Potential profits in terms of advertising supports and audience size are usually the determinants of what entertainment programs are broadcast on television. Interviews conducted with children, adolescents, and adults show that understanding of this economic basis for the selection process for entertainment programming increases with age. This knowledge had been gained primarily from reading, with the least knowledge gained from actual experience. Further research will attempt to determine whether information about the television industry will encourage people to be more evaluative of programming. (STS)