al - network ▁rule " ▁does ▁dis allow ▁a ▁single ▁company ▁from ▁ow ning ▁two ▁or ▁more ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁networks ; ▁this ▁came ▁into ▁play ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁when ▁ABC ' s ▁parent ▁company ▁bought ▁most ▁of ▁Fox ' s ▁assets ▁but ▁was ▁required ▁to ▁leave ▁Fox ▁as ▁a ▁separately ▁owned ▁network . ▁ ▁The ▁F CC ▁also ▁prohib its ▁the ▁air ing ▁of ▁" inde cent " ▁material ▁over - the - air ▁between ▁ 6 : 0 0   a . m . ▁and ▁ 1 0 : 0 0   pm . ▁Broadcast ▁stations ▁can ▁leg ally ▁air ▁almost ▁anything ▁they ▁want ▁late ▁at ▁night ▁– ▁and ▁cable ▁networks ▁at ▁all ▁hours . ▁However , ▁n ud ity ▁and ▁graph ic ▁prof an ity ▁are ▁rare ▁on ▁American ▁television . ▁Though ▁the ▁F CC ▁gives ▁them ▁le ew ay ▁to ▁air ▁programs ▁containing ▁" inde cent " ▁material ▁within ▁its ▁designated ▁waters hed ▁period , ▁broad c aster s ▁are ▁hes it ant ▁to ▁do ▁this , ▁concerned ▁that ▁air ing ▁such ▁material ▁would ▁al ien ate ▁advert is ers ▁and ▁encou rage ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁to ▁strength en ▁reg ulation ▁of ▁television ▁content . ▁Prem ium ▁cable ▁networks ▁are ▁exceptions , ▁and ▁often ▁air ▁very ▁ racy ▁programming ▁at ▁night , ▁though ▁prem ium ▁channels ▁often ▁air ▁program ▁content ▁with ▁strong ▁to ▁graph ic ▁prof an ity , ▁violence ▁and ▁n ud ity ▁in ▁some ▁cases ▁during ▁the ▁day time ▁hours . ▁Such ▁content