ABSTRACT
Ratings are a familiar part of late twentieth-century culture. Whether to attract advertisers to a television channel or sponsors to an art exhibition, the number of viewers is a central consideration in visual presentations. As an index of value, ratings are intimately bound up with exchange values. Even if the things viewed, such as the objects in an exhibition, are not straight forwardly for sale, exchange is still very much on the agenda. Sponsors, in the world of exhibitions, seek a return in terms of increased exposure. The more viewers for the presentation, the more future selling opportunities. But allowing for the culture-specific commercial origins of the concept, ratings may have analytical value in a historical context. Unlike exchange values, ratings do not privilege ownership and can help to give an indication of value for viewers other than initial patrons or subsequent collectors. Put very simply, numbers of viewers reveal what things attract attention. They reveal what, in one very important sense, is valued by viewers.
