The “Big Three” networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC, dominated prime-time programming of their own network-affiliated stations nationally in the 1960s. Reruns of old network shows also dominated the schedules of independent (non-network-affiliated) television stations. The FCC began an investigation of this virtual monopoly in 1965 and issued its initial PTAR in 1970. The rule was modified in 1973, rewritten in 1975, and finally rescinded in 1996. Paraphrasing the rule itself, the PTAR basically limited network-affiliated stations in the 50 largest television markets to airing only three hours of network entertainment programming during prime time. Exceptions were made for some program genres, such as news, public affairs, education, and children’s shows.

This rule meant that the Big Three networks regularly provided 22 hours of prime-time shows weekly, 4 hours on Sunday and 3 hours on the other six evenings each week. Sunday included an extra hour because feature films, newsmagazines, and family shows qualified as exceptions to the PTAR. Other exceptions included fast-breaking news events and the running over of live broadcasts of sporting events. In markets where local television stations scheduled the half-hour network newscast immediately following the local news-cast, this was also considered an exception. In actual practice, the networks now provided only three hours of programming to all their affiliate stations in every market, not just the top 50, and established what became known as the “Access Hour” nationally.

The PTAR also prohibited top-50 market network-affiliated stations from airing off-network rerun programs during the access hour, while encouraging local independent stations to do so as well. This aspect of the rule gave independent stations the exclusive right to broadcast reruns of successful network situation comedies such as I Love Lucy during the first hour of prime time, while forcing the network-affiliated stations to provide alternative programming.

The FCC wanted to encourage community-oriented local programming by network stations, as well as provide small, independent programming producers expanded marketing opportunities. Prior to the PTAR, almost all network programming was produced by major studios or the networks themselves.

With respect to the development of community-oriented local programming, the PTAR was a dismal failure, as most local television stations opted to purchase inexpensive syndicated entertainment programming, such as game shows, to fill the access hour rather than developing their own public-affairs programs. The PTAR was a resounding success in providing independent producers with more than 200 local television markets and over 600 local stations as potential customers for their original programming. The result was a plethora of game shows and other programs in inexpensive-to-produce genres. Along with the Financial Interest and Syndication Rule (Fin-Syn), the PTAR prevented the Big Three networks from monopolizing the television production industry and limited them to distribution and exhibition of prime-time entertainment programming for 16 years.

The creation of FOX, the fourth major network, as well as the variety of other channels introduced as the cable and satellite industries developed, provided television audiences in the United States with many more viewing options. This shift eroded the Big Three networks’ share of the audience from over 90 percent in 1970 to less than 50 percent in the mid-1990s. It also gave independent program producers many more venues to which they could sell programming and basically eliminated a need for restrictions on network programming such as the PTAR. The FCC finally eliminated the rule in August 1996.

Since the PTAR’s demise there has been virtually no change in the number of hours of prime-time programming that networks provide their affiliates. Now, affiliate stations’ access hours are highly profitable time slots for selling local advertising spots at premium rates, and affiliate stations therefore have no desire to give up the access hour to the networks for programming. Even network newscasts typically no longer appear during the access hour.