertisers of the time strongly desired.<ref name="thr">{{Cite web |last=Freeman |first=Marc |date=2017-11-25 |title='The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour' at 50: The Rise and Fall of a Groundbreaking Variety Show |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/smothers-brothers-comedy-hour-oral-history-1060153 |access-date=2017-11-25 |website=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tramel |first=Jimmie |title='Rural Purge' 50 years ago changed course of television |url=https://tulsaworld.com/entertainment/rural-purge-50-years-ago-changed-course-of-television/article_6fe5d160-8722-11eb-9146-2f6b0f597371.html |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Tulsa World |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Simon |first=Jeff |title=Jeff Simon: How did we get here as a culture? First, you have to understand what happened to 'The Beverly Hillbillies' |url=https://buffalonews.com/entertainment/jeff-simon-how-did-we-get-here-as-a-culture-first-you-have-to-understand/article_8c9e5048-c63c-11ec-a232-97977445b0be.html |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Buffalo News |language=en}}</ref>
Beginning on September 13, 1971, local stations, other than those not affiliated with a network or in the public television system, had to fill that vacated time on their schedules. The FCC and supporters of the ruling had hoped, at least publicly, that stations would make every effort to air programs of either a public-affairs or educational orientation, particularly between 7:30 and 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. All but the largest stations found that such programming would cost too much to produce and not bring in enough viewers, and thus revenue, to be viable (although the largest of stations attempted such programming, usually no more frequently than weekly), so most stations took one of two approaches. First, those outside the top 50 markets often decided, Mondays through Fridays, to carry reruns of popular 1960s ], especially those that appealed strongly to children and youth, which were usually the cheapest shows available on the market then. That strategy was forbidden by the FCC to stations in the top 50 category, so they, and numerous other stations underneath them in market rank, chose instead to run new, first-run syndicated versions of popular daytime game shows (which sometimes had different hosts to distinguish them from the network programs) such as '']'' and ''],'' as well as versions of former network shows such as '']'' (] version), '']'' (] version), and ''].'' Depending on the frequency of their production, those shows were aired either on a nightly or weekly basis, the latter in a "checkerboard" pattern, with a different one each evening, to resemble the network primetime that they led into. Many of the game shows were distributed by companies that before 1971 had been subsidiaries owned by the networks (such as the former CBS property ] and former ABC property ]) and packaged by the same production companies at the same studios as their daytime counterparts.


The FCC and supporters of the ruling had hoped, at least publicly, that stations would make every effort to air programs of either a public-affairs or educational orientation, particularly in the 7:30 p.m. time slot on weekdays and Saturdays. In practice, the weekday and Saturday access slot was often used for first-run syndicated ]; they were often "nighttime" versions of network daytime game shows (usually with different hosts and higher prize budgets to differentiate them from the network versions), as well as revivals of former network shows such as '']'' (] version) and '']'' (] version)''.'' Many of the game shows were distributed by companies that before 1971 had been subsidiaries owned by the networks (such as the former CBS property ] and former ABC property ]) and packaged by the same production companies at the same studios as their daytime counterparts.{{Cn|date=March 2023}} Depending on the frequency of their production, those shows were aired either on a weekly basis, (allowing a different program to air each night, not unlike the networks' own schedule), or as a daily "strip".
On Saturdays, different shows were usually run, especially hour-long versions of former network favorites such as '']'' and ''],'' both of which had just been canceled by CBS and ABC, respectively. Still other stations, particularly in the South and rural Midwest, had success with half-hour ] shows, most of which were produced in ], rather than Southern California or New York City. Sunday shows varied from station to station, with many in the Central Time Zone (6 p.m.) airing newscasts as they normally would Mondays through Saturdays. At 10:30/9:30 p.m., some stations did, in fact, air public affairs programming as the FCC wanted, because that timeslot marked a rapid decline in viewers from earlier in the evening (usually by them turning off the set and going to bed), making potential ad revenues from entertainment programming at that time much less, in turn removing the otherwise prohibitive risk.


After their cancellations in the "rural purge", series such as '']'', ''],'' and '']'' successfully migrated to first-run syndication. All three shows often aired in fringe timeslots created by the PTAR, with ''Hee Haw'', ''Welk'', and the newly-established '']'' (which focused on ], ], and ] music targeting an ] audience) usually airing on Saturday nights.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brownfield |first=Troy |date=2021-03-10 |title=50 Years of Haw, Welk, and Soul |url=https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2021/03/50-years-of-haw-welk-and-soul/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=The Saturday Evening Post |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>Chapman, Aida. '']'', September 28, 1974. Accessed December 17, 2018.</ref> Some stations used the timeslot to present a locally-produced newsmagazine; ] in Salt Lake City aired such a program—fittingly titled ''Prime Time Access'' (''PTA'')—until 1988.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1988-08-25 |title=THE `PTA' ERA IS ENDING AT KSL |url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/8/25/18776427/the-pta-era-is-ending-at-ksl |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref>
⚫ Regardless of the night of the week, the early evening programs had a proviso that they not portray violent, sexual, or ] content unsuitable to young viewers. The ] instituted this as a decree in conjunction with the ] networks were encouraged to program in the hour following access; this decree was ruled to have been made under illegal ] in fall 1976.<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Formicola |first1 = Jo Renee |last2 = Segers |first2 = Mary C. |last3 = Weber |first3 = Paul J. |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Lem3-J5t76sC&q=%22warren+ferguson%22+%22November+4+1976%22&pg=RA1-PA154 |title = Faith-based Initiatives and the Bush Administration: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly |year = 2003 |page = 154 |location = Lanham, Maryland |publisher = Rowman & Littlefield |isbn = 0742523055 }}</ref> Also, exceptions to the above were made for breaking (and occasional, not regular) network news coverage or local newscasts on weeknights, which some Central Time Zone broadcasters experimented with, at 6:30 p.m. local time, to varying degrees of success.


Television critics almost uniformly denounced PTAR, holding that its stated aim to improve and diversify programming had backfired (i.e., the substituted programming basically circumvented the purpose of the ruling since most of the shows were not particularly original) due to economic realities, things they and others felt the FCC had not taken into consideration when enacting the regulation. Needless to say, the networks were not pleased with the results, either, believing the true motivation behind PTAR was nothing more than a plot by the ] and its sympathizers in the FCC (and the ]) to deprive them of ad revenues, as a political retaliation against their news divisions' generally adverse coverage of the ]'s policies on the ] and against the social turbulence of the time.
In PTAR's first season, the networks briefly programmed Tuesday nights from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. (6:30 to 9:30 Central), but afterward, the 8 to 11 (7 to 10) standard was adopted uniformly Mondays through Saturdays. With exceptions as listed below, such remains the normal practice to this day.


Television critics almost uniformly denounced PTAR, holding that its stated aim to improve and diversify programming had backfired (i.e., the substituted programming basically circumvented the purpose of the ruling since most of the shows were not particularly original) due to economic realities, things they and others felt the FCC had not taken into consideration when enacting the regulation. Needless to say, the networks were not pleased with the results, either, believing the true motivation behind PTAR was nothing more than a plot by the ] and its sympathizers in the FCC (and the ]) to deprive them of ad revenues, as a political retaliation against their news divisions' generally adverse coverage of the ]'s policies on the ] and against the social turbulence of the time. Also, ABC, CBS, and NBC were especially sensitive to declining ad sales due to the Federal Government's prohibition of broadcast ] advertising (with loopholes permitting other ] products to continue commercials until the 1980s) in January 1971, once a lucrative source of revenue, and the beginning of the recessions that would plague the next dozen years after that. As such, the networks resolved to agitate for either outright repeal of PTAR or to get back one or more nights per week of the time lost in 1971. The window of opportunity for that opened when ] left office in 1974 due to the ]. During that time, Nixon's animosity toward the American media was discredited due to revelations of his and his associates' abuse of power which, in turn, vindicated to many Americans (though not all) the critical stance the networks appeared to take toward him over the years. With a more media-friendly president, ], in office, and probably new appointees on the FCC, the networks thus gained leverage to attempt to restore their lost air time. In Ford's first year in office, it happened through a compromise. Also, ABC, CBS, and NBC were especially sensitive to declining ad sales due to the Federal Government's prohibition of broadcast ] advertising (with loopholes permitting other ] products to continue commercials until the 1980s) in January 1971, once a lucrative source of revenue, and the beginning of the recessions that would plague the next dozen years after that. As such, the networks resolved to agitate for either outright repeal of PTAR or to get back one or more nights per week of the time lost in 1971. The window of opportunity for that opened when ] left office in 1974 due to the ]. During that time, Nixon's animosity toward the American media was discredited due to revelations of his and his associates' abuse of power which, in turn, vindicated to many Americans (though not all) the critical stance the networks appeared to take toward him over the years. With a more media-friendly president, ], in office, and probably new appointees on the FCC, the networks thus gained leverage to attempt to restore their lost air time. In Ford's first year in office, it happened through a compromise.


==Sunday night revision== ==Sunday night revision==
While the networks hoped to have PTAR done away with entirely, their affiliates opposed such a move due to profitable local spot ad revenues on Mondays through Saturdays, so they settled for a revision by the FCC instead in 1975. That modification allowed networks to reclaim the hour on Sunday nights lost in 1971, from 7 to 11 p.m. (6 to 10 Central). Then as now, the night of the week with the largest potential audience was Sunday, due to competing forms of entertainment (e.g., movie theaters, nightclubs) being mostly closed on that night in much of the country because of long-standing religious-inspired ], and the networks, if forced to choose only one day of the week for restoration, would certainly choose it. The Sunday return of network time came with one overweening condition: programs between 7 and 8 (6 to 7 Central) had to either have news/informational content or appeal primarily to a family audience with children, meaning that adult subject matter (especially sexuality and violence) was not permitted during that time period. While the networks hoped to have PTAR done away with entirely, their affiliates opposed such a move due to profitable local spot ad revenues on Mondays through Saturdays, so they settled for a revision by the FCC instead in 1975. That modification allowed networks to reclaim the hour on Sunday nights lost in 1971, from 7 to 11 p.m. (6 to 10 Central). Then as now, the night of the week with the largest potential audience was Sunday, due to competing forms of entertainment (e.g., movie theaters, nightclubs) being mostly closed on that night in much of the country because of long-standing religious-inspired ], and the networks, if forced to choose only one day of the week for restoration, would certainly choose it. The Sunday return of network time came with one overweening condition: programs between 7 and 8 (6 to 7 Central) had to either have news/informational content or appeal primarily to a family audience with children, meaning that adult subject matter (especially sexuality and violence) was not permitted during that time period.


Beginning on September 14, 1975, CBS debuted a family drama, ''],'' at 7 p.m. That show ran only 12 episodes before being canceled. ''],'' a news magazine that CBS had run in irregular timeslots since its inception in 1968, was designated as the replacement, beginning on December 7. By the end of the season in early 1976, it had become the top-rated program on Sunday nights, a highly-unusual occurrence at the time for a news-based broadcast. Its main competition in the early years was NBC's long-running ''],'' which appealed to family viewers, having moved ahead a half-hour from 7:30 p.m., where it had aired from 1971 to 1975. By 1981, the ratings lead of ''60 Minutes'' was so strong that NBC canceled ''Disney'' after a 20-year run there, with CBS picking it up for a Saturday-night slot that fall. ABC, and NBC after 1981, attempted numerous shows that made little or no impact upon the ''60 Minutes'' stronghold on viewers in the late 1970s and 1980s. Beginning on September 14, 1975, CBS debuted a family drama, ''],'' at 7 p.m. That show ran only 12 episodes before being canceled. ''],'' a news magazine that CBS had run in irregular timeslots since its inception in 1968, was designated as the replacement, beginning on December 7. By the end of the season in early 1976, it had become the top-rated program on Sunday nights, a highly-unusual occurrence at the time for a news-based broadcast. Its main competition in the early years was NBC's long-running ''],'' which appealed to family viewers, having moved ahead a half-hour from 7:30 p.m., where it had aired from 1971 to 1975. By 1981, the ratings lead of ''60 Minutes'' was so strong that NBC canceled ''Disney'' after a 20-year run there, with CBS picking it up for a Saturday-night slot that fall. ABC, and NBC after 1981, attempted numerous shows that made little or no impact upon the ''60 Minutes'' stronghold on viewers in the late 1970s and 1980s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Madsen |first=Axel |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/10849756 |title=60 Minutes : the power & the politics of America's most popular TV news show |date=1984 |publisher=Dodd, Mead |isbn=0-396-08401-X |edition=1st |location=New York |oclc=10849756}}</ref>


The 1990s brought some stability to the networks other than CBS. ABC has programmed '']'' in the slot for much of the time since 1993 (except for a period from 1997 to 2002, when ABC broadcast ''The Wonderful World of Disney'' in the 7:00&nbsp;p.m. hour, where NBC had carried it in the late 1970s), while CBS has shown ''60 Minutes'' in the slot consistently since 1975 except on very rare occasions, usually years when CBS has the rights to the ], which kicks off at approximately 6:30 p.m. (5:30 Central); prior to 1978, the contest aired on a Sunday afternoon in January. NBC has mostly broadcast '']'' in the slot since 1996, though since regaining ] in 2006, during ] season the network airs '']'' in the slot as a ] to its '']'' broadcasts. During most of the winter and spring, NBC (as well as ABC and FOX) has aired programming in this time slot that is not a news or information program (such as the aforementioned ''Dateline NBC''). Such programs are usually either re-edited versions of shows that normally would air in the 8–11 p.m. primetime slot, or theatrical films intended for family viewing (such as animated films). The 1990s brought some stability to the networks other than CBS. ABC has programmed '']'' in the slot for much of the time since 1993 (except for a period from 1997 to 2002, when ABC broadcast ''The Wonderful World of Disney'' in the 7:00&nbsp;p.m. hour, where NBC had carried it in the late 1970s), while CBS has shown ''60 Minutes'' in the slot consistently since 1975 except on very rare occasions, usually years when CBS has the rights to the ], which kicks off at approximately 6:30 p.m. (5:30 Central); prior to 1978, the contest aired on a Sunday afternoon in January. NBC has mostly broadcast '']'' in the slot since 1996, though since regaining ] in 2006, during ] season the network airs '']'' in the slot as a ] to its '']'' broadcasts. During most of the winter and spring, NBC (as well as ABC and Fox) has aired programming in this time slot that is not a news or information program (such as the aforementioned ''Dateline NBC''). Such programs are usually either reruns of shows that have aired in weekday primetime, or theatrical films intended for family viewing (such as animated films).


Even today, some networks still air aural and/or visual bumpers (i.e. "We'll return after these messages") in the 7/6 p.m. timeslot for younger viewers to understand the difference between a program and a commercial (as if the show aired on Saturday mornings)—such bumpers, one of the original requirements of the timeslot, are not required for news and information programs such as the aforementioned ''60 Minutes,'' since those shows are mainly watched by an adult audience. Even today, some networks still air aural and/or visual bumpers (i.e. "We'll return after these messages") in the 7/6 p.m. timeslot for younger viewers to understand the difference between a program and a commercial (as if the show aired on Saturday mornings)—such bumpers, one of the original requirements of the timeslot, are not required for news and information programs such as the aforementioned ''60 Minutes,'' since those shows are mainly watched by an adult audience.
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The slot has been used by the networks to broadcast run-over programming from ] games, since the NFL broadcasting contracts require its games to air in their entirety (this happened as a result of the infamous "]" in November 1968, in which NBC cut away from an ]-] game to air the television film '']'', prior to a Raiders' comeback late in the fourth quarter). While CBS shifts its Sunday evening schedule to start after its ] concludes, Fox has utilized a different approach: the network completely preempted its lineup until the last game it ] had finished until 2004, after which it joined its primetime lineup in progress (preempting portions or even the entirety of programs scheduled to air between 7 and 8 p.m. following the game's designated time slot). Similarly, if necessary, major tournaments in professional golf are also treated in this manner; since 1987 (the year Daylight Saving Time was moved to an earlier start), the ] has frequently not finished until that hour. The U.S. Open and Men's PGA Championship, depending on the region, also can be overrun into the timeslot, with Pacific Time Zone tournaments allowing networks to run into well past 8 p.m. The slot has been used by the networks to broadcast run-over programming from ] games, since the NFL broadcasting contracts require its games to air in their entirety (this happened as a result of the infamous "]" in November 1968, in which NBC cut away from an ]-] game to air the television film '']'', prior to a Raiders' comeback late in the fourth quarter). While CBS shifts its Sunday evening schedule to start after its ] concludes, Fox has utilized a different approach: the network completely preempted its lineup until the last game it ] had finished until 2004, after which it joined its primetime lineup in progress (preempting portions or even the entirety of programs scheduled to air between 7 and 8 p.m. following the game's designated time slot). Similarly, if necessary, major tournaments in professional golf are also treated in this manner; since 1987 (the year Daylight Saving Time was moved to an earlier start), the ] has frequently not finished until that hour. The U.S. Open and Men's PGA Championship, depending on the region, also can be overrun into the timeslot, with Pacific Time Zone tournaments allowing networks to run into well past 8 p.m.


Since 2005, Fox has aired the ], '']'', in the slot as filler programming between its NFL coverage and '']'' at 8&nbsp;p.m., with its length depending on how late the final game ends, since NFL games with a 4:25&nbsp;p.m. (Eastern) start time almost always end by 8&nbsp;p.m., even if the game goes into ]. Fox has continued the practice for ] races, as the ] and on occasion, a West Coast Swing event such as the ] round, was designed to creep into the 7&nbsp;p.m. hour, and the U.S. Open, typically held on the Sunday closest to the longest day of the year, will also do such. Before that, the 7&nbsp;p.m. hour on Fox was used similarly to that of the ] on all of the networks, as several shows near the end of their runs (such as '']'', '']'' and '']'') were assigned to air in the time period but ultimately got preempted by Fox's NFL coverage. This tradition has continued during the off-season, with the most recent examples of shows ] on Sundays at the 7&nbsp;p.m. half-hour being '']'' and '']'' during the spring and summer of 2010, and '']'' in 2014. Since 2005, Fox has aired the ], '']'', in the slot as filler programming between its NFL coverage and '']'' at 8&nbsp;p.m., with its length depending on how late the final game ends, since NFL games with a 4:25&nbsp;p.m. (Eastern) start time almost always end by 8&nbsp;p.m., even if the game goes into ]. Fox has continued the practice for ] races, as the ] and on occasion, its ], have extended into the 7&nbsp;p.m. hour, and the U.S. Open, typically held on the Sunday closest to the longest day of the year, will also do such. Before that, the 7&nbsp;p.m. hour on Fox was used similarly to that of the ] on all of the networks, as several shows near the end of their runs (such as '']'', '']'' and '']'') were assigned to air in the time period but ultimately got preempted by Fox's NFL coverage. This tradition has continued during the off-season, with the most recent examples of shows ] on Sundays at the 7&nbsp;p.m. half-hour being '']'' and '']'' during the spring and summer of 2010, and '']'' in 2014.


On October 7, 2018, ] resumed programming a primetime lineup on Sunday nights. Unlike its previous effort to program that night from the network's launch in September 2006 (a byproduct of originally adopting co-predecessor ]'s 30-hour weekly base schedule upon The CW's launch) until it ceded the timeslot to its affiliates in September 2009, The CW opted to only to offer programming during the "common prime" slot (8 to 10&nbsp;pm. ET/PT) offered on weekdays and Saturdays by the conventional broadcast networks that have launched on U.S. television since Fox's expansion to include prime time program offerings in April 1987. This move marked the first such instance of a major U.S. television network not programming that hour since the 1975 PTAR revision was implemented.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/cw-sunday-primetime-block-1202698748/|title=CW Plans Sunday Primetime Block for 2018–19 Season|last=Holloway|first=Daniel|date=February 14, 2018|work=Variety|accessdate=February 14, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=CW Expanding Original Programming to Sundays|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/cw-expanding-original-programming-sundays-1084766|first=Lesley|last= Goldberg|periodical=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 14, 2018|accessdate=February 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The CW Fall Schedule: Supergirl and Charmed Take Over Sunday, Arrow Targets Monday, Jane Held to '19|url=http://tvline.com/2018/05/17/cw-fall-lineup-2018-supergirl-sunday-charmed-schedule/|author=Michael Ausiello|website=]|date=May 17, 2018|accessdate=May 22, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=CW rolls out six-night schedule starting in October; see list of premieres|url=https://pix11.com/2018/09/24/cw-rolls-out-six-night-schedule-starting-in-october-see-list-of-premieres/|publisher=]|date=September 24, 2018|accessdate=September 29, 2018}}</ref> On October 7, 2018, ] resumed programming a primetime lineup on Sunday nights. Unlike its previous effort to program that night from the network's launch in September 2006 (a byproduct of originally adopting co-predecessor ]'s 30-hour weekly base schedule upon The CW's launch) until it ceded the timeslot to its affiliates in September 2009, The CW opted to only to offer programming during the "common prime" slot (8 to 10&nbsp;pm. ET/PT) offered on weekdays and Saturdays by the conventional broadcast networks that have launched on U.S. television since Fox's expansion to include prime time program offerings in April 1987. This move marked the first such instance of a major U.S. television network not programming that hour since the 1975 PTAR revision was implemented.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/cw-sunday-primetime-block-1202698748/|title=CW Plans Sunday Primetime Block for 2018–19 Season|last=Holloway|first=Daniel|date=February 14, 2018|work=Variety|accessdate=February 14, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=CW Expanding Original Programming to Sundays|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/cw-expanding-original-programming-sundays-1084766|first=Lesley|last= Goldberg|periodical=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 14, 2018|accessdate=February 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The CW Fall Schedule: Supergirl and Charmed Take Over Sunday, Arrow Targets Monday, Jane Held to '19|url=http://tvline.com/2018/05/17/cw-fall-lineup-2018-supergirl-sunday-charmed-schedule/|author=Michael Ausiello|website=]|date=May 17, 2018|accessdate=May 22, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=CW rolls out six-night schedule starting in October; see list of premieres|url=https://pix11.com/2018/09/24/cw-rolls-out-six-night-schedule-starting-in-october-see-list-of-premieres/|publisher=]|date=September 24, 2018|accessdate=September 29, 2018}}</ref>


==Weekdays, 1980s== ==Weekdays, 1980s==
By the early 1980s, the weeknight PTAR slots had changed from a predominance of weekly game shows and feature programming and sitcom reruns (many in the latter category moving to independent stations), to nightly versions of games such as '']'' and '']'' and magazine-format programs such as the ]-founded '']'' and ''],'' launched in 1981 as the first-ever satellite-distributed nightly syndicated program. This transition bolstered viewer interest and station revenues, meaning that the networks were extremely reluctant to upset affiliate relations by attempting to scale back PTAR further. By the early 1980s, the weeknight PTAR slots had changed from a predominance of weekly game shows and feature programming and sitcom reruns (many in the latter category moving to independent stations), to nightly versions of games such as '']'' and '']'' and magazine-format programs such as the ]-founded '']'', and '']''. This transition bolstered viewer interest and station revenues, meaning that the networks were extremely reluctant to upset affiliate relations by attempting to scale back PTAR further.

A syndicated version of ]'s NBC daytime game show '']'']<nowiki/>distributed by ]—premiered in 1983; initially airing in a handful of smaller markets, its nationwide clearance (especially in the access hour) rapidly increased over the course of its first two seasons. By 1986, ''Wheel'' had become the highest-rated syndicated program on American television.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=GAME SHOWS WINNING BIG |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1986-04-06-8601210104-story.html |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Sun Sentinel}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Schwartz |first=David |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/39130663 |title=The encyclopedia of TV game shows |date=1999 |publisher=Facts On File |others=Steve Ryan, Fred Wostbrock |isbn=0-8160-3846-5 |edition=3rd |location=New York, NY |oclc=39130663}}</ref><ref name="independent">{{Cite news |last=Terry |first=Clifford |date=May 23, 1986 |title='Wheel of Fortune' long ago spun its way to the top |page=5B |work=St. Petersburg Evening-Independent |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WegLAAAAIBAJ&pg=6784,2562415&dq=wheel-of-fortune+pat-sajak&hl=en |access-date=November 5, 2009}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite web |last1=Littleton |first1=Cynthia |date=November 5, 2018 |title=ABC Shells Out to Keep ''Wheel of Fortune'' and ''Jeopardy'' After Big Offer From Fox |url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/wheel-of-fortune-jeopardy-abc-fox-cbs-1203019794/#:~:targetText=%E2%80%9CWheel%E2%80%9D%20and%20%E2%80%9CJeopardy%E2%80%9D%20have%20aired%20on%20ABC%20O%26Os,to%20its%20own%20O%26O%20stations |access-date=10 December 2019 |publisher=Variety}}</ref> Building upon the success of ''Wheel'', King World launched a syndicated revival of Griffin's former NBC quiz show '']'' in 1984. A number of stations chose to pair ''Jeopardy!'' in the access hour with ''Wheel'' to build upon its ratings strength.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

In New York City, ''Jeopardy!'' initially aired in a late-night time slot on New York City's ]. After ABC's soap opera ''The Edge of Night'' was cancelled in December 1994,, a deal was reached to move ''Jeopardy!'' to its former 4 p.m. time slot on ]''.<ref name=":4">{{cite news |last=Belkin |first=Lisa |date=August 11, 1987 |title=Redefining Prime Time: It's All in Who You Ask |newspaper=] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/11/arts/redefining-prime-time-it-s-all-in-who-you-ask.html |access-date=January 19, 2014}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Eisenberg |first=Harry |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/28365197 |title=Inside "Jeopardy" : what really goes on at TV's top quiz show |date=1993 |publisher=Northwest Pub |others=James Van Treese |isbn=1-56901-177-X |location=Salt Lake City, UT |oclc=28365197}}</ref>'' On December 15, 1986, WABC moved the '']'' (also distributed by King World) from 10 a.m. to 4:p.m. to provide a stronger lead-in for its 5 p.m. newscast. WABC concurrently revamped its evening lineup, moving ''Jeopardy!'' to 7:00 p.m. as a lead-in for '']'' (which had held its own against ''Wheel'' on ] in the ratings), shortening its local 6 p.m. newscast to a half hour, and moving '']'' from 7:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The strategy proved successful for WABC, and prompted other stations (including WCBS and WNBC) to adopt a similar scheduling pattern—eventually making it commonplace.''<ref name=":4" />''<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Scardino |first=Albert |date=1989-01-15 |title=TELEVISION; A Debate Heats Up: Is It News or Entertainment? |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/15/arts/television-a-debate-heats-up-is-it-news-or-entertainment.html |access-date=2023-03-24 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> WABC and the other ABC owned-and-operated stations later acquired the rights to both ''Wheel'' and ''Jeopardy!'', where they have aired ever since.<ref name=":3" />


==1996 elimination== ==1996 elimination==
The PTAR was eliminated on August 30, 1996, the commission having determined it was "no longer necessary" as a tool to promote independent production or affiliate autonomy.<ref>{{cite press release|title=FCC Repeals PTAR Rule|url=http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/News_Releases/nrmm5085.txt|first1=Audrey|last1= Spivack|first2=Kara|last2= Palamaras|publisher=]|date=July 28, 1995}}</ref> The major networks did not reclaim the traditional access period in early primetime due to pressure from affiliates to retain control of one of the more profitable parts of their programming schedules. Several ] programs (such as ''Entertainment Tonight'', '']'' and '']'') are still broadcast in the "prime access hour", and have earned audiences equal to or greater than many network shows. The PTAR was eliminated on August 30, 1996, the commission having determined it was "no longer necessary" as a tool to promote independent production or affiliate autonomy.<ref name=":0">{{cite press release|title=FCC Repeals PTAR Rule|url=http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/News_Releases/nrmm5085.txt|first1=Audrey|last1= Spivack|first2=Kara|last2= Palamaras|publisher=]|date=July 28, 1995}}</ref> The major networks did not reclaim the traditional access period in early primetime due to pressure from affiliates to retain control of one of the more profitable parts of their programming schedules. Several of the ]—such as ''Entertainment Tonight,'' ''Wheel of Fortune'', and ''Jeopardy!—''are still often broadcast in the "prime access hour", and have earned audiences equal to or greater than many network shows.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Mark |date=2021-12-06 |title=Top Syndie Shows Outdrawing Primetime |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/programming/article/top-syndie-shows-outdrawing-primetime/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=TV News Check |language=en}}</ref>


In 2010, ] was allowed to present ] games that started around 7:30&nbsp;p.m. Eastern Time, presumably under the hope that games would not run into the 11:00&nbsp;p.m. (Eastern) hour (though in practice, this still consistently occurs despite the early start). In 2014 and 2015, CBS moved its Thursday primetime to start at 7:30 p.m. for the first eight weeks of the season to allow for a full pregame show for '']'', a move which was emulated for NBC and Fox's carriage of the same package. In 2010, ] was allowed to present ] games that started around 7:30&nbsp;p.m. Eastern Time, presumably under the hope that games would not run into the 11:00&nbsp;p.m. (Eastern) hour (though in practice, this still consistently occurs despite the early start). In 2014 and 2015, CBS moved its Thursday primetime to start at 7:30 p.m. for the first eight weeks of the season to allow for a full pregame show for '']'', a move which was emulated for NBC and Fox's carriage of the same package.

Revision as of 07:17, 24 March 2023

American broadcasting regulation
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The Prime Time Access Rule (PTAR) was an American television broadcasting regulation enforced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from September 13, 1971 to August 30, 1996. It was instituted under concerns that television networks controlled too much of their affiliates' programming, and that there was not enough competition in program production and distribution; under the regulation, network programming was prohibited from airing in the 7:30 p.m. ET/PT half-hour on Mondays through Saturdays, and the 7:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT half-hours on Sundays, on affiliated and owned-and-operated stations in the top 50 media markets.

In the prime access timeslots, stations were expected to schedule local programming; the FCC also prohibited reruns of networked programming from airing in the prime access timeslots. In practice, they were most often used for first-run syndicated programming. A second regulation—the Financial Interest and Syndication Rules (fin-syn)—was introduced alongside the PTAR, which prohibited the major networks from owning their prime time programs. The PTAR was partially loosened in 1975, allowing the networks to re-claim an hour of programming it had lost on Sunday evenings, but provided that the 7:00 p.m. hour be used to schedule either news-based or family-oriented programming. In 1996, the PTAR was repealed by the FCC, which deemed it to be no longer necessary.

The regulations had a major impact on the television industry, some of which are still apparent in the present day: the PTAR moved the traditional start of prime time programming on the Big Three networks on weekdays and Saturdays from 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.—a scheduling pattern that has remained to this day, and was adopted by later networks such as Fox and The CW. In 1971, the networks cancelled a number of programs that were popular among older and rural audiences, in order to to free up their limited schedules for programs targeting younger audiences that were more desirable to advertisers. Some of these cancelled shows—such as Hee Haw and Lassie—resurfaced in first-run syndication, and were often picked up in the slots created by the PTAR. Game shows have also been frequently aired in the prime access slots; Merv Griffin's Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! became especially prominent fixtures of the timeslot in the late-1980s, when many stations began to also air syndicated programming in the 7:00 p.m. slot to form a full "prime access hour".

Even with the repeal of the PTAR, the Big Three networks did not reclaim the 7:00 p.m. hour on weekdays due to the strength and profitability of this fringe, whose top programs often enjoy ratings comparable to those of network programs.

Issuance

The PTAR was issued in 1970 and was implemented at the beginning of the 1971–1972 television season (the week of September 13–19, 1971). It was re-examined periodically, and it underwent several modifications since its initial implementation.

The PTAR was instituted over a stated concern, by television-reform activists and other parties, that the three major television networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) dominated the television program production market, controlled much of the programming presented to the public, and inhibited the development of competing program sources, especially independent syndicators and local stations. The FCC believed that PTAR would ultimately increase the level of competition in program production, reduce the networks' control over programming decisions made by their affiliates, and thereby increase the diversity of programs available to the public, especially in the evening hours when most households were watching.

To ensure that independent companies would have access, the Financial Interest and Syndication Rules (commonly known as "fin-syn") were instituted at the same time by the FCC. This prohibited networks from owning syndication arms. Networks that did operate existing syndication divisions were forced to divest them, converting them into new companies independent from network management (such as Viacom, which was originally created by CBS to distribute its content and eventually expanded outside of program syndication and distribution in the succeeding years after the spinoff).

Implementation

Initially, the rule required the commercial networks to cede one half-hour of their nightly programming to their affiliates (or owned-and-operated stations) in the 50 largest markets, Mondays through Saturdays, from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Eastern (6:30 to 7 Central), and a full hour on Sundays, between 7 and 7:30 p.m. (6 to 6:30 Central) and 10:30 to 11 p.m. (9:30 to 10 Central). Because it would have represented a large if not prohibitive loss of advertising exposure for the networks to have their programs excluded from the largest stations (and thus not reaching half or more of the U.S. population), the networks opted to relinquish those timeslots to all their stations, not just those required by the text of PTAR.

Regardless of the night of the week, the National Association of Broadcasters instituted a decree that the early evening programs not portray violent, sexual, or profane content unsuitable for younger audiences. This was made in conjunction with the family viewing hour networks were encouraged to program in the hour following access; this decree was ruled to have been made under illegal duress in fall 1976. Exceptions to the PTAR applied for live sports telecasts that overran into the access slots, and "special news, documentary and children's programming, and certain sports and network programming of a special nature".

With fewer time slots available, networks issued a higher-than-normal number of cancellations in the summer of 1971. The networks, CBS in particular, disproportionately removed shows that were popular among rural and older audiences as part of their cancellations—a phenomenon known as the "rural purge"—in an attempt to revamp their lineups. The networks aimed to appeal more to younger, urban and suburban viewers with more disposable income and less product brand loyalty than older, non-metropolitan Americans—two things advertisers of the time strongly desired.

The FCC and supporters of the ruling had hoped, at least publicly, that stations would make every effort to air programs of either a public-affairs or educational orientation, particularly in the 7:30 p.m. time slot on weekdays and Saturdays. In practice, the weekday and Saturday access slot was often used for first-run syndicated game shows; they were often "nighttime" versions of network daytime game shows (usually with different hosts and higher prize budgets to differentiate them from the network versions), as well as revivals of former network shows such as To Tell the Truth (Garry Moore version) and Truth or Consequences (Bob Barker version). Many of the game shows were distributed by companies that before 1971 had been subsidiaries owned by the networks (such as the former CBS property Viacom and former ABC property Worldvision Enterprises) and packaged by the same production companies at the same studios as their daytime counterparts. Depending on the frequency of their production, those shows were aired either on a weekly basis, (allowing a different program to air each night, not unlike the networks' own schedule), or as a daily "strip".

After their cancellations in the "rural purge", series such as Lassie, Hee Haw, and The Lawrence Welk Show successfully migrated to first-run syndication. All three shows often aired in fringe timeslots created by the PTAR, with Hee Haw, Welk, and the newly-established Soul Train (which focused on R&B, soul, and hip hop music targeting an African American audience) usually airing on Saturday nights. Some stations used the timeslot to present a locally-produced newsmagazine; KSL-TV in Salt Lake City aired such a program—fittingly titled Prime Time Access (PTA)—until 1988.

Television critics almost uniformly denounced PTAR, holding that its stated aim to improve and diversify programming had backfired (i.e., the substituted programming basically circumvented the purpose of the ruling since most of the shows were not particularly original) due to economic realities, things they and others felt the FCC had not taken into consideration when enacting the regulation. Needless to say, the networks were not pleased with the results, either, believing the true motivation behind PTAR was nothing more than a plot by the Nixon Administration and its sympathizers in the FCC (and the U.S. Congress) to deprive them of ad revenues, as a political retaliation against their news divisions' generally adverse coverage of the White House's policies on the Vietnam War and against the social turbulence of the time.

Also, ABC, CBS, and NBC were especially sensitive to declining ad sales due to the Federal Government's prohibition of broadcast cigarette advertising (with loopholes permitting other tobacco products to continue commercials until the 1980s) in January 1971, once a lucrative source of revenue, and the beginning of the recessions that would plague the next dozen years after that. As such, the networks resolved to agitate for either outright repeal of PTAR or to get back one or more nights per week of the time lost in 1971. The window of opportunity for that opened when Richard Nixon left office in 1974 due to the Watergate scandal. During that time, Nixon's animosity toward the American media was discredited due to revelations of his and his associates' abuse of power which, in turn, vindicated to many Americans (though not all) the critical stance the networks appeared to take toward him over the years. With a more media-friendly president, Gerald Ford, in office, and probably new appointees on the FCC, the networks thus gained leverage to attempt to restore their lost air time. In Ford's first year in office, it happened through a compromise.

Sunday night revision

While the networks hoped to have PTAR done away with entirely, their affiliates opposed such a move due to profitable local spot ad revenues on Mondays through Saturdays, so they settled for a revision by the FCC instead in 1975. That modification allowed networks to reclaim the hour on Sunday nights lost in 1971, from 7 to 11 p.m. (6 to 10 Central). Then as now, the night of the week with the largest potential audience was Sunday, due to competing forms of entertainment (e.g., movie theaters, nightclubs) being mostly closed on that night in much of the country because of long-standing religious-inspired blue laws, and the networks, if forced to choose only one day of the week for restoration, would certainly choose it. The Sunday return of network time came with one overweening condition: programs between 7 and 8 (6 to 7 Central) had to either have news/informational content or appeal primarily to a family audience with children, meaning that adult subject matter (especially sexuality and violence) was not permitted during that time period.

Beginning on September 14, 1975, CBS debuted a family drama, Three for the Road, at 7 p.m. That show ran only 12 episodes before being canceled. 60 Minutes, a news magazine that CBS had run in irregular timeslots since its inception in 1968, was designated as the replacement, beginning on December 7. By the end of the season in early 1976, it had become the top-rated program on Sunday nights, a highly-unusual occurrence at the time for a news-based broadcast. Its main competition in the early years was NBC's long-running The Wonderful World of Disney, which appealed to family viewers, having moved ahead a half-hour from 7:30 p.m., where it had aired from 1971 to 1975. By 1981, the ratings lead of 60 Minutes was so strong that NBC canceled Disney after a 20-year run there, with CBS picking it up for a Saturday-night slot that fall. ABC, and NBC after 1981, attempted numerous shows that made little or no impact upon the 60 Minutes stronghold on viewers in the late 1970s and 1980s.

The 1990s brought some stability to the networks other than CBS. ABC has programmed America's Funniest Home Videos in the slot for much of the time since 1993 (except for a period from 1997 to 2002, when ABC broadcast The Wonderful World of Disney in the 7:00 p.m. hour, where NBC had carried it in the late 1970s), while CBS has shown 60 Minutes in the slot consistently since 1975 except on very rare occasions, usually years when CBS has the rights to the Super Bowl, which kicks off at approximately 6:30 p.m. (5:30 Central); prior to 1978, the contest aired on a Sunday afternoon in January. NBC has mostly broadcast Dateline NBC in the slot since 1996, though since regaining NFL broadcasting rights in 2006, during football season the network airs Football Night in America in the slot as a pre-game show to its NBC Sunday Night Football broadcasts. During most of the winter and spring, NBC (as well as ABC and Fox) has aired programming in this time slot that is not a news or information program (such as the aforementioned Dateline NBC). Such programs are usually either reruns of shows that have aired in weekday primetime, or theatrical films intended for family viewing (such as animated films).

Even today, some networks still air aural and/or visual bumpers (i.e. "We'll return after these messages") in the 7/6 p.m. timeslot for younger viewers to understand the difference between a program and a commercial (as if the show aired on Saturday mornings)—such bumpers, one of the original requirements of the timeslot, are not required for news and information programs such as the aforementioned 60 Minutes, since those shows are mainly watched by an adult audience.

The slot has been used by the networks to broadcast run-over programming from NFL games, since the NFL broadcasting contracts require its games to air in their entirety (this happened as a result of the infamous "Heidi Game" in November 1968, in which NBC cut away from an Oakland Raiders-New York Jets game to air the television film Heidi, prior to a Raiders' comeback late in the fourth quarter). While CBS shifts its Sunday evening schedule to start after its NFL coverage concludes, Fox has utilized a different approach: the network completely preempted its lineup until the last game it held the right to broadcast in each region had finished until 2004, after which it joined its primetime lineup in progress (preempting portions or even the entirety of programs scheduled to air between 7 and 8 p.m. following the game's designated time slot). Similarly, if necessary, major tournaments in professional golf are also treated in this manner; since 1987 (the year Daylight Saving Time was moved to an earlier start), the Masters Tournament has frequently not finished until that hour. The U.S. Open and Men's PGA Championship, depending on the region, also can be overrun into the timeslot, with Pacific Time Zone tournaments allowing networks to run into well past 8 p.m.

Since 2005, Fox has aired the post-game show, The OT, in the slot as filler programming between its NFL coverage and The Simpsons at 8 p.m., with its length depending on how late the final game ends, since NFL games with a 4:25 p.m. (Eastern) start time almost always end by 8 p.m., even if the game goes into overtime. Fox has continued the practice for NASCAR Cup Series races, as the Daytona 500 and on occasion, its race in California, have extended into the 7 p.m. hour, and the U.S. Open, typically held on the Sunday closest to the longest day of the year, will also do such. Before that, the 7 p.m. hour on Fox was used similarly to that of the Friday night death slot on all of the networks, as several shows near the end of their runs (such as Malcolm in the Middle, Family Guy and Futurama) were assigned to air in the time period but ultimately got preempted by Fox's NFL coverage. This tradition has continued during the off-season, with the most recent examples of shows burned off on Sundays at the 7 p.m. half-hour being 'Til Death and Sons of Tucson during the spring and summer of 2010, and Mulaney in 2014.

On October 7, 2018, The CW resumed programming a primetime lineup on Sunday nights. Unlike its previous effort to program that night from the network's launch in September 2006 (a byproduct of originally adopting co-predecessor The WB's 30-hour weekly base schedule upon The CW's launch) until it ceded the timeslot to its affiliates in September 2009, The CW opted to only to offer programming during the "common prime" slot (8 to 10 pm. ET/PT) offered on weekdays and Saturdays by the conventional broadcast networks that have launched on U.S. television since Fox's expansion to include prime time program offerings in April 1987. This move marked the first such instance of a major U.S. television network not programming that hour since the 1975 PTAR revision was implemented.

Weekdays, 1980s

By the early 1980s, the weeknight PTAR slots had changed from a predominance of weekly game shows and feature programming and sitcom reruns (many in the latter category moving to independent stations), to nightly versions of games such as Family Feud and Tic Tac Dough and magazine-format programs such as the Group W-founded PM Magazine, and Entertainment Tonight. This transition bolstered viewer interest and station revenues, meaning that the networks were extremely reluctant to upset affiliate relations by attempting to scale back PTAR further.

A syndicated version of Merv Griffin's NBC daytime game show Wheel of Fortune—distributed by King World Entertainment—premiered in 1983; initially airing in a handful of smaller markets, its nationwide clearance (especially in the access hour) rapidly increased over the course of its first two seasons. By 1986, Wheel had become the highest-rated syndicated program on American television. Building upon the success of Wheel, King World launched a syndicated revival of Griffin's former NBC quiz show Jeopardy! in 1984. A number of stations chose to pair Jeopardy! in the access hour with Wheel to build upon its ratings strength.

In New York City, Jeopardy! initially aired in a late-night time slot on New York City's WNBC. After ABC's soap opera The Edge of Night was cancelled in December 1994,, a deal was reached to move Jeopardy! to its former 4 p.m. time slot on WABC-TV. On December 15, 1986, WABC moved the The Oprah Winfrey Show (also distributed by King World) from 10 a.m. to 4:p.m. to provide a stronger lead-in for its 5 p.m. newscast. WABC concurrently revamped its evening lineup, moving Jeopardy! to 7:00 p.m. as a lead-in for The New Hollywood Squares (which had held its own against Wheel on WCBS in the ratings), shortening its local 6 p.m. newscast to a half hour, and moving ABC World News Tonight from 7:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The strategy proved successful for WABC, and prompted other stations (including WCBS and WNBC) to adopt a similar scheduling pattern—eventually making it commonplace. WABC and the other ABC owned-and-operated stations later acquired the rights to both Wheel and Jeopardy!, where they have aired ever since.

1996 elimination

The PTAR was eliminated on August 30, 1996, the commission having determined it was "no longer necessary" as a tool to promote independent production or affiliate autonomy. The major networks did not reclaim the traditional access period in early primetime due to pressure from affiliates to retain control of one of the more profitable parts of their programming schedules. Several of the longest-running first-run syndicated programs—such as Entertainment Tonight, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy!—are still often broadcast in the "prime access hour", and have earned audiences equal to or greater than many network shows.

In 2010, Fox was allowed to present World Series games that started around 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, presumably under the hope that games would not run into the 11:00 p.m. (Eastern) hour (though in practice, this still consistently occurs despite the early start). In 2014 and 2015, CBS moved its Thursday primetime to start at 7:30 p.m. for the first eight weeks of the season to allow for a full pregame show for Thursday Night Football, a move which was emulated for NBC and Fox's carriage of the same package.

Smaller networks such as Pax TV launched with full 24-hour schedules after the rule change. Some networks, though, had programmed the access hour even while the rule was still in effect, particularly Spanish-language networks that hold responsibility for the majority of their affiliates' programming schedules, such as Univision and Telemundo.

See also

References

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