grams such asBlind Date, which began airing in
- Several law-enforcement reality shows
were popular—taking their cue from the earlier
COPSandAmerica’s Most Wanted—among them
Real Stories of the Highway Patrolin 1993,LAPD:
Life on the Beatin 1995, andWorld’s Wildest Police
Videosin 1998.
Real Television Coverage Another form of re-
ality to take hold during the decade was live and
actual footage of events and proceedings, espe-
cially criminal and court happenings. During
the Gulf War, Americans for the first time were
made privy to hours of on-location specifics.
During the Rodney King case, several networks
devoted a major portion to covering the inci-
dent of his beating, the trial and acquittal of the
accused Los Angeles Police Department offi-
cers, and the subsequent civil uprising—the Los
Angeles riots of 1992. Networks such as Court
TV became some of the most-watched networks
of an eight-month period in 1995 by televising
O. J. Simpson’s murder trial.
Both because of and by way of television,
viewers were able to witness the events leading
up to and the consequences of what has been la-
beled “ambush TV”—initiated by the infamous
Jerr y Springer Showstarting in 1991. In 1995,Jenny
Jones Show produced a “Same Sex Secret
Crushes” episode: A young gay man named
Scott Amedure confessed to his best friend Jona-
than Schmitz that he had a crush on him;
Schmitz laughed it off on national television but
three days later shot and killed Amedure.
Television Advertising Advertising revenue
has supported television programming (with
the exception of public, noncommercial televi-
sion) since the advent of commercial television
in the 1940’s. By targeting specific audiences,
the sponsors of select programs base their adver-
tisements on time of day or night, cultural
trends, and demographic data. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, by 1999 national advertis-
ers were collectively spending more than $18 million
targeting all demographic groups.
In the 1990’s, general considerations were still
made regarding viewer needs and preferences, but
some trends had shifted. Far greater representations
of cultures were taken into serious consideration,
and far fewer food and cleaning product ads target-
ing housewives were run. More technologically re-
lated products and services were shown, and more
background music and lyrics of popular genres were
played. Forms of advertisement included standard
techniques, such as infomercials, promotionals, and
political advertising spots, but new strategies for ad-
vertising evolved as well. Sponsors took a cue fromThe Nineties in America Television 839
Popular 1990’s SitcomsProgram Airdates Network
Cheers 1982-1993 NBC
A Different World 1987-1993 NBC
Full House 1987-1995 ABC
Married... with Children 1987-1997 Fox
Roseanne 1988-1997 ABC
Murphy Brown 1988-1998 CBS
Coach 1989-1997 ABC
Family Matters 1989-1998 ABC
Major Dad 1989-1993 CBS
Seinfeld 1989-1998 NBC
Evening Shade 1990-1994 CBS
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 1990-1996 NBC
Wings 1990-1997 NBC
Home Improvement 1991-1999 ABC
Mad About You 1992-1999 NBC
Frasier 1993-2004 NBC
Grace Under Fire 1993-1998 ABC
Living Single 1993-1998 Fox
Ellen 1994-1998 ABC
Friends 1994-2004 NBC
Caroline in the City 1995-1999 NBC
Cybill 1995-1998 CBS
The Drew Carey Show 1995-2004 ABC
News Radio 1995-1999 NBC
Everybody Loves Raymond 1996-2005 CBS
Spin City 1996-2002 ABC
Suddenly Susan 1996-2000 NBC
Third Rock from the Sun 1996-2001 NBC
Just Shoot Me 1997-2003 NBC
Will and Grace 1998-2006 NBC