The subject matter of family-oriented television programming is flexible. The unifying goal of all family TV is to provide entertainment that is suitable for all age ranges. Family TV avoids violence, sexual situations, controversial subjects and anything else that could be argued to be offensive or harmful to children. Many types of family programming also try to have a positive impact by delivering educational information or teaching a moral or ethical lesson.
Some family programming is explicitly targeted at audiences that include both parents and children. Family dramas and comedy-dramas typically portray families as they deal with common obstacles and life events, and they show how the family solves their problems and resolve conflicts in a gentle, constructive way. Dramas aimed at older children may introduce more emotionally charged topics and explore conflicts in a deeper, more realistic way.
Some situation comedies can be considered to be family programming not necessarily because they are specifically directed at parent-child audiences but because they employ a style that avoids the family-unfriendly aspects of more adult-oriented sitcoms. These family sitcoms often concern families themselves, and some of the most prominent characters are children. Plot lines stay clear of sexual situations and humor that is either inappropriate for or inaccessible to children.
Non-fiction family programming includes documentaries that address subjects that might of interest to both parents and children-dinosaurs, technology or sports, for example. Topics are presented in an easily digestible format, and information is delivered at a level that is palatable to young viewers. Non-fiction family TV can also be entirely about entertainment, as in the programs that compile videos of adorable animals or people doing funny things.
