Any more schedule info

[mitsguy2001]

Tim: Now that you finished all 895 episodes, are you going to try to obtain any more schedule info, especially when the 4 infamous banned weeks (1036-1040, 1051-1055, 1056-1060, and 1071-1075) last aired?  I'm sure FCI must have some info on that.  Thanks.

[mitsguy2001]

Just wanted to check again.  Thanks.

[Neighborhood Archive]

I'll try to find something out. I may have the chance to do so in a few weeks.

[mitsguy2001]

Thanks.  Looking forward to whatever info you find.

[Neighborhood Archive]

I had a meeting yesterday with several of the folks from the Fred Rogers Company -- a few who have been involved for many years. I asked about these "banned" episodes and I was told that aside from the Conflict episodes, no episodes were ever intentionally removed from a regular broadcast rotation for any sort of controversial reasons.

Their best estimation simply suggested that with more episodes available than there were days to air them, some were aired and others were not. If there were some that were apparently absent from the rotation on a more permanent basis, there certainly wasn't any kind of secretive or sinister reason for doing so.

[mitsguy2001]

Did you find out when these episodes last aired?  If not, can you try to find out?  Thanks.

I really wonder why those 4 weeks of episodes were omitted from the Plan and Play book, when even Conflict was included until the end.  Betty had a theory as to why 1036-1040 stopped airing, but it seems that theory may not be correct.  It's also interesting that most of the banned weeks had ex-spouses of cast members, but Betty didn't seem to think that was the reason why they stopped airing.

[mitsguy2001]

Tim:

Just curious to hear if you have an answer to my question above.  Thanks.

The other really strange thing is that in 1984, they skipped 1091-1095, even though that week was in the Plan and Play book, and it aired in 1986 and 1989.  There was no schedule-related reason to skip that week in 1984, and obviously not a content-related reason if it was able to air in 1986 and 1989.

One other question: do you remember if 1056-1060 had any references to the previous week?  If so, that would mean that it stopped airing at the same time as 1051-1055.

[mitsguy2001]

If these 4 weeks were considered redundant with newer episodes, that could give an idea as to when they last aired.  I don't think any were similar to Starting School.  But maybe Superheroes replaced 1036-1040, and maybe Bubbleland replaced 1051-1055.

Tim: again, did 1056-1060 make any references to the previous week?  If so, then 1051-1055 and 1056-1060 likely last aired at the same time.

Another possibility is that maybe these episodes included some slang or cultural references that were too dated by the 80s.  That might also explain some of the edits, such as 1121 being edited, possibly to remove an outdated logo.

It seems that the clip with Mabel Mercer was used in several early episodes, but she was not credited in all of them.  Maybe that clip was added to episodes when other content was deleted.

The other mystery is the 4 episodes that did not air during the marathon.  We know they weren't truly lost, since Tim has copies of them.

I also wonder if 1984 was the only time that 1091-1095 was skipped, or if it was skipped in earlier cycles, and added back for 1986 and 1989.  I'm guessing that 1984 was the only time it was skipped, since it was in the Plan and Play book.

One other thing: on the Yahoo MRN board, a poster (who was of questionable reliability) said that the FCC only clears programs for broadcast for 10 years, and that they have to be renewed every 10 years, and that it costs money to renew them.  Does anybody know if that is true?  It's possible, since most pre-79s last aired about 19 years after they first aired, implying that they were renewed once but not twice.  But 1386-1390 last aired 21 years after its first airing, and it would make no sense to go through the cost of renewing it only to air once more.  Unless maybe they waited until 1985 to renew it the first time, and it was good until 1995.

[Neighborhood Archive]

Nothing new on air dates. Honestly, accurate information along those lines is next to impossible to determine because ultimately every PBS affiliate can air whatever they choose at their own discretion. There would be a "last" national air date but that wouldn't necessarily be an ultimate final air date. Just trying to make it clear that this kind of information may be extremely difficult to ever solidify.

As for the "missing" episodes from the marathon, that was nothing more than technical glitches. I can assure you that all episodes from 1968-2001 have been digitally preserved and there is nothing (other than the Conflict episodes) which have been removed from rotation for any specific reason.

[mitsguy2001]

I'm just asking about the national schedule.  Since you and other posters have found national schedules from the 60s, early-mid 70s, and 1984 to the present, the early 80s schedules must exist somewhere.  Have you tried to obtain them?  Yes, I am aware that not every PBS station followed them, but the ones that I and most others watched did follow the schedules.

What about the other things I mentioned?  Does 1056-1060 make any reference to the previous week?  Is it true that episodes are only cleared for broadcast for 10 years and must be renewed at a cost?

It's also interesting that 1056-1060 mentions a rocket, and that is used as the pie restaurant in 1071-1075.  Maybe that has something to do with why 1071-1075 stopped airing, since maybe it made reference to 1056-1060.

Also, in 1073, Bob Dog eats a chicken pie.  I know Fred became a vegetarian at some point.  Did any other episodes involving meat air after this one?  I thought that 1455 had a meat pie, but another poster said it did not.

[rogersfan1]

The week I would have thought most to be content related would have been 1071 to 1075 with Bob Dog threatening to hit Lady Aberlin, plus the week being skipped at least the last three times the 1970 season aired, although the pre 79s were apparently included in later editions after they stopped airing.

[mitsguy2001]

The week I would have thought most to be content related would have been 1071 to 1075 with Bob Dog threatening to hit Lady Aberlin, plus the week being skipped at least the last three times the 1970 season aired, although the pre 79s were apparently included in later editions after they stopped airing.

I agree.  Not only were the episodes skipped, but they were omitted from the Plan and Play book.  That leads me to think there was some reason why they couldn't air.  I'm guessing that nobody at FCI remembers why, so it's easier to just say that there was no reason why they stopped airing.

I agree about 1071-1075.  Betty posted a reason why 1036-1040 may have been banned.

[mitsguy2001]

Tim:

What you maybe need to do is, instead of specifically asking about those specific episodes, just ask for schedule information from the early 80s, such as 1981.  That info has to exist somewhere.  It seems that they initially balk at giving out schedule info, saying it doesn't exist, but then it somehow shows up.