Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct - Dec 1951)

Text of Code Okayed in Chicago (Continued from page 23) methods of presenting educational and cultural materials by television. It is further the responsibility of stations, networks, advertising agencies and sponsors consciously to seek opportunities for introducing into telecasts factual materials which will aid in the enlightenment of the American public. 3. Education via television may be taken to mean that process by which the individual is brought toward informed adjustment to his society. Television is also responsible for the presentation of overtly instructional and cultural programs, scheduled so as to reach the viewers who are naturally drawn to such programs, and produced so as to attract the largest possible audience. 4. In furthering this realization, the television broadcaster: a) Should be thoroughly conversant with the educational and cultural needs and desires of the community served. b) Should affirmatively seek out responsible and accountable educational and cultural institutions of the community with a view toward providing opportunities for the instruction and enlightenment of the viewers. c) Should provide for reasonable experimentation in the development of programs specifically directed to the advancement of the community's culture and education. ACCEPTABILITY OF PROGRAM MATERIAL Program materials should enlarge the horizons of the viewer, provide him with wholesome entertainment, afford helpful stimulation, and remind him of the responsibilities which the citizen has towards his society. Furthermore: a) (i) Profanity, obscenity, smut and vulgarity are forbidden, even when likely to be understood only by part of the audience. From time to time, words which have been acceptable, acquire undesirable meanings, and telecasters should be alert to eliminate such words. .„ , [This entire section following will be amended to become a part of an addenda to the main code rather than part of the code itself.] (ii) No approval shall be given to the use of words and phrases including, but not limited to, the following : Alley cat (applied to a woman); bat or broad (applied to a woman); Bronx cheer (the sound); chippie; cocotte; God, Lord, Jesus, Christ (unless used reverently); cripes; fanny; fairy (in a vulgar sense); finger (the); fire, cries of; Gawd; goose (in a vulgar sense); "hold your hat" or "hats"; hot (applied to a woman); "in your hat"; Madam (relating to prostitution); nance; nerts; nuts (except when meaning crazy); pansy; razzberry (the sound); slut (applied to a woman); S.O.B.; son-of-a; tart; toilet gage; torn cat (applied to a man); traveling salesman and farmer's daughter jokes; whore; damn; hell (excepting when the use of said last two words shall be essential and required for portrayal, in proper historical context, of any scene or dialogue based upon historical fact or folklore, or for the presentation in proper literary context of a Biblical, or other religious quotation, or a quotation from a literary work provided that no such use shall be permitted which is intrinsically objectionable or offends good taste.) b) (i) Attacks on religion and religious faiths are not allowed. (ii) Reverence is to mark any mention of the name of God, His attributes and powers. (iii) When religious rites are included in other than religious programs, the rites are accurately presented, and the ministers, priests and rabbis portrayed in their callings are vested with the dignity of their office and under no circumstances are to be held up to ridicule. c) (i) Contests may not constitute a lottery. (ii) Any telecasting designed to "buy" the television audience contrary to any provision of the law by requiring it to listen and/or view in hope of reward, rather than for the quality of the program, should be avoided. (Reference, Contests, page 18). d) Respect is maintained for the sanctity of marriage and the value of the home. Divorce is not treated casually nor justified as a solution for marital problems. e) Illicit sex relations are not treated as commendable. f) Sex crimes and abnormalities are generally unacceptable as program material. g) [deleted.] h) Drunkenness and narcotic addic tion are never presented as desirable or prevalent. i) The illegal administration of illegal drugs will not be displayed. j) The use of liquor in American life when not required by the plot or for proper characterization will not be shown [subject to revision]. k) The use of gambling devices or scenes necessary to the development of plot or as appropriate background is acceptable only when presented with discretion and in moderation, and in a manner which would not excite interest in, or foster, betting nor would be instructional in nature. Telecasts of actual sport programs at which on-thescene betting is permitted by law should be presented in a manner in keeping with federal, state and local laws, and should concentrate on the subject as a public sporting event. 1) In reference to physical or mental afflictions and deformities, special precautions must be taken to avoid ridiculing sufferers from similar ailments and offending them or members of their families. m) Exhibitions of fortune-telling, astrology, phrenology, palm-reading, and numerology are not acceptable; when required by a plot or the theme of a program, the presentation should be developed in a manner designed not to foster superstition or excite interest or belief in these subjects. n) Televised drama shall not simulate news or special events in such a way as to mislead or alarm. Reference is made to the section of the Code on News. o) Legal, medical and other professional advice, diagnosis and treatment will be permitted only in conformity with law and recognized ethical and professonal standards. p) The presentation of cruelty, greed and selfishness as worthy motivations is to be avoided. q) Unfair exploitation of others for personal gain shall not be presented as praiseworthy. r) Criminality shall be presented as undesirable and unsympathetic. The condoning of crime and the treatment of the commission of crime in a frivolous, cynical or callous manner is unacceptable. s) The presentation of techniques of crime in such detail as to invite imitation shall be avoided. t) The use of horror for its own sake will be eliminated; the use of visual or aural effects which would shock or alarm the viewer, and the detailed presentation of brutality or physical agony by sight or by sound are not permissable. u) Law enforcement shall be upheld, and the officers of the law are to be portrayed with respect and dignity. v) The presentation of murder or revenge as a motive for murder shall not be presented as justifiable. w) Suicide as an acceptable solution for human problems is prohibited. x) The exposition of sex crimes will be avoided. y) The appearances or dramatization of persons featured in actual crime news will be permitted only in such light as to aid law enforcement or to report the news event. RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD CHILDREN 1. The education of children involves giving them a sense of the world at large. Crime, violence and sex are a part of the world they will be called upon to meet, and a certain amount of proper presentation of such is helpful in orienting the child to his social surroundings. However, violence and illicit sex shall not be presented in an attractive manner, nor to an extent such as will lead a child to believe that they play a greater part in life than they do. They should not be presented without indications of the resultant retribution and punishment. 2. It is not enough that only those programs which are intended for viewing by children shall be suitable to the young and immature. (Attention is called to the general items listed under "Acceptability of Program Materials.") Television is responsible for insuring that programs of all sorts which occur during the times of day when children may normally be expected to have the opportunity of viewing television shall exercise care in the following regards: a) In affording opportunities for cultural growth as well as for wholesome entertainment. b) In developing programs to foster and promote the commonly accepted moral, social and ethical ideals characteristic of American life. c) In reflecting respect for parents, for honorable behavior, and for the constituted authorities of the American community. d) In eliminating reference to kidnapping of children or threats of kidnapping. e) In avoiding material which is excessively violent or would create morbid suspense, or other undesirable reactions in children. f) In exercising particular restraint and care in crime or mystery episodes involving children or minors. DECENCY AND DECORUM IN PRODUCTION 1. The costuming of all performers shall be within the bounds of propriety and shall avoid such exposure or such emphasis on anatomical detail as would embarrass or offend home viewers. 2. The movements of dancers, actors, or other performers shall be kept within the bounds of decency, and lewdness and impropriety shall not be suggested in the positions assumed by performers. 3. [deleted]. 4. Camera angles shall avoid such views of performers as to emphasize anatomical details indecently. 5. Racial or nationality types shall not be shown on television in such a manner as to ridicule the race or nationality. 6. The use of locations closely associated with sexual life or with sexual sin must be governed by good taste and delicacy. COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY A television broadcaster and his staff occupy a position of responsibility in the community and should conscientiously endeavor to be acquainted fully with its needs and characteristics in order better to serve the welfare of its citizens. TREATMENT OF NEWS AND PUBLIC EVENTS NEWS 1. A television station's news schedule should be adequate and well-balanced. 2. News reporting should be factual, fair and without bias. 3. Commentary and analysis should be clearly identified as such. 4. Good taste should prevail in the selection and handling of news: Morbid, sensational or alarming details not essential to the factual report, especially in connection with stories of crime or sex, should be avoided. News should be telecast in such a manner as to avoid panic and unnecessary alarm. 5. At all times, pictorial and verbal material for both news and comment should conform to other sections of these standards wherever such sections are reasonably applicable. 6. Pictorial material should be chosen with care and not presented in a misleading manner. 7. A television broadcaster should exercise due care in his supervision of content, format, and presentation of newscasts originated by his station; and in his selection of newscasters, commentators, and analysts. 8. A television broadcaster should exercise particular discrimination in the acceptance placement and presentation of advertising in news programs so that such advertising shall be clearly distinguishable from the news content. Such advertising should be appropriate to the program, both as to content and presentation, and should be distinctly set apart from the news content. 9. A television broadcaster should not present fictional events or other nonnews material as authentic news telecasts or announcements nor should he permit dramatizations in any program which would give the false impression that the dramatized material constitutes news. Expletives, (presented aurally or pictorially) such as "flash" or "bulletin" and statements such as "we interrupt this program to bring you . . ." should be reserved specifically for news room use. However, a television broadcaster may properly exercise discretion in the use in non-news programs of words or phrases which do not necessarily imply that the material following is a news release. PUBLIC EVENTS 1. A television broadcaster has an affirmative responsibility at all times to be informed of public events, and to provide coverage consonant with the ends of an informed and enlightened citizenery. 2. Because of the nature of events open to the public, the treatment of such events by a television broadcaster should be effected in a manner to provide for adequate and informed coverage as well as good taste in presentation. CONTROVERSIAL PUBLIC ISSUES 1. Television provides a valuable forum for the expression of responsible views on public issues of a controversial nature. In keeping therewith the television broadcaster should seek out and develop with accountable individuals, groups and organizations, programs relating to controversial public issues of import to its fellow citizens; and to give fair representation to opposing sides of issues which materially affect the life or welfare of a substantial segment of the public. 2. The provision of time for this purpose should be guided by the following principles : a. Requests of individuals, groups or organizations for time to discuss their views on controversial public issues, should be considered on the basis of their individual merits, and in the light of the contribution which the use requested would make to the public interest, and to a well-balanced program structure. b. Programs devoted to the discussion of controversial public issues should be identified as such, and should not be presented in a manner which would mislead listeners or viewers to believe that the program is purely of an entertainment, news, or other character. POLITICAL TELECASTS Political telecasts should be clearly identified as such, and should not be presented by a television broadcaster in a manner which would mislead listeners or viewers to believe that the program is of any other character. RELIGIOUS PROGRAMS 1. It is the responsibility of a television broadcaster to make available to the community as part of a well-balanced program schedule adequate opportunity for religious presentations. 2. The following principles should be followed in the treatment of such programs : a. Telecasting which reaches men of all creeds simultaneously should avoid attacks upon religion. b. Religious programs should be presented respectfully and accurately and without prejudice or ridicule. c. Religious programs should be presented by responsible individuals, groups, and organizations. d. Religious programs should place emphasis on broad religious truths, excluding the presentation of controversial or partisan views not directly or necessarily related to religion or morality. 3. In the allocation of time for telecasts of religious programs it is recommended that the television station use its best efforts to apportion such time fairly among the representative faith groups of its community. PRESENTATION OF ADVERTISING 1. Ever mindful of the role of television as a guest in the home, a television broadcaster should exercise unceasing care to supervise the form in which advertising material is presented over his facilities. He should govern himself by the following precepts: (a) Advertising messages should be presented with courtesy and good taste; disturbing or annoying material should be avoided; every effort should be made to keep the advertising message in harmony with the content and general tone of the program in which it appears. (b) A sponsor's advertising messages should be confined within the framework of the sponsor's program structure. A television broadcaster should seek to avoid the use of commercial announcements which are divorced from the program either by preceding the introduction of the program (as in the case of so-called "cow-catcher" announcements) or by following the apparent sign-off of the program (as in the case of so-called "trailer" announcements). To this end, the program itself should be announced and clearly identified before the sponsor's advertising material is first used, and should be signed off after the sponsor's advertising material is last used. (c) Advertising copy should contain no claims intended to disparage competitors, competing products, or other industries, professions or institutions. (d) Since advertising by television is a dynamic technique, a television broadcaster should keep under surveillance new advertising devices so that the spirit and purpose of these standards are fulfilled. (e) Television broadcasters should exercise the utmost care and discrimination with regard to advertising material, including content, placement and presentation, near or adjacent to programs designed for children. No considerations of expediency should be permitted to impinge upon the vital responsibility towards children and adolescents, which is inherent in television, and which must be recognized and accepted by all advertisers employing television. (f) Television advertisers should be encouraged to devote portions of their allotted advertising messages and pro (Continued from page 36) Page 34 • October 22, 1951 BROADCASTING • Telecasting