Proven Wholesome TV Shows Disappeared and Left a Void

What happened to television? And why does finding a wholesome show for family TV night feel impossible now? This is a bonus episode where I share a little bit more about me and why I do this show. I think it's going to really resonate with you.

Today I'm taking you behind the scenes of my years working at CBS Television City during what I consider its golden age, revealing exactly what we lost when wholesome TV fell apart. Because once you understand what happened, you'll finally understand why your living room doesn't feel the same anymore.

What We're Covering Today

First, I'll share the Podnews article that sparked this whole episode. Then I'm taking you back to my years at CBS, what it was like when television actually worked and why TV used to bring families together. After that, we'll talk about how it all fell apart and why that matters to you as a parent trying to find family TV shows that are actually safe. And finally, I'll tie it all back to why I do this podcast and how we can keep that spirit of shared storytelling alive in our own homes.

So grab your coffee, settle in, and let me tell you a story.

The Podnews Article That Changed Everything

In the Podnews newsletter this week, Sean Howard wrote something that stopped me instantly. He said, "In 2022, north American consumers spent more time with creator based media than traditional entertainment media." And then he added, "I believe traditional entertainment will not return to pre COVID levels."

And I thought, yeah, he's right. But honestly, I don't even think traditional entertainment was that strong before COVID, because let's be real, traditional TV has been pretty crummy over the last decade or so.

And that's exactly why I started this show. To share with you what television used to be when shows built community. Not noise when we gathered around the TV at the same time every week. Not because an algorithm told us to, but because it mattered to us.

The Endless Scroll Problem

And if you're a parent right now, scrolling through 10 different streaming services at eight o'clock, trying to find one show you can trust for family movie night, you know exactly what I'm talking about. That endless sea of options? It didn't use to be this hard. Let me tell you why.

My Years at CBS Television City

Sean also mentioned the Paramount Skydance merger and the 2,000 layoffs that followed. That one hit close to home for me because I used to work at CBS, which is now owned by Paramount.

As a former CBS employee in the early two thousands before Paramount took over and when Les Moonves was at the helm, CBS was at its peak. Now, you may not know who Les Moonves is, but he was the head honcho back in the day when I was there. But you may be more familiar with who his wife is, Julie Chen, who is known for being the host of Big Brother.

CBS at Its Peak

We had the CSI Franchise, Criminal Minds, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and The Beloved Price Is Right. And yes, the Bob Barker days were better. Not to knock Drew Carey, I think he's doing a fabulous job of picking up where Bob Barker left with his own flare to it.

As I said, I worked there during its peak and it was awesome. You could feel creativity humming through the halls, writers, set builders, editors, crew, all proud of what they were making. There was energy, laughter, and community among everybody there.

I truly loved CBS. It was my favorite channel growing up right alongside Fox because of Fox Kids. And it's funny how all the shows I watched as a kid, The Price Is Right, The Young and the Restless, and later CSI and Cold Case ended up being the very same shows produced by the company I would one day work for. I was a staunch advocate and proud employee of CBS back when the name still meant something.

And as a Paramount stockholder, I was made aware of the merger months in advance so I wasn't surprised when it happened.

Unforgettable Moments at Television City

Working there brought so many moments I'll never forget. I saw celebrities walking through the building to guest on The Late Late show with Craig Ferguson. People like David Duchovny, Richard Marx, Kevin Bacon, Billy Boyd, and so many others.

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

I also loved working on The Late, Late Show with Craig. And I often volunteered for the hall position because it was right outside the green room, which is where all the guests hung out when they weren't on stage 58 with Craig.

I remember one afternoon hearing Andrea Bocelli warming up his voice once. Holy moly, you could hear that guy all the way down the hall. He has some vocal chords.

Stage 58, the home of Craig Ferguson was such a beautiful stage. I watched the set being built when Craig was hired to replace Craig Kilborn. The rich wood paneling, the soft blue LA skyline backdrop that looked like a window view, every detail was just stunning.

The Young and the Restless

When I interned for The Young and the Restless, I met Motown legend Smokey Robinson, actor Linden Ashby, and even worked alongside Shamar Moore when he was becoming the big star that he is today. Those were incredible years, and I'll always be grateful for them.

Guest Relations and the Ticket Booth

I also spent time in Guest relations, which meant some days my shift was working the ticket booth right inside the Fairfax gate. I'd hand out physical tickets to anyone who walked up. The Price is Right, The Late Late Show, and so many others. I'd even mail tickets to people who called in to request them.

However, they don't print those tickets anymore. Everything's digital now and run by a third party. But back then, each show had its own color coded ticket. The Guest Relations office now has a beautiful shadow box on the wall, a framed red page jacket blazer (just like the one I used to wear) with one ticket from every show displayed inside it. It's such a sweet tribute to what once was.

Why This Matters to You

Now you might be wondering, Jennifer, why in the world are you telling me all this? Here's why: I got to see firsthand what made television work.

I watched families line up around the block for The Price is Right, shows parents could actually watch with their kids without worry. I saw the care that went into every single detail from the set design to the audience experience. That intentionality? That's what's missing now.

And when you understand what we lost, you'll understand why finding wholesome entertainment for your family feels so impossible today. Stay with me.

When Everything Started to Unravel

Then came the mergers, the corporate shuffle, and finally, COVID. COVID ruined it. And when Les Moonves was forced out of the company about December 2018, that's when everything started to unravel in my humble opinion.

At that time, CBS announced the sale of Television City to Hackman Capital Partners, who eventually also acquired the Radford Building on Sunset Boulevard. My jaw dropped.

Afterwards, executives from Radford and TVC or Television City were consolidated and moved. The Price Is Right and Let's Make a Deal were shifted into smaller studios in Glendale. When COVID happened, everything just grounded to a halt.

The Heartbreaking Changes

And what's left now breaks my heart, especially after my last visit a couple years ago. Studio 33, the Bob Barker studio, is empty. The second floor is bare with all the Price props and sets long gone. The echoes of the audience cheering and the excitement of those live tapings are no more.

I fondly remember the days when the halls were busy Monday through Thursday with Mondays being double show days. Cars, game pieces, and that infamous wheel rolling past. The big wheel was shuffled around all day long. You'd hear that ding, ding, ding, ding, ding every time a contestant won and the whole place would light up with energy.

I cherish my days working with Bob in that infamous studio. Those were just magnificent times, and again, I am so lucky and so very blessed to have been there when I was.

An Empty Shell

Now The Price is Right is filmed in Glendale and the second floor that once buzzed with shows is nearly empty. Just Young and the Restless and Bold and the Beautiful hanging on. The third floor that used to house The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, then replaced by James Cordon, is empty too. Nothing's taped there. It's just a shell.

And the commissary? I used to go there for made-to-order meals. Now it's empty. No people, just an arcade game and a vending machine sitting in a place where a full mini-restaurant once was active almost around the clock and served studio crews, employees, and guests.

Memories of the Commissary

One of the cashiers, Gia, and I had an inside joke. We both loved looking at Antonio Sabato Jr. He was on The Bold and the Beautiful and very nice eye candy, and every time he'd walk up to the counter to pay, we'd look at each other and giggle like school girls.

That's actually one of the reasons I always sat at the table up front near the cashiers. Well, not just for that, but because it's where I'd say hi to everyone I knew from The Young and the Restless, the crew, the construction guys, stage crew. Everyone passed through there at some point. And I'd even chat with the kitchen workers as well.

The tables are still there. The kitchen's still there. But the soul? Gone.

TV is not what it used to be, and it saddens me that all the great creators who gave us community in television are gone forever.

The Real Problem Parents Face Today

I know this probably feels heavy, but here's what I want you to understand. This isn't just about empty studios or corporate mergers. It's about why you can't find anything good to watch with your kids.

It's not you. You're not too picky. The entire system changed and that's what changed YOUR living room too.

How Streaming Changed Everything

Streaming didn't just change how we watch, it changed who we watch with. Those live weekly appointment shows used to gather families and neighbors at the same time for the same story.

Maybe you remember this, but if you're younger, you probably won't. But there was a time when you'd talk about last night's episode with your neighbor while standing in the front yard or with a complete stranger at the grocery store while flipping through the TV Guide in the checkout line.

Now we watch alone, on demand, in silence.

What We're Watching Changed Too

But it's also not just how we watch that changed, it's what we're watching. Quality television existed back in the day, and honestly, there's no such thing now.

I know that sounds harsh, especially if you grew up on modern TV and streaming. If that's all you've ever known, it probably seems incomprehensible to understand just how great old TV was and still is.

But trust me, there's a reason so many people are rediscovering these classic shows on YouTube and free streaming platforms: because they were actually good.

The Power of Guardrails

And part of what made them good were the guardrails that were in place. You see, there used to be FTC guidelines that set actual standards for what could and couldn't be shown on television. Those standards shaped the kind of content families could trust, but they also forced writers and producers to be creative with how they told stories.

Growing up in the eighties, I remember certain things were just handled differently. You'd never see a homosexual couple actually kiss on screen. The camera would pull away right before, and you'd know what was happening, but they never showed it. Drug scenes were also carefully filmed, so you'd never actually see anyone sniffing or shooting up. There was an intentionality to it.

Even Stricter Standards in Earlier Decades

And if you go back even further to the fifties and sixties, the standards were even tighter. In case you didn't know this, "married couples" on TV shows had to be shown sleeping in separate beds. Now I know you're thinking "separate beds"? Yeah, because showing an unmarried couple sharing a bed was considered inappropriate.

There's this great story about the original Superman TV series with George Reeves. He did a Kellogg's Sugar Smacks cereal commercial once, and the network wouldn't let Lois Lane appear in it with him. Noel Neal, the actress who played the first Lois, was quoted saying, "Oh, well, we don't feel you should be sitting at a breakfast table having cereal with Superman or Jimmy Olson because that's just wrong."

Can you imagine? They couldn't even show them eating breakfast together in a commercial because you couldn't have Lois and Superman or Lois and Jimmy Olson waking up to breakfast together because that would mean she slept in the house.

What Changed?

Now, look, I'm not saying everything back then was perfect. I know times have evolved and some of those old standards seem almost quaint now. But here's my question: What changed? Was it the FTC loosening guidelines? Network executives deciding anything goes? Or did we as a culture just stop caring about those boundaries?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on these questions. Send me a voicemail with what you think at speakpipe.com/wholesometvpicks.

What You Can Do About It

I honestly don't know the full answer, but here's what I do know and what YOU can do about it. You can choose to opt out of modern stuff. You don't have to let your kids grow up thinking low quality content is normal, just because that's what Netflix recommends or somebody suggests to you.

You can intentionally curate what comes into your home, and that starts with knowing where to find the good stuff, which is exactly why I do this podcast. Every week I'm giving you one specific show or family movie you can trust, so you can skip the endless scroll and get straight to quality family time.

When Quality Was the Norm

Because when there were guardrails and quality standards, you didn't have to wade through endless garbage to find clean TV shows in the first place. Wholesome TV shows were the norm, not the exception you have to hunt for today.

Networks had limited airtime, so they curated carefully. Writers had to craft stories that worked within boundaries, which often made them better writers. And families could turn on the TV without constantly worrying about what their kids might see. And that goes for commercials too.

Now you've got numerous streaming services with thousands of options, and most of it isn't even worth your time. It's just content. Endless, low quality content made as cheaply as possible to fill a catalog.

What You've Lost

That's what you've lost. Not just good storytelling, but quality itself.

And while I agree with Sean Howard that Creator Media has taken over, I'd also add this: YOU still crave the old school shows that aren't on the air anymore, and that's why so many families rediscover them on YouTube.

Why I Do Wholesome TV Picks

Again, this is exactly why I do Wholesome TV Picks. Because television at its best wasn't just entertainment, it was connection.

It brought generations together. It modeled values that built character. And it reminded us that there was something good worth gathering for.

I know I can't bring those old days back, but I can help you find shows that still carry that same spirit, uplifting shows with warmth, laughter, and heart. The kind of feel-good TV that brings your family together instead of pushing you apart.

Join the Movement

If you feel the same way, would you do me a favor and share this bonus episode with someone who misses real TV? And if you're new here, you can find all my regular wholesome TV recommendations at wholesometvpicks.com/starthere.

In closing, television used to bring us together. Now it's up to you and me to keep that spirit alive.

Thanks for listening, friend. I'll catch you next week for another Wholesome TV Pick because around here, TV still stands for Timeless Values.