In day-to-day commerce, television is not so much interested in the business of communications as in the business of delivering audiences to advertisers. People are the merchandise, not the shows. The shows are merely the bait.

The quote by Les Brown reveals a critical perspective on the true nature of television in modern commerce. The meaning of this statement is that television is less focused on delivering quality communications or content to viewers and more interested in attracting and selling audiences to advertisers. In this way, the viewers themselves become the merchandise being traded.

The origin of this observation lies in the commercial model of most television networks, which rely heavily on advertising revenue to sustain their operations. According to Brown, the actual shows are not the main product; rather, they are just the bait used to capture the attention of viewers. Once an audience is secured, the network can sell advertising slots to companies eager to reach those viewers.

This perspective highlights how the entertainment or informational value of television can be overshadowed by its role as a platform for marketing. The quote serves as a critique of how consumer attention is commodified, and how people—the audience—are treated more like goods to be sold than as individuals receiving meaningful content.

In essence, Brown’s quote challenges us to reconsider the priorities of television as a medium. It encourages awareness of the commercial forces shaping what we watch and underscores the idea that in the world of TV, audiences are the true product, with shows functioning as a tool to attract them.