TV Guide getting bigger and smaller
July 26, 2005The venerable TV Guide will launch a major format change this October, becoming a large-format mag. I assume that means something like Newsweek-sized instead of the small digest it has been. But while the mag gets bigger, staff gets smaller as they will be doing a lot of streamlining–fewer TV lisings, and no more local editions.
In essense it sounds like they’re gonna become a People or US type of rag, mostly about celebrity/entertainment stories. With a few TV listings thrown into the mix.
The Internet and cable/satellite channel guides have apparently been eating TV Guide’s lunch. Ironically they provide the listings data for a lot of those other services, they’ve been robbing Peter to pay Paul.
I certainly don’t ever pick up the magazine, since I can get those listings on the Web or TV. But maybe I’ll pick up the magazine from time-to-time if it becomes more of a regular magazine with mostly articles instead of mostly listings.
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