This paper argues that the Children's Television Act of 1990 (CTA) required television broadcasters to air educational and informational children's programming, but Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy did little to clarify the definition of "educational and informational." The paper first examines the historical usage/definitions of the phrase in children's programming debate since the 1960s, noting that the FCC refused to actively regulate programming. The next section of the paper discusses what has happened to the numerous bills regarding children's programming introduced beginning in 1977 designed to require greater quality and quantities of children's programming, leading up to President George Bush allowing the CTA to become law in 1990 without his signature. According to the paper, the FCC definition of educational and informational is "any television programming which furthers the positive development of children 16 years and under in any respect, including the child's cognitive/intellectual or emotional/social needs." The paper concludes that the FCC should provide a better operational definition of "educational and informational" if it expects broadcasters to comply with CTA. Contains 68 references. (RS)