--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We got ratings. It isn't that they won't…" description: "\"We got ratings. It isn't that they won't quarrel with you, or say you're always right. But as long as you stay strong and the ratings are good and you'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/norman-lear-7597_long_we-got-ratings-it-isn-t-that-they-won-t_2749958.png" --- # We got ratings. It isn't that they won't quarrel with you… ![“We got ratings. It isn't that they won't quarrel with you, or say you're always right. But as long as you stay strong and the ratings are good and you're reasonable - I don't think we fought unreasonably. We basically won that right.” quote by Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/norman-lear-7597_long_we-got-ratings-it-isn-t-that-they-won-t_2749958.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/norman-lear-7597_long_we-got-ratings-it-isn-t-that-they-won-t_2749958.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/norman-lear-7597_long_we-got-ratings-it-isn-t-that-they-won-t_2749958.png) > “We got ratings. It isn't that they won't quarrel with you, or say you're always right. But as long as you stay strong and the ratings are good and you're reasonable - I don't think we fought unreasonably. We basically won that right.” [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that maintaining strong ratings and reasonable behavior justifies a dispute as fair and justified. **In simple terms:** Ratings and reasonableness legitimize a fight. Key Takeaway Balance audience approval with fairness. Themes media conflict ratings Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - television contracts - creative disagreements - audience feedback Key Concepts public perception fairness negotiation Questions to Reflect On - What defines a reasonable dispute? - Can ratings override fairness? A Different Perspective Ratings can pressure ethical decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Stay strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-strong/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) ## Related quotes > [I hired Sarah Palin because she was hot and got ratings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/i-hired-sarah-palin-because-she-was-hot-and-got-ratings/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [“There was no reason why Fox, which, by the time I joined, had been in business for nearly a decade and had been number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-muto/there-was-no-reason-why-fox-which-by-the-time-i-joined-had-been-in/) [Joe Muto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-muto/) > [There's no way to tweak your content in order to goose ratings. You do what you're good at and let people follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/there-s-no-way-to-tweak-your-content-in-order-to-goose-ratings-you-do/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Your agent or manager tells you. They go, "You're out. They're gonna get a new guy." But then I didn't feel bad. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-anderson/your-agent-or-manager-tells-you-they-go-you-re-out-they-re-gonna-get/) [Louie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-anderson/) > [The thing that interests me least about the radio business is the radio business. But I've had to learn a little bit about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/the-thing-that-interests-me-least-about-the-radio-business-is-the/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I wondered if Olympus had gone to a commercial break, or if our ratings had been any good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-wondered-if-olympus-had-gone-to-a-commercial-break-or-if-our/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Sometimes it's hard to know why networks will stick with something. Sometimes the ratings won't happen, but there's excitement at the network, so they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-bridges/sometimes-it-s-hard-to-know-why-networks-will-stick-with-something/) [Beau Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-bridges/) > [Even as the NBA's overall ratings collapsed, Rachel Nichols made the decision to defend the NBA and all of the woke idiocy that that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-travis/even-as-the-nba-s-overall-ratings-collapsed-rachel-nichols-made-the/) [Clay Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-travis/) > [While the President leads his potential adversaries in almost every state, his support is soft. He is seen as honest, sincere, just, and friendly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-teeter/while-the-president-leads-his-potential-adversaries-in-almost-every/) [Robert Teeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-teeter/) > [Here's what I know about the business I am in. It's all based on money. It's all based on ratings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/here-s-what-i-know-about-the-business-i-am-in-it-s-all-based-on-money/) [Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/) > [Conservative talkers love to throw numbers around: their ratings and their audience size. And to be sure, they have a sizable audience which numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/conservative-talkers-love-to-throw-numbers-around-their-ratings-and/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [I think people make way too much of ratings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-think-people-make-way-too-much-of-ratings/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I don't spend a lot of time thinking about the ratings of Congress. I really don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/i-don-t-spend-a-lot-of-time-thinking-about-the-ratings-of-congress-i/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Great fights means great TV ratings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-coker/great-fights-means-great-tv-ratings/) [Scott Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-coker/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) ## More by Norman Lear > [When we went on the air, I didn't want to be interrupted for an act-one curtain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/when-we-went-on-the-air-i-didn-t-want-to-be-interrupted-for-an-act/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [In this nation, leadership is dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/in-this-nation-leadership-is-dollars/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [The American people may not be the best-educated, but they're very wise at heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/the-american-people-may-not-be-the-best-educated-but-they-re-very/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [Maybe they continued to agree with Archie Bunker - as I said earlier, you can't change people's minds, but you can get them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/maybe-they-continued-to-agree-with-archie-bunker-as-i-said-earlier/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [I think if you're feeling great about where you are, everything that led up to it had to be terrific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/i-think-if-you-re-feeling-great-about-where-you-are-everything-that/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [Life goes on pretty much the same way. I've been working on a couple of films on the side. You may see some more.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/life-goes-on-pretty-much-the-same-way-i-ve-been-working-on-a-couple/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [If there is a reason to believe in God, it would be the Havana Leaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/if-there-is-a-reason-to-believe-in-god-it-would-be-the-havana-leaf/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [In my 90-plus years, I have lived a multitude of lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/in-my-90-plus-years-i-have-lived-a-multitude-of-lives/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [America is a country of excess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/america-is-a-country-of-excess/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [We just may be the most well-informed, yet least self-aware, people in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/we-just-may-be-the-most-well-informed-yet-least-self-aware-people-in/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [The people responsible for the dollars that will buy the sex and violence so many deplore, don't even know what's going - well, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/the-people-responsible-for-the-dollars-that-will-buy-the-sex-and/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [... For all our alarm, it is clear that the religious right is responding to a real hunger in our society... a deep-seated yearning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/for-all-our-alarm-it-is-clear-that-the-religious-right-is-responding/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [The movies had a slogan at the time, to distinguish themselves from TV, that said 'movies are better than ever.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/the-movies-had-a-slogan-at-the-time-to-distinguish-themselves-from-tv/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [I think Americans have become a - much more a nation of consumers than citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/i-think-americans-have-become-a-much-more-a-nation-of-consumers-than/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [My dad called me meat head dead from the neck up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/my-dad-called-me-meat-head-dead-from-the-neck-up/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) [Explore all 89 Norman Lear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) ## More Long quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Contradictory precepts that have guided me for as long as I can remember: 1: I will live forever. 2: I will die tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/contradictory-precepts-that-have-guided-me-for-as-long-as-i-can/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/long-before-the-2016-presidential-campaign-confidential-sources-had/) [Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) Browse all 39,551 Long quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We got ratings. 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