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 "prime time"-the book analyzes the major issues facing television, its past, present, and portents for the future, and the audience that watches it.

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 "prime time"-the book analyzes the major issues facing television, its past, present, and portents for the future, and the audience that watches it.