Part 3 of A&E’s Time Machine examines how the growing awareness of smoking’s dangers, government intervention, and legal battles ultimately led to the ban on cigarette commercials on television and radio. The tobacco industry, once a dominant force in TV advertising, found itself increasingly restricted as health concerns gained traction.

Key topics covered include:
✔️ How Government & Public Pressure Forced Change – The 1964 Surgeon General’s Report confirmed smoking’s deadly effects, setting off a wave of anti-smoking efforts.
✔️ The Fairness Doctrine & Anti-Smoking PSAs – A legal loophole forced networks to air anti-smoking messages alongside cigarette ads, hurting Big Tobacco’s image.
✔️ The Fight Over Cigarette Bans – How tobacco companies lobbied Congress while health advocates pushed for stronger warnings and advertising restrictions.
✔️ The Last Cigarette Ad on TV – The final cigarette commercial aired just before midnight on January 1, 1971, marking the end of an era.