[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 290 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 290

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the major broadcast television 
     networks should revive their traditional ``Family Hour'' and 
   voluntarily reserve the first hour of prime time broadcasting for 
                      family-oriented programming.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 12, 1996

 Mr. Lieberman (for himself, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Nunn, Mr. DeWine, Mr. 
Coats, Mr. Faircloth, Mr. Byrd, Mrs. Kassebaum, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Conrad, 
 and Mr. Hatch) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
       to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that the major broadcast television 
     networks should revive their traditional ``Family Hour'' and 
   voluntarily reserve the first hour of prime time broadcasting for 
                      family-oriented programming.

Whereas the major broadcast television networks once adhered to a voluntary, 
        self-enforced practice of setting aside the first hour of prime time for 
        programming suitable for audiences of all ages, especially young 
        children;
Whereas the major networks have recently abandoned this practice and chosen to 
        fill this hour with programs laden with sexually suggestive language and 
        behavior and mature themes;
Whereas, according to the most recent Nielsen ratings, approximately 9,000,000 
        children between the ages of 2 and 11 watch television during an average 
        minute between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. e.s.t;
Whereas the clear majority of American parents are concerned about the negative 
        influence of television on younger viewers, who watch on average 21 
        hours of television a week;
Whereas that concern was recently demonstrated again in a poll conducted by U.S. 
        News & World Report which found that 76 percent of Americans believe 
        that television contributes to the problem of teenage pregnancy, 83 
        percent believe that television contributes to casual sex, 90 percent 
        believe that television contributes to teenagers having sex too soon, 
        and 92 percent believe that television contributes to violence on our 
        streets;
Whereas the Senate is comprised of elected representatives who have a 
        responsibility to give voice to the concerns of their constituents; and
Whereas the Senate expresses public sentiment in this resolution, and does not 
        attempt to establish by law or otherwise mandate or dictate any 
        requirements regarding the content of television programming: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the major 
broadcast television networks should renew their commitment to 
voluntarily reserving the first hour of prime time for programming 
suitable for members of American families of all ages.
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