Cosby family

IT'S funny. It's wholesome. And it's watched. It's the ``Cosby Show.'' In its first year, it is one of the most popular programs on television. And deservedly so. In February it was the nation's most-watched series.

Far too many of commercial TV's prime-time weekly shows are violent, cruel, inane, or all three. Conventional wisdom had held that such content was necessary to yield a sufficiently large audience to gain advertising, and to remain on the air.

That argument now has been shown to be fallacious. Comedian Bill Cosby and his surrounding cast compose a family who respect and love one another and who deal with the problems of daily living intelligently.

The program also is color blind. Viewers of all races can relate to it; the family shown is black.

Most children watch TV during prime evening hours and beyond. Left to themselves, many tune in to thrill-a-minute car crashes, killings, and other violence. The ``Cosby Show'' has proven that something else will be watched, if it is first-rate.

TV executives are notorious copiers of successful programs. Already there is talk of spinoff programs. No doubt other networks are noticing the Cosby success and thinking about producing similar shows next year. It is to be hoped that all such programs will also copy the high quality. ----30--{et