Alfred Schneider

Executive, Standards & Practices

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his two-and-a-half hour Archive interview, Alfred Schneider (1926-2016) talks about his early career working for ABC shortly after the formation of the network. He discusses his early role in business affairs at ABC and his subsequent move to CBS in 1955, where he became the assistant to president Louis G. Cowan. He details his role in dealing with Standards & Practices at the network as well as his return to ABC, where he became head of their Standards & Practices department. He discusses the fallout of the Quiz Show and Payola Scandals and the legislation created in their wake. He talks about his role in establishing the National Association of Broadcasters' (NAB) Code of Standards as well as network reaction to government legislation. Schneider discusses The Untouchables, That Certain Summer, The Day After, and Soap as well as other television programs. Karen Herman conducted the interview on July 22, 2004 in New York, NY.

"I felt that if the government can tell us what to put in a program, they can tell us what not to put in a program. And if they can tell you to put one thing in a program, they can propagandize. You had to be very careful, even though the message was worthwhile, that we do not become a surrogate for government propaganda."

People Talking About ...

Alfred Schneider

Highlights

Alfred Schneider on working with Producer Leonard Goldberg on his TV movie Something About Amelia, which dealt with incest

Alfred Schneider on writer/producer Susan Harris's response to being told that a scene in Soap where women were discussing sex had to be cut

Alfred Schneider on the role of the government in regulating television content and President Nixon's attempt to encourage anti-drug messages in television programs

Alfred Schneider on his pride in his work on The Day After

Alfred Schneider on advice to aspiring Standards & Practices professionals

Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on his service during World War II; on how he came to work in ABC's legal department

On the early days of ABC; on the founder of ABC, Leonard Goldenson; on the first time he saw television

On creating, with ABC Executive Jim Stabile, what may have been the very first television package deal -- for The Danny Thomas Show; on his move to CBS as Assistant Director of Business Affairs and negotiating the contract for The Phil Silvers Show; on working on contracts for Peter Falk and Barbara Walters

On the Hollywood Blacklist; on working as Executive Assistant to the President of CBS, Louis G. Cowan

Chapter 2

On the Quiz Show and Payola Scandals and his part in writing legislation in response to the scandals; on the Kefauver Congressional Committee's investigation of violence in television; on the networks' decision to create Standards & Practices departments

On the establishment of the Television Code and its contents; on working in Standards & Practices at ABC; on his greatest contributions to the TV movies and miniseries Something About Amelia, The Day After, and The Winds of War

On how the Italian-American reaction to The Untouchables led to ABC agreeing to not use the term "mafia"; on how a controversial episode of Bus Stop ("A Lion Walks Among Us") led to the demise of ABC President, Oliver E. Treyz, as well as further inquiries into the effects of violence on television

Chapter 3

On an episode of Howard K. Smith: News and Comment ("The Political Obituary of Richard M. Nixon"); on the difference between how news and entertainment are handled in terms of censorship; on the Kennedy Assassination

On why ABC passed on All in the Family; on why ABC was able to take a risk on Soap and how the network dealt with the show's depiction of controversial topics; on the decision to not allow two men to kiss on Thirtysomething

On the power of advertisers in decisions made by Standards & Practices; on the Family Viewing Hour; on That Certain Summer; on Multiplication Rock, Super Friends, and Wonder Woman; on meeting with special interest groups and handling their concerns

Chapter 4

On ABC Afterschool Specials and docudramas; on sit-in protests in response to Marcus Welby, M.D. and other ABC shows; on regulating portrayals of violence in Roots versus S.W.A.T. and The Six Million Dollar Man

On regulating Standards & Practices for Roots and Baretta; on Producer Danny Arnold throwing him off the set of Barney Miller; on Happy Days; on Three's Company

On working with Steven Bochco versus working with Aaron Spelling; on changes in the power of Standards & Practices with the rise of cable television

On the setup of the department of Standards & Practices at ABC; on overseeing the editing of feature films for television; on the television rating system and the V-chip; on how views of what is acceptable on television have changed over time

Chapter 5

On how and when sexuality and other controversial topics became acceptable on television; on Standards & Practices and the presidency; on Chair of the Federal Communications Commission, Newton N. Minow's "Vast Wasteland" speech

On Standards & Practices and the Vietnam War; on the role of government in regulating television content; on criticism he received over the years

On his legacy; on advice to aspiring Standards & Practices professionals; on advice to show creators in dealing with Standards & Practices professionals; on his book, "The Gatekeeper: My 30 Years as a TV Censor"

Shows

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Alfred Schneider

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Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

All in the Family

Barney Miller

Bus Stop

Danny Thomas Show, The aka Make Room for Daddy

Day After, The

Herman Wouk's The Winds of War

Howard K. Smith: News and Comment

Marcus Welby, M.D.

Phil Silvers Show, The aka You'll Never Get Rich aka Sergeant Bilko

Roots

S.W.A.T.

Six Million Dollar Man, The

Soap

Something About Amelia

That Certain Summer

Thirtysomething

Untouchables, The

Advertising and Sponsorship

Advice

Censorship / Standards & Practices

Criticism of TV

Diversity in Television

Historic Events and Social Change

Hollywood Blacklist

Industry Crossroads

LGBTQ

Quiz Show Scandals

Richard M. Nixon

Sex & Violence

Television Industry

Television and the Presidency

Women

Executives

Television Executive

Classic Anthology Series

Comedy Series

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

Drama Series

Medical Dramas

News and Documentary

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Danny Arnold

Steven Bochco

Louis G. Cowan

Leonard Goldberg

Leonard H. Goldenson

Jim Haggerty

Nat Hiken

Newton N. Minow

Richard M. Nixon

Howard K. Smith

Aaron Spelling

Jim Stabile

Brandon Stoddard

Oliver E. Treyz

Herman Wouk

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