In 1957, radio legend Alan Freed was given a weekly prime-time TV series, The
Big Beat(which predated American Bandstand), on ABC. The show was scheduled
for a Summer run, with the understanding that if there were enough viewers, the
show would continue into the 1957-58 television season. Although the ratings for 
the first three episodes were strong, the show was suddenly canceled after the
fourth episode. During that episode, singer Frankie Lymon, after performing a
number with his group The Teenagers, was seen dancing with a white girl from
the studio audience. Reportedly, the incident offended the management of ABC’s
local affiliates in the southern states, and led to the show’s immediate cancellation
despite its growing popularity.