Least objectionable program

The theory of the least objectionable program (LOP) is a mediological theory explaining television audience behavior. It was developed in the 1960s by then executive of audience measurement at NBC, Paul L. Klein, who was greatly influenced by the media theorist Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media. The theory also promoted discussion in the legal world about what qualified as "objectionable programming," and how this lack of definition prompted a complex series of legal battles in the United States.

The theory of the least objectionable program (LOP) is a mediological theory explaining television audience behavior. It was developed in the 1960s by then executive of audience measurement at NBC, Paul L. Klein, who was greatly influenced by the media theorist Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media. The theory also promoted discussion in the legal world about what qualified as "objectionable programming," and how this lack of definition prompted a complex series of legal battles in the United States. ==Least offensive programming== Least offensive programming (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. The result was an often mass-produced, bland output of popular culture focused on leisure, targeting the American middle class. The theory was popularized by Klein. ===Examples of LOP guidelines=== Fairly positive images of a show Can deal with serious issues but still needs to be upbeat Likeable characters Lack of controversy Remember the dynamics of TV today ==List of shows labeled as LOP== NCIS: New Orleans Madam Secretary Scorpion Grace Under Fire Just Shoot Me Murphy Brown Roseanne

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