What happened to freedom of speech on television?

There have been similar conversations in Britain.

There'd probably be a lot of nerves jangled if for example someone suggested reviving the BBC TV sit-com Till Death Do Us Part, because the central character, Alf Garnett (played by Warren Mitchell) was a rather obnoxious, self-opinionated and sometimes racist, but ultimately rather sad old buffoon trapped in his own narrow life.

The objections though would totally miss the point: the show was not being that, the character was; and the plays were satirising the attitudes and mannerisms of such people.

However... it is back on TV. The Telegraph newspaper has bought the rights to re-broadcast it on its subscription channel.
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While on the radio I have heard plays or readings of novels written many decades ago, and in order to preserve the works' integrity needing an introductory warning of words and attitudes no longer seen as acceptable. So either sweep them under the carpet by switching off and feeling oh-so-virtuous... or listen, properly, prepared to be uncomfortable, to gain some understanding of the authors and their own society.