I need to know the steps that an ad goes from the moment it is
produced to the moment it is seen on tv.

A good answer would show the process through ad insertion, ad
delivery, ad verification, billing etc.

A great answer would tell me which companies/which products etc do
what at which step (for example, which companies provide ad delivery
to the next step in the process).

A fantastic answer would help me understand what parts of the process
are manual (eg, a tape delivered via fedex, vs a file transfer).

Telling me something like you pick up the phone, talk to your local
rep, send the tape, and then get the bill, is not what I want. I want
to know the next level of detail, and what sytems/partners are
involved.

Companies that may be good to review: NCC, Spotlight (Comcast service), VyVx, etc.