Introduction. The Television Code and the trade association -- Regulatory precedents before television : the government and the NAB experiment with radio -- Distinguishing television from radio via the trade association : the rise and fall of the television broadcasters association -- The industry talks about a television code : discourses of decency, self-regulation, and medium specificity -- The television audience speaks out : viewer complaints and the demand for government intervention -- The FCC : impotent bureaucrats, stealthy censors, or exasperated intermediaries? -- Senator William Benton challenges the commercial television paradigm -- Conclusion -- After the code -- Appendix A. Acceptability of program material from the Television Code -- Appendix B. Decency and decorum in production.
