Television of the 1990s: A Decade of Change
The 1990s marked a significant turning point for television. The era of a unified mass culture, fueled by three major broadcast networks, began to fragment. The rise of cable television, with its specialized programming, shattered the cultural consensus of previous decades, offering viewers a wider array of choices than ever before. This article explores the key developments and trends that defined Television Of The 1990s.
Alec Baldwin and Robert Osborne on Turner Classic Movies
From the late 1920s to the late 1980s, radio and broadcast television served as powerful unifying forces in American culture. Nearly everyone consumed the same content, fostering a shared cultural experience. However, the 1990s ushered in a new era of media consumption driven by the rapid expansion of cable television.
The Cable Revolution
The proliferation of cable channels targeting niche audiences was a defining feature of 1990s television. Established cable networks dedicated to news, sports, and movies were joined by a surge of new channels catering to specific interests. These included channels devoted to cooking (Food Network), cartoons (Cartoon Network), classic television and movies (Nick at Nite, TV Land, American Movie Classics, Turner Classic Movies), home improvement (HGTV), comedy (Comedy Central), documentaries (Discovery Channel), and animals (Animal Planet), among many others. Even highly specialized channels like the Golf Channel and the Game Show Network emerged, demonstrating the granular segmentation of television audiences. By the end of the decade, cable reached nearly 80% of American homes via cable or satellite.
Broadcast Networks Adapt and Expand
Contrary to predictions that cable would decimate broadcast networks, the number of networks actually doubled from three to six. The Fox network, launched in 1985, gained momentum, and the 1993 repeal of the Financial Interest and Syndication (Fin-Syn) Rules further spurred growth. The Fin-Syn rules had previously restricted networks’ ability to produce and own programming, limiting their profits from syndication. Their removal allowed networks to invest in content creation and led to the formation of new networks by production companies. The WB (Warner Bros.) and UPN (United Paramount Network) launched in 1995, further diversifying the television landscape. These two networks eventually merged to form The CW in 2006.
Programming Diversification and the End of Consensus
The programming of the 1990s reflected the broader societal shifts underway. While concerns about increasing violence, sexual content, and profanity on television were voiced, the decade also witnessed a surge in documentaries, educational shows, news programs, and religious broadcasting. Essentially, there was more of everything. The evolution of the family sitcom exemplifies this trend. Traditional family sitcoms like The Cosby Show, Family Ties, and Growing Pains continued to air alongside edgier, more “realistic” portrayals of working-class families in shows like Roseanne, The Simpsons, Married…with Children, and Grace Under Fire. These contrasting depictions of family life highlighted the fragmentation of the television audience and the erosion of shared cultural experiences. The 1990s shattered the unified viewing habits fostered by the limited choices of the previous era, ushering in a new age of diverse programming and fragmented audiences. The expansion of cable channels and broadcast networks provided viewers with an unprecedented range of options, catering to a wide spectrum of tastes and interests. This shift fundamentally altered the cultural landscape of television, paving the way for the even greater diversification seen in subsequent decades.
