The new puppet masters.

Do you know what behavioral placement is? Well the Wall Street Journal does. Basically, it's a purer form of product placement, except instead of embedding brands into programming and broadcasts, the idea is to push a type of behavior that you want viewers to adopt.

According to the WSJ, the folks at NBC Universal have been engaged in this practice since 2007 when they have been subtly promoting eco-friendly messaging into the story lines of their daytime and prime time shows.

For instance, Dwight Schrute became a cape-wearing superhero obsessed with recycling in “The Office”and Al Gore made a guest appearance on “30 Rock”. And let's be honest he wasn't there for his good looks and humor.

This kind of placement won't just be for the environment. In June this year, NBC Universal plans a week in which programming will emphasize healthy eating and exercise. Presumably this means there will be no donuts or hot dogs on any "Law and Order" episodes. The prime-time comedies will have to feature situations built around cardiovascular exercises. And the public service announcement, "The more you know" will become "The less you eat, fatso" for the week. Stay tuned.

Quite frankly there's nothing wrong with this. I mean if viewers are influenced in a positive way by watching their favorite characters perform well-meaning, socially enhancing actions then good for NBC.

But it has got me thinking. That's a lot of power in the hands of the head of programming at NBC Universal or any other network that engages in similar practices. I mean these guys and gals can pretty much push their own pet socially aware issues into the public's consciousness through the scripts of their top shows.

Imagine if the head of programming at NBC falls in love with a transsexual and learns first hand the painful prejudice that this group suffers. Will we see shows with sympathetic transsexual story lines? Here's one for "Law & Order SVU", a very appropriate show for such a topic. The very square Detective Stabler's life is saved by a heroic transsexual and as a result he becomes more tolerant of the LGBT lifestyle.

Or let's say the head of programming at CBS adopts a child from Africa and is so moved by the experience he wants more Americans to do the same. Which character on "CSI" will become the proud parent of a young child from Malawi? We can certainly expect "60 Minutes" to do an in depth expose or two.

And god forbid it takes a sinister turn. What if one of Rupert Murdoch's children or grand children becomes a Scientologist. I imagine he'd like America to become a little more understanding of his kin's new found religion. Maybe even find a few new converts for them to hang out with. Get ready for a slew of positive scientology themed episodes of your favorite shows on Fox. Stewie a Scientologist? You know I always suspected.