"One of the reasons why when Elvis dies or the Son of Sam is captured ABC News' ratings go up is because people who don't normally watch news are watching then. The question is, do you want to attract people who don't watch network news or fight over the people who do?"

This quote by Roone Arledge speaks to the idea that news networks often rely on spectacular stories to bring in audiences. He is suggesting that when major newspaper article break, such as the death of Elvis or the capture of the Son of Sam, news networks like ABC News see a spike in their scores. This is since individuals who don't generally watch news are tuning in to get the current updates. Arledge is asking if news networks should focus on attracting these viewers or concentrate on contending for the audiences who already enjoy network news. This quote speaks to the idea that news networks need to decide how to finest use their resources to attract viewers.