Television directors remain an enigma to most students of the mass media; traditionally, their function has been little understood by scholars and the viewing public. In this book, John Ravage studies the role of the director in the producer-dominated medium of commercial television. Built around lengthy interviews with twelve of the leading directors of commercial programs-representing all the genres of "e;prime time"e;-the book analyzes the major issues facing television, its past, present, and portents for the future, and the audience that watches it.