Passage Summary: Some people think TV should be treated like a toaster and left to the free market, but the author argues that because TV is so influential in politics and culture, the government needs to step in.

Conclusion: The government should have some oversight of television content rather than leaving it entirely to market forces.

Reasoning: Television is a primary source of political information for voters and a massive cultural influence, meaning it is too significant to be treated like a simple household appliance.

Analysis: The claim that television is 'important politically and culturally' serves as an intermediate conclusion. It is supported by the subsequent facts about voters getting information and the number of hours the TV is on in the average home. In turn, this importance is used as the primary reason to reject the 'toaster' analogy and support the main conclusion that government control is necessary. When identifying roles, notice how this statement acts as a bridge between the raw data and the author's final recommendation.