A direct-firing backlight for a display is designed with a plurality of light emitting regions. Each of a plurality of light sensors is positioned to sense light produced by a corresponding one of the light emitting regions. A control system is operatively associated with the light sensors and light emitting regions. The control system receives information from the light sensors and, in response thereto, regulates light emitted from regions of a display. The regions of the display correspond to the light emitting regions of the direct-firing backlight. Various configurations of such a direct-firing backlight, and related methods, are also disclosed.