"In the area we're discussing, leadership begins on Madison Avenue, on the desks and in the offices of people who spend hundreds of millions of dollars buying what will get them ratings"

This quote by Norman Lear is describing the power of advertising and the impact it has on the general public. He is recommending that the choices made by those in the marketing market have a direct influence on the general public's viewpoint and habits. He is suggesting that individuals who supervise of spending numerous millions of dollars on advertising are the ones who are in control of what the general public sees and hears. This quote is emphasizing the importance of the decisions made by those in the marketing industry and how they can shape popular opinion and behavior. It is likewise highlighting the power of advertising and how it can be utilized to affect the general public.