Least objectionable program

Last updated

The theory of the least objectionable program (LOP) is a mediological theory explaining television audience behavior. [1] It was developed in the 1960s by then executive of audience measurement at NBC, Paul L. Klein, [2] [3] who was greatly influenced by the media theorist Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media .

Contents

"Why You Watch What You Watch When You Watch"

In an article "Why You Watch What You Watch When You Watch" (published in TV Guide in 1971 [4] ), Klein explained that viewers consume the medium of television rather than television shows, treating the medium as the end of their consumption itself rather than using the set as a means to access specific programs they like the way they might choose a book from a shelf to access the story within. Since the introduction of television, the same percentage of sets are in use on, say, a Thursday evening at a certain hour, year after year, regardless of what content is broadcast.

This is because unlike the way people use books, museums, or the cinema as means of consuming desired content, audiences consume television, the medium, as the desired object. TV viewers turn the set on, deciding to "watch television", and then seek out something to watch from what is available, flipping around, not until they find "something they like" – because television programming is in fact very rarely satisfying, and viewers rarely watch anything they actually like – but until they find something that doesn't offend them enough to make them flip to the next channel.

(Viewers almost never turn off the set as a result of finding nothing tolerable and judging every program available boring or otherwise objectionable. Viewers commonly watch programs they describe later as unbearable, everything else on being even more intolerable. A more common response to a whole spectrum of equally unendurable choices than choosing to abandon the medium is to continue to flip frequently until new choices become available.)

Thus, for programmers of television channels, Klein recommended understanding that audience attraction was a matter not of pleasing the greatest number of viewers but of offending the fewest (driving the fewest away to the competitors who may repulse them less). The television audience is in a kind of partial trance. A network will do better worrying less about not giving an audience enough to like, to be surprised and delighted by, and to engage their attention, than about avoiding, as Klein said, "disturbing their reverie" with something that causes them to change the channel. Thus, even as channel choices proliferate alongside numerous easily accessed out-of-schedule viewing options, successful television programs remain, as they have always been, formulaic, cliché, "instantly familiar," predictable, and monotonous in tone.

Least offensive programming

Least offensive programming [5] (sometimes abbreviated as LOP) was a strategy employed mainly by major US television networks, approximately from the 1940s to late 1970s, where viewer numbers were thought to be sustained by television programming that offended the fewest viewers. [6] The result was an often mass-produced, bland output of popular culture focused on leisure, targeting the American middle class. [7] The theory was popularized by Klein. [2]

Examples of LOP guidelines

[8]

List of shows as LOP

Obsolescence of the theory

It has been widely suggested that the theory itself is obsolete thanks to high quality shows, top-rated options and viewers' choice of shows whether live or time-shifted alongside the advancements of DVDs and Netflix. [10]

Notes

  1. ↑ NBCees Paul Klein To the Door - The Washington Post
  2. 1 2 Paul L. Klein - Variety
  3. ↑ Paul Klein obituary, The New York Times
  4. ↑ Klein, P. (July 24, 1971). Why you watch what you watch when you watch. TV Guide, 6-9.
  5. ↑ Quality TV: Contemporary American Television and Beyond - Janet McCabe - Google Books
  6. ↑ Joss Whedon Versus the Corporation: Big Business Critiqued in the Films and Television Programs - Erin Giannini - Google Books
  7. ↑ Nelson, Robin (2006). "Chapter 5. Case Study: Modernism and Postmodernism in Television Drama". In Creeber, Glen (ed.). Tele-Visions. An Introduction to Studying Television. British Film Institute. p. 89. ISBN   1-84457-086-X.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Television Programming - Washington.edu
  9. 1 2 3 NCIS: New Orleans and 3 Other New CBS Dramas Renewed|Collider
  10. ↑ As More Networks Develop Series, Is There Too Much TV? - TV Guide

Further reading

Related Research Articles

"Television and the Public Interest" was a speech given by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Newton N. Minow to the convention of the National Association of Broadcasters on May 9, 1961. The speech was Minow's first major speech after he was appointed chairman of the FCC by then President John F. Kennedy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cultivation theory</span> Theory examining long-term effects of TV

Cultivation Theory stands as a significant sociological and communications framework designed to unravel the enduring impacts of media consumption, with a primary focus on television. At its core, the theory posits a compelling hypothesis: individuals who invest more time in watching television are prone to perceive the real world through a lens aligning with the prevalent depictions in television messages, in contrast to their counterparts with lower television viewership but comparable demographic profiles.

<i>Blues Clues</i> American childrens television show

Blue's Clues is an American interactive educational children's television series, created by Angela C. Santomero, Todd Kessler, and Traci Paige Johnson, that premiered on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block on September 8, 1996, and concluded its run on August 6, 2006, with a total of six seasons and 143 episodes. The original host of the show was Steve Burns, who left in 2002 and was replaced by Donovan Patton for the rest of the series. The show follows an animated blue-spotted dog named Blue as she leaves a trail of clues/paw prints for the host and the viewers to figure out her plans for the day.

<i>The Flip Wilson Show</i> American variety television series (1970–1974)

The Flip Wilson Show was an hour-long variety show that originally aired in the US on NBC from September 17, 1970, to June 27, 1974. The show starred American comedian Flip Wilson; the program was one of the first American television programs starring a black person in the title role to become highly successful with a white audience. Specifically, it was the first successful network variety series starring an African American. During its first two seasons, its Nielsen ratings made it the nation's second most watched show.

Hammocking is a technique used in broadcast programming whereby an unpopular television program is scheduled between two popular ones in the hope that viewers will watch it, using the analogy of a hammock hanging between two strong and established trees. Also related is the concept of tent-pole programming, or using popular, well-established television shows scheduled in pivotal time periods to boost the ratings of the shows around them. Used especially for new shows, Hammocking is limited to prime time, where "appointment television" is strong.

Educational television or learning television is the use of television programs in the field of distance education. It may be in the form of individual television programs or dedicated specialty channels that is often associated with cable television in the United States as Public, educational, and government access (PEG) channel providers. There are also adult education programs for an older audience; many of these are instructional television or "telecourse" services that can be taken for college credit, such as the Open University programs on BBC television in the UK.

MBC Action is a free-to-air television channel that MBC Group's action-packed channel that targets young Arabic males. It delivers the best in high-octane Western series, movies and action. shows and sports and anime and action movies and films and television series and television programs and films from action genre. Subtitled in Arabic language, the channel is a part of the Middle Eastern media company MBC Group. It is intended to aim mainly at male audiences, unlike its sister channel MBC 4 which is aimed at female audiences. A channel that targets young Arab males. It delivers Western series, movies, action reality shows as well as Japanese anime and sports programs. MBC ACTION ; MBC Action launched in 2007 with the latest action packed movies, dramas and thrillers targeting young Arab males. The new addition proved to be an instant success. Since then, it has been growing aggressively and even more so since it started developing localized content that appeals to the passions of Arab men. The channel is also considered, the only Arab male entertainment destination in the region; delivering a focused and dynamic 360 experience, which extends out of TV, into on-ground, online and social media. Some of its prime time shows include The Mentalist, The Vampire Diaries, Fringe, V, The Mentalist, The Vampire Diaries, Fringe, Supernatural, V, WWE and True Blood. MBC Action also offers themed nights including Bollywood Action Nights, The channel recently which is a weekly "magazine" format show about cars, similar to Top Gear, which they also broadcast the British and American versions of the BBC's Top Gear, MBC Action. carsIt was launched on 5 March 2007. with the Pilot episode of the TV series Lost which, along with Prison Break and The 4400, is one of MBC Action's biggest coups. MBC Action's biggest coups are the TV series Lost, Prison Break and The 4400. It will also show new episodes of other shows like 24, Pimp My Ride, The Sparticle Mystery and the Power Rangers. It is aimed mainly at male audiences,. The channel also airs the International Fight League. It also shows action movies on a daily basis. It is aimed mainly at male audiences, unlike its sister channel MBC 4 which is aimed at female audiences.

The Audience Appreciation Index (AI) is an indicator measured from 0 to 100 of the public's appreciation for a television or radio programme, or broadcast service, in the United Kingdom.

The Mentalist is an American drama television series that ran from September 23, 2008, until February 18, 2015, broadcasting 151 episodes over seven seasons, on CBS. Created by Bruno Heller, who was also its executive producer, the show follows former "psychic" Patrick Jane, who is a consultant to the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and his boss, senior agent Teresa Lisbon, using the highly developed observational skills he previously employed to "read" people's minds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Television show</span> Segment of audiovisual content intended for broadcast on television

A television show, TV program, or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable. This includes content made by television broadcasters and content made for broadcasting by film production companies. It excludes breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed between shows. Television shows are most often scheduled for broadcast well ahead of time and appear on electronic guides or other TV listings, but streaming services often make them available for viewing anytime. The content in a television show is produced by one of two production methodologies: live taped shows such as variety and news magazine shows shot on a television studio stage or sporting events The other production model includes animation and a variety of film productions ranging from movies to series. Shows not produced on a television studio stage are usually contracted or licensed to be made by appropriate production companies.

Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films, and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen ratings, an audience measurement system of television viewership that for years has been the deciding factor in canceling or renewing television shows by television networks. As of May 2012, it is part of Nielsen Holdings.

In television broadcasting, the network era, also known as the Silver Age of television, refers to the period in American television history from the end of the first Golden Age of Television in the late 1950s to the beginning of the multi-channel transition in the mid-1980s. During this era, the Big Three television networks—ABC, CBS, and NBC—dominated American television. This determination is established by institutional aspects that regularized television for the majority of the country, including color television, made standard by the late 1960s. As the arrival of new technologies emerged, it offered television viewers more choice and control. This eventually ended the network era and forced viewers to move into the multi-channel transition, leading to the post-network era and second Golden Age of Television.

The post-network era, also known as the post-broadcast era, is a concept that was popularized by Amanda D. Lotz. It denotes the period that followed an earlier network era, U.S.-American television's first institutional phase that started in the 1950s and ran through to the mid-1980s, and television's later multi-channel transition. It describes a period that saw the deterioration of the dominance of the Big Three television networks: ABC, CBS and NBC in the United States, and follows the creation of a wide variety of cable television channels that catered specifically to niche groups. The post-network era saw the development of networks that deliver a wider diversity of programming choice, less constraints on a consumers choice of medium, decentralization of the location of viewing, and freedom of choice over time of viewing. It is concurrent with the Second Golden Age of Television.

Eden is a privately owned, national free-to-air television channel in New Zealand and has been on air since 2012. The channel features programs on topics such as: lifestyle, news, travel, reality, movies, entertainment, comedy, game shows and drama. The channel and its sister network HGTV New Zealand were acquired by Discovery, Inc. in 2019. On 21 March 2022, Choice TV was rebranded as Eden. Also, on 21 March 2022 Eden+1 was launched.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social media and television</span>

Social media and television have a number of connections and interrelationships that have led to the phenomenon of Social Television, which is an emerging communication digital technology that centers around real-time interactivity involving digital media displayed on television. The main idea behind Social Television is to make television consumption a more active content experience for audiences. In the 2010s, social media platforms and websites allow for television shows to be accessed online on a range of desktop and mobile computer devices, smartphones and smart TVs that are still evolving today in the 2020s. Alongside this, online users can use social media websites to share digital video clips or excerpts from TV shows with fellow fans or even share an entire show online. Many social media websites enable users to post online comments on the programs—both negative and positive—in a variety of ways. Viewers can actively participate while watching a TV program by posting comments online, and have their interactions viewed and responded to in real time by other viewers. Technologies such as smartphones, tablets, and laptop computers allow viewers to watch downloaded digital files of TV shows or "stream" digital files of TV shows on a range of devices, both in the home and while on the go. In the 2020s, many television producers and broadcasters encourage active social media participation by viewers by posting "hashtags" on the TV screen during shows; these hashtags enable viewers to post online comments about the show, which may either be read by other social media users, or even, in some cases, displayed on the screen during the show.

Shiva (<i>NCIS</i>) 12th episode of the 10th season of NCIS

"Shiva" is the twelfth episode of the tenth season of the American police procedural drama NCIS, and the 222nd episode overall. It originally aired on CBS in the United States on January 15, 2013. The episode is written by Christopher J. Waild, Gary Glasberg and Scott Williams and directed by Arvin Brown, and was seen live by 22.86 million viewers.

Good Cop, Bad Cop (<i>NCIS</i>) 4th episode of the 7th season of NCIS

"Good Cop, Bad Cop" is the fourth episode of the seventh season of the American police procedural drama NCIS, and the 142nd episode overall. It originally aired on CBS in the United States on October 13, 2009. The episode is written by David North and Jesse Stern and directed by Leslie Libman, it received generally positive reviews and was seen live by 21.04 million viewers.

"The Waking Dead" is the 21st episode of season 2 of supernatural drama television series Grimm and the 43rd episode overall, which premiered on May 14, 2013, on the cable network NBC. The episode was written by series creators Jim Kouf and David Greenwalt, and was directed by Steven DePaul.

"'Lady Killer" is the 3rd episode of the third season of the American television drama series Person of Interest. It is the 48th overall episode of the series and is written by co-executive producer Amanda Segel and directed by Omar Madha. It aired on CBS in the United States and on CTV in Canada on October 8, 2013.

"The Crossing" is the 9th episode of the third season of the American television drama series Person of Interest. It is the 54th overall episode of the series and is written by supervising producer Denise Thé and directed by Frederick E. O. Toye. It aired on CBS in the United States and on CTV in Canada on November 19, 2013.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.