The "rural purge" of American television networks was a series of cancellations, beginning in 1971, of still popular rural-themed shows and shows with demographically-skewed audiences. It is commonly referred to as "the year CBS killed everything with a tree in it."
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Instigation
The purge was instigated by CBS executive Fred Silverman in 1971, following research highlighting the greater attraction to advertisers of the younger urban viewer demographic and the institution of the FCC's Prime Time Access Rule, which led to the loss of a half-hour of network programming each night. While it is most commonly associated with CBS, ABC also followed a similar pattern.
The numerous cancellations prompted Pat Buttram ("Mr. Haney" on one of the canceled shows, Green Acres) to make the oft-quoted observation: "It was the year CBS canceled everything with a tree—including Lassie."[1][2][3]
Silverman had actually begun some of the moves a year earlier with the cancellation of Petticoat Junction and The Red Skelton Show in 1970.
Silverman, disturbed by CBS's reputation as the "Country Broadcasting System," decided not to renew a number of both long-running and short-lived shows that were either rural oriented, or had a low youth/urban demographic: The Beverly Hillbillies, Mayberry R.F.D., Hee Haw, The Jim Nabors Hour, The Ed Sullivan Show, Family Affair, Lassie, and Hogan's Heroes were all canceled after the 1970-71 season. Some rural-themed shows, however, actually survived the purge, including The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour (which lasted until 1972) and the aforementioned Lassie (which continued in first run syndication until its final new episode aired in 1973). And The Waltons had yet to debut on CBS.
Popularity of cancelled shows
When CBS canceled Hee Haw in 1971, it immediately went into first run syndication, and ran for another twenty-one and a half years, ending in 1993.
ABC was also looking for younger demographics, and in May 1971 canceled the long-running The Lawrence Welk Show which, like Hee-Haw, transitioned to first-run syndication where it ran until 1982. The newer, country-western themed, The Johnny Cash Show was canceled, but its popularity was short-lived.
Replacement shows
Silverman replaced much of the canceled programming in 1971 and 1972 with urban-oriented, "relevant" fare including highly acclaimed shows such as All in the Family (and its many spinoffs), The Bob Newhart Show and M*A*S*H. Added to the schedule the previous year was The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Under Silverman's watch, game shows returned to the network's daytime schedule during this period as well, including The Price Is Right, which debuted in September 1972 as replacements for reruns of 1960s prime-time sitcoms such as The Lucy Show and Gomer Pyle, USMC.
Shows canceled by CBS after the 1970–1971 season
Note: Some shows did not have a rural theme, but were perceived to appeal primarily to rural audiences or had a low youth/urban audience.
- The Governor and J.J.
- The Headmaster
- The Interns
- Storefront Lawyers
- The Tim Conway Comedy Hour
- To Rome With Love
References
- ^ Clark, Jim (March 26, 1999). "Ken Berry Enjoys Taking Astaire Way to Mayberry and Beyond!". Official Website of Ken Berry. http://www.kenberry.com/ken_berry_interview.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
- ^ Harkins, Anthony (2005). Hillbilly: A Cultural History of an American Icon. Oxford University Press. p. 203. ISBN 0195189507. http://books.google.com/books?id=dtehLu1cissC&pg=PA203&lpg=PA203&dq=CBS+cancelled+everything+with+a+tree+in+it&source=bl&ots=vQsGUrkj8W&sig=tQT0fk2d2iDOYy-z4XpqAAk6FL8&hl=en&ei=2nLISZvgMKKomQeMsIT-Ag&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result. Retrieved March 23, 2009.
- ^ Lassie actually survived the initial rural purge, but its time slot (Sunday, 7 p.m.) was changed due to the access rule, and the show was canceled in 1973.
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