The thesis explores how Grant Tinker's philosophy of quality programming grew into a working ideology which would serve as the basis for its rise from last place to first place in ratings and profits from 1978 to 1986. This thesis paper explores the prime time history of NBC from 1978 to 1986. The network is examined in terms of its programming history, its economic situation, and the men who presided over the entity, all within the time frame listed above. The thesis focuses on the strategies and philosophies of the three men crucial to the direction the network took during the above time frame: Fred Silverman, President of the network from 1978 to 1981, Grant Tinker, Chairman from 1981 to 1986, and Brandon Tartikoff, Programming Chief from 1980 to 1991.