PTC Cheers ABC’s Plan for Family-Friendly Fridays

The PTC welcomes ABC’s announcement that it will return its Friday “TGIF” (Thank Goodness its Funny) prime-time lineup, featuring family-friendly TV shows. “Kudos to ABC for recognizing the value of programming for families by reigniting its dormant ‘TGIF’ programming block. It is ironic that ABC’s new Friday night lineup will be competing directly against the family-friendly juggernaut, ‘Last Man Standing,’ which the network foolishly cancelled in 2017. Still, their decision to offer an evening of family-quality entertainment should prove to be a good business move, both for ratings and for the network’s ad sales,” said PTC President Tim Winter. “We must caution ABC that, in order for this move to be successful, the content must truly be appropriate for family viewing. Our research has demonstrated that programs marketed as family-friendly sitcoms – and especially those on ABC – frequently are wholly inappropriate for family viewing. If the network pursues this same path, families will quickly turn away and not return. The good news is that ABC has initially selected programs for its Friday’s lineup that are among the safest bets for families: ‘Fresh Off the Boat,’ ‘Speechless’ and ‘Child Support.’ “We applaud ABC’s announcement and urge the network to ensure its ‘TGIF’ shows are indeed appropriate and safe for entire families to watch together.”