Despite being one of ABC's stronger affiliates during the 1960s and 1970s (and as pointed out in a sales video made in 1964, was billed as the third most-watched ABC affiliate in the United States), WHBQ-TV often did not air some ABC programs in pattern, particularly those on the network's daytime lineup. Many of these programs were preempted outright or aired on a delay during the overnight hours. In some cases, the preemptions occurred because RKO General was skeptical of airing subject matter deemed even mildly controversial (presumably to keep from offending viewers in Memphis' more conservative suburbs and the surrounding rural areas). Additionally, its program director, Lance Russell, had conservative tastes when it came to television programming, and these were also reflected in the amount of preemptions made by channel 13. For example, it was one of several ABC affiliates that did not clear "Hot l Baltimore", which featured one of the first openly gay couples featured on American television; Russell appeared on-screen on the night of that series' premiere telecast explaining the preemption. In September 1977, WHBQ-TV was one of eight ABC affiliates that refused to carry the controversial sitcom "Soap", replacing it with repeats of "My Three Sons" and "Green Acres". When "Soap" proved to be a runaway hit for the network, channel 13 acquiesced and allowed the series to be rerun in the late night hours during the summer. The following fall, the station began carrying "Soap" in its regular primetime slot.