History MediaNotes / TheRuralPurge

Ironically, the biggest subversion of the purge was the 1972 CBS rural drama ''Series/TheWaltons''. It is said that, in response to Congressional hearings on the quality of TV programming following the purge, CBS deliberately slotted ''The Waltons'' in a [[FridayNightDeathSlot death slot]] (against the popular Thursday-night programs ''Series/TheModSquad'' on ABC and ''The Flip Wilson Show'' on NBC) under the presumption that it would fail, and CBS could say there was no interest in such programs. In reality, it was a critical and ratings success, lasting ''nine'' seasons, peaking as the second-highest rated program on television in its second season, and launching the successful Creator/{{Lorimar}} studio.

Ironically, the biggest subversion of the purge was the 1972 CBS rural drama ''Series/TheWaltons''; produced in response to Congressional hearings on the quality of TV programming following the purge, it was slotted in a [[FridayNightDeathSlot death slot]] against popular Thursday-night programs ''Series/TheModSquad'' on ABC and ''The Flip Wilson Show'' on NBC under the presumption that it would probably be cancelled quickly. Instead, it lasted ''nine'' seasons, peaked as the second-highest rated program on television in its 2nd season, and launched the successful Creator/{{Lorimar}} studio.

A notable movement in US television around the turn of UsefulNotes/TheSeventies--"one of the earliest efforts at [[NetworkDecay channel drift]]", [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_purge according to]] [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} That Other Wiki]]--when the AC Nielsen company made changes to give networks and advertisers a clearer picture of just who (as well as how many people) watched which shows. At the time, many popular programs (such as ''Series/GreenAcres'' and ''Series/HeeHaw'') were rural-themed and were skewing more towards viewers from rural areas or just an older demographic in general. By contrast, younger "urban" viewers wanted more contemporary and innovative programs. In addition, the FCC's new "Prime Time Access Rule" came into effect for the 1971-72 season, which forbade networks from scheduling programming in the 7:00 p.m. ET/PT hour (a move intended to help spur the syndication market, alongside the concurrent "[=FinSyn=]" rules that effectively required the networks to divest their syndication divisions), which forced the traditional start of primetime to move from 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

A notable movement in US television around the turn of UsefulNotes/TheSeventies--"one of the earliest efforts at [[NetworkDecay channel drift]]", [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_purge according to]] [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} That Other Wiki]]--when the AC Nielsen company made changes to give networks and advertisers a clearer picture of just who (as well as how many people) watched which shows. At the time, many popular programs (such as ''Series/GreenAcres'' and ''Series/HeeHaw'') were rural-themed and were skewing more towards viewers from rural areas or just an older demographic in general (as opposed to younger "urban" viewers, who wanted more contemporary and innovative programs). That, along with the implementation of the Prime Time Access Rule in 1971 (which made the 7:00 PM ET hour off-limits to network programming, forcing the traditional start of primetime to move from 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM, and making the 7:00 PM hour a lot more lucrative for syndicated shows), led the networks to perform some spring cleaning to make room for more modern fare.

Several of these variety shows were promptly UnCanceled: Red Skelton got [[NetworkToTheRescue saved]] for one more season by Creator/{{NBC}}, while ''The Lawrence Welk Show'' and ''Hee Haw'' successfully moved to syndication -- lasting all the way through 1982 and 1992 respectively. Country singer and ''Hee Haw'' personality Roy Clark ultimately recorded a song, "The Lawrence Welk-Hee Haw Counter-Revolution Polka", acknowledging these events as a TakeThat against the Rural Purge.

Several of these variety shows were promptly UnCancelled: Red Skelton got [[NetworkToTheRescue saved]] for one more season by Creator/{{NBC}}, while ''The Lawrence Welk Show'' and ''Hee Haw'' successfully moved to syndication -- lasting all the way through 1982 and 1992 respectively. Country singer and ''Hee Haw'' personality Roy Clark ultimately recorded a song, "The Lawrence Welk-Hee Haw Counter-Revolution Polka", acknowledging these events as a TakeThat against the Rural Purge.

Several of these variety shows were promptly UnCancelled: Red Skelton got [[SavedByTheNetwork saved]] for one more season by Creator/{{NBC}}, while ''The Lawrence Welk Show'' and ''Hee Haw'' successfully moved to syndication -- lasting all the way through 1982 and 1992 respectively. Country singer and ''Hee Haw'' personality Roy Clark ultimately recorded a song, "The Lawrence Welk-Hee Haw Counter-Revolution Polka", acknowledging these events as a TakeThat against the Rural Purge.

Despite its name, the resulting carnage was not exclusively aimed towards rural shows; the casualties of the purge included several long-running [[TheWestern westerns]] (including ''Series/{{Bonanza}}'', though the genre had been in a decline due to MoralGuardians complaining about their violence, and ''Bonanza'' itself was facing declining ratings due to the death of co-star Dan Blocker) and variety shows, such as ''The Jackie Gleason Show'', ''The Lawrence Welk Show'', and ''The Red Skelton Show''. CBS and Creator/{{ABC}} each also killed two birds with one stone by cancelling the rural variety shows ''Hee Haw'' and ''The Music/JohnnyCash Show''.

Several of these variety shows were promptly UnCancelled: Red Skelton got [[SavedByTheNetwork saved]] for one more season by Creator/{{NBC}}, while ''The Lawrence Welk Show'' and ''Hee Haw'' successfully moved to syndication -- lasting all the way through 1982 and 1992 respectively. Country singer and ''Hee-Haw'' personality Roy Clark ultimately recorded a song, "The Lawrence Welk-Hee Haw Counter-Revolution Polka", acknowledging these events as a TakeThat against the Rural Purge.

Several of these variety shows were UnCancelled: Red Skelton got [[SavedByTheNetwork saved]] for one more season by Creator/{{NBC}}, while ''The Lawrence Welk Show'' and ''Hee Haw'' successfully moved to syndication -- lasting all the way through 1982 and 1992 respectively.

Despite its name, the resulting carnage was not exclusively aimed towards rural shows; the casualties of the purge included several long-running [[TheWestern westerns]] (including ''Series/{{Bonanza}}'', though the genre had been in a decline due to MoralGuardians complaining about their violence, and ''Bonanza'' itself was facing declining ratings due to the death of co-star Dan Blocker) and variety shows (such as ''The Jackie Gleason Show'', ''The Lawrence Welk Show'', and ''The Red Skelton Show''; the latter got SavedByTheNetwork for one more season on Creator/{{NBC}}), while CBS and Creator/{{ABC}} each killed two birds with one stone by cancelling the rural variety shows ''Hee Haw'' and ''The Music/JohnnyCash Show''. Both ''Hee Haw'' and ''The Lawrence Welk Show'', however, got UnCancelled and proved to be popular in syndication, with ''Hee Haw'' lasting all the way through 1992.

The purge began in 1970 with the cancellation of ''Series/PetticoatJunction'' by Creator/{{CBS}}; to be fair, the series' viewership had been declining since the death of its star Bea Benaderet. CBS was by far the biggest offender in the purge, cancelling a large array of {{Long Runner}}s just because they skewed too old. Actor Pat Buttram of ''Green Acres'' (which, unsurprisingly, got canned) famously commented that CBS "canceled every show that had a tree in it."

* ''HeeHaw'' (CBS, 1969–71; revived in syndication, where it ran until 1992)

Ironically, the biggest subversion of the purge was the 1972 CBS rural drama ''Series/TheWaltons''; produced in response to Congressional hearings on the quality of TV programming following the purge, it was slotted in a [[FridayNightDeathSlot death slot]] against popular Thursday-night programs ''Series/TheModSquad'' on ABC and ''The Flip Wilson Show'' on NBC under the presumption that it would probably be cancelled quickly. Instead, it lasted ''nine'' seasons, and peaked as the second-highest rated program on television in its 2nd season.

* ''The Red Skelton Show'' (CBS, 1953–70; moved to NBC, ending in 1971); it ranked #7 in the 1969-70 season, making it the highest-ranked show ''ever'' to be cancelled in television history up to that point

* ''Series/MayberryRFD'' (CBS, 1968–71); the highest-rated casualty of the purge, it finished at #15 in its final season, making it one of the highest-rated shows ''ever'' to be cancelled

* ''The Red Skelton Show'' (CBS, 1953–70; moved to NBC, ending in 1971)

The purge began in 1970 with the cancellation of ''Series/PetticoatJunction'' by Creator/{{CBS}}; to be fair, the series' viewership had been declining since the death of its star Bea Benaderet. CBS was by far the biggest offender in the purge, cancelling a large array of {{Long Runner}}s just because they skewed too old. Actor Pat Buttram of ''Green Acres'' (which, unsurprisingly, got canned) even once commented that CBS "canceled every show that had a tree."

* ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow'' / ''Series/MayberryRFD'' (CBS, 1960–68/1968–71)

* ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'' (ABC, 1964–72)
* ''{{Series/Bonanza}}'' (NBC, 1959–73)
* ''Series/TheBradyBunch'' (ABC, 1969–74)

* ''Series/{{Gunsmoke}}'' (CBS, 1955–75)

* ''Series/TheJeffersons'' (CBS, 1975–85)

* ''Series/{{Lassie}}'' (CBS, 1954–71)

The purge began in 1970 with the cancellation of ''Series/PetticoatJunction'' by Creator/{{CBS}} (although in fairness, the show had been faced with declining viewership since the death of star Bea Benederet). CBS was by far the biggest offender in the purge, cancelling a large array of {{Long Runner}}s just because they skewed too old. Actor Pat Buttram of ''Green Acres'' (which, unsurprisingly, got canned) even once commented that CBS "canceled every show that had a tree."

A notable movement in US television around the turn of TheSeventies--"one of the earliest efforts at [[NetworkDecay channel drift]]", [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_purge according to]] Wiki/ThatOtherWiki--when the AC Nielsen company made changes to give networks and advertisers a clearer picture of just who (as well as how many people) watched which shows. At the time, many popular programs (such as ''Series/GreenAcres'' and ''Series/HeeHaw'') were rural-themed and were skewing more towards viewers from rural areas or just an older demographic in general (as opposed to younger "urban" viewers, who wanted more contemporary and innovative programs). That, along with the implementation of the Prime Time Access Rule in 1971 (which made the 7:00 PM ET hour off-limits to network programming, forcing the traditional start of primetime to move from 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM, and making the 7:00 PM hour a lot more lucrative for syndicated shows), led the networks to perform some spring cleaning to make room for more modern fare.

The purge began in 1970 with the cancellation of ''Series/PetticoatJunction'' by Creator/{{CBS}} (although in fairness, the show had been faced with declining viewership since the death of star Bea Benederet). CBS was by far the biggest offender in the purge, cancelling a large array of {{Long Runner}}s just because they skewed too old. Actor Pat Buttram of ''Green Acres'' (which, [[CaptainObvious unsurprisingly]], got canned) even once commented that CBS "canceled every show that had a tree."

* ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow'' / ''MayberryRFD'' (CBS, 1960–68/1968–71)

A notable movement in US television around the turn of TheSeventies--"one of the earliest efforts at [[ChannelDrift channel drift]]", [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_purge according to]] Wiki/ThatOtherWiki--when the AC Nielsen company made changes to give networks and advertisers a clearer picture of just who (as well as how many people) watched which shows. At the time, many popular programs (such as ''Series/GreenAcres'' and ''Series/HeeHaw'') were rural-themed and were skewing more towards viewers from rural areas or just an older demographic in general (as opposed to younger "urban" viewers, who wanted more contemporary and innovative programs). That, along with the implementation of the Prime Time Access Rule in 1971 (which made the 7:00 PM ET hour off-limits to network programming, forcing the traditional start of primetime to move from 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM, and making the 7:00 PM hour a lot more lucrative for syndicated shows), led the networks to perform some spring cleaning to make room for more modern fare.

A notable movement in US television around the turn of TheSeventies--"one of the earliest efforts at [[ChannelDrift channel drift]]", [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_purge according to]] ThatOtherWiki--when the AC Nielsen company made changes to give networks and advertisers a clearer picture of just who (as well as how many people) watched which shows. At the time, many popular programs (such as ''Series/GreenAcres'' and ''Series/HeeHaw'') were rural-themed and were skewing more towards viewers from rural areas or just an older demographic in general (as opposed to younger "urban" viewers, who wanted more contemporary and innovative programs). That, along with the implementation of the Prime Time Access Rule in 1971 (which made the 7:00 PM ET hour off-limits to network programming, forcing the traditional start of primetime to move from 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM, and making the 7:00 PM hour a lot more lucrative for syndicated shows), led the networks to perform some spring cleaning to make room for more modern fare.

* ''The JohnnyCash Show'' (ABC, 1969–71)

Despite its name, the resulting carnage was not exclusively aimed towards rural shows; the casualties of the purge included several long-running [[TheWestern westerns]] (including ''Series/{{Bonanza}}'', though the genre had been in a decline due to MoralGuardians complaining about their violence, and ''Bonanza'' itself was facing declining ratings due to the death of co-star Dan Blocker) and variety shows (such as ''The Jackie Gleason Show'', ''The Lawrence Welk Show'', and ''The Red Skelton Show''; the latter got SavedByTheNetwork for one more season on Creator/{{NBC}}), while CBS and Creator/{{ABC}} each killed two birds with one stone by cancelling the rural variety shows ''Hee Haw'' and ''The JohnnyCash Show''. Both ''Hee Haw'' and ''The Lawrence Welk Show'', however, got UnCancelled and proved to be popular in syndication, with ''Hee Haw'' lasting all the way through 1992.

A notable movement in US television around the turn of TheSeventies--"one of the earliest efforts at [[ChannelDrift channel drift]]", [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_purge according to]] ThatOtherWiki--when the AC Nielsen company made changes to give networks and advertisers a clearer picture of just who (as well as how many people) watched which shows. At the time, many popular programs (such as ''GreenAcres'' and ''HeeHaw'') were rural-themed and were skewing more towards viewers from rural areas or just an older demographic in general (as opposed to younger "urban" viewers, who wanted more contemporary and innovative programs). That, along with the implementation of the Prime Time Access Rule in 1971 (which made the 7:00 PM ET hour off-limits to network programming, forcing the traditional start of primetime to move from 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM, and making the 7:00 PM hour a lot more lucrative for syndicated shows), led the networks to perform some spring cleaning to make room for more modern fare.