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About this quote

What does it mean?
TV executives mistake high ratings for genuine audience desire, ignoring that viewers often settle for what is available.
In plain terms
Executives confuse high ratings with what people actually want instead of what they accept.
What can you take from it?
Ratings show what people settle for, not what they want.

Where it applies

  • media business
  • content strategy
  • programming decisions

Putting it to work

  • question ratings data
  • study viewer choice
  • evaluate programming

Questions to consider

  • How do we know what people really want?
  • Do ratings reflect truth or limitation?

Another view

Sometimes high ratings genuinely reflect what people want to watch.

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