TV Guide death watch?

On-screen TV listings made TV Guide obsolete.

 

Why did TV Guide have to change its size and get rid of the local listings?

 

Well, I'd think they believed that the TV listings were secondary to their feature stories and commentary once online and on-screen listings became prevalent.

 

Except for people like my parents, whose cable plan I curse every time I visit, when there's no "guide" button on the remote. Instead, my mother kindly hands me an obscenely large TV Guide.

If I'd known they were selling for $1, I'd have bought it, changed it back to its old size and re-sold it.

 

Hell, I would have paid $2 for it.

 

The USFL is pissed.

It's been saving its money for 23 years to make a run at TV Guide, and *poof* gone like that.

 

I don't know what will become of it. I wouldn't be surprised if the new "owner" blows off the publication and just markets the logo.
When I was a kid it was actually pretty good, sure there was fluff, but they also did stories about the rise of cable TV, commercialization of children's shows and the demise of "the family hour." Then Murdoch bought it, began featuring everyone BUT TV stars on its cover, hyping Fox Movies and the usual gossip sheet regulars. It's too bad.

 

Who gets to keep the TV Guide Channel?

 

We still run a sports on TV listing on our agate page. The most reliable source to have everything right? TVguide.com

Haven't read the actual magazine in ages though.

 

When did Newscorp sell it?

 

Between July 2007 and May 2008 (these deals take time to complete), according to http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/08/news/companies/leonard_tvguide.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008050810

I still have a long-term subscription to the print version of TV Guide, but its listings have become much less useful than they were when I was a kid back in the 1950s. Only some of the channels I receive are listed, and no local programs. Also, very few of the programs have the little capsule summaries about plot and guest stars and such, and you have to look elsewhere in the magazine to find them.

Therefore, I'm teaching myself to use the on-line version, which does have rollover summaries for each show. But even that's not easy, because there are so many channels to check out.

TV was so much easier when all we had was NBC, CBS, and ABC, wasn't it?

 

Yes, but we wouldn't be working as much now, would we?