The September 11 attacks in the United States in 2001 had a significant impact on broadcast and venue entertainment businesses, prompting cancellations, postponements, and changes in content.
In the United States and several other countries, planned television screenings of films and fictional programs where terrorism, plane crashes, bombs, or other related disasters that were the primary subject were postponed or cancelled.
There were various reasons given for the alterations, including keeping material up-to-date, as a gesture of respect for those who died, and to avoid trauma for those emotionally affected by the attack.
[49] The most immediate impact to television was the loss of David Angell, a co-creator and co-executive producer from the NBC show Frasier, who with his wife, was among the passengers on American Airlines Flight 11.
In the United States, the start of the 2001–2002 television season was put on hold due to the extensive news coverage (several series, such as NBC's Crossing Jordan, were originally scheduled to debut on September 11), with mid-September premieres delayed until later in the month.
Even after regular programming resumed, several talk shows remained off the air for several more days as writers and hosts determined how best to approach the sensitive situation.
Shows such as the military based JAG and Third Watch (a series about New York City first responders) made major changes to their ongoing storylines to incorporate the event's aftermath.
Characters in the HBO crime drama The Sopranos discussed the attacks in several episodes, and the overall mood of the show became darker; the Twin Towers were also removed from the opening credits.
Alias, a series set within the espionage world that debuted in the fall of 2001, began adding references to terrorism and the Department of Homeland Security (an entity created after 9–11).
However, in a written statement released by president Frank Pierson, he denied any rumors that the attacks would affect the scheduling of the awards presentation saying that "the terrorists will have won" if they cancelled it.