TVSquad

It's a relic. It can't be saved at this point, IMO. There are way too many "free" places on-line to get better, easier to read, line ups of what's on (many without descriptions that give the whole freak'n episode's plot away, thank you). Further, the writing/articles just don't have what they use to. TVG articles and interviews use to be indepth and truly entertaining. Not any more.

I'm one of those people who hasn't bought it since it went big with maybe two or three exceptions because of who was on the cover. And even then I ended up asking myself, "why?" because once I openned it to read the "article/interview" I was truly disappointed. I'm actually surprised it's still around at all and TVG hasn't just gone totally online.

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TV GUIDE needs to be 'smarted up', as opposed to the way it's been 'dumbed down' since Murdoch bought it from the Annenberg family back in the day. Frankly, though, I'd settle for including cast lists with the episode loglines, especially now that credit 'crawls' (talk about an obsolete term) are faster and less readable than ever. Those lists were the reason I always got TV GUIDE in the first place, back when I was a TV-hooked kid. I wanna know who played the bartender!

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This is why the Canadian Edition went online only

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if they bring it back to digest size, I might start buying it weekly again.

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I used to buy it specifically for the listings back in the day and the digest size was perfect for a side or coffee table. Today I really have no use for it. Program guides on digital cable, fiber and satellite pretty much left TV guide relevant only to analog viewers or those who actually like the articles.

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I didn't like the big size at first, but now I quite enjoy it. I read TV Guide for the articles, not the listings. With digital cable and on-screen menus printed TV listing are practically obscelete.

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If tvguide goes back to the old size, I'll cancel my subscription.

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Back when it had complete episode briefs, cast listings and release dates, it was a useful magazine. Then they started doing things like getting rid of the daytime listings and getting rid of the details of the shows. At that point it was no better than the listing in the back of the newspaper. Bring back real show details and it will be worth subscribing to again.

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If the TV were back the way it used to be many years ago -- a television show guide and not an entertainment magazine -- I'd go back to it even with the internet.

But I hate the way TV Guide is now. I haven't read it in ages (probably way more than 5 years). I only got TV Guide for the local TV listings back in the day, but nowadays I can get that in any newspaper or on the internet.

If TV Guide wants me, go back to the way it was, say, 20 years ago!

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I pretty much agree with Europa,et al., who've said we haven't bought it in years (or, at least, very rarely). I've bought it 2 or 3 times since the size change & I really hate the big size, small was better! And the ones I did buy lacked at lot of listings, for example on stations like TNT or USA for late night, they'd put "Various Programming"! Well, hell, I don't need to buy "The Guide" to know that! I actually stopped buying it when it got to over a dollar an issue & that was some time back before the size change. It's very difficult for me to pay $2-3 for something that was a quarter when I started buying it, unless I can't live without it (like, say, gasoline). Thanks to the internet, Tv guide is not a necessity any longer.

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I liked the small size, but have to admit I started reading it online and cancelled my subscription more than six years ago. Most of what I want to find out about is online either at TV Guide online or other Entertainment sites.
Out of curiosity though, I wonder if this purchase has to do with the annoying new setup at tvguide.com. They changed everything this week, and it is really annoying. I liked it better before. I won't be spending as much time there.

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I will stop buying it if goes back to the small size. That's one reason why I subscribed in the first place; that, and all the interesting articles. When I heard it was going under and that one or more of the writers was moving to EW, I subscribed to THAT magazine. I'm so glad someone is coming to the rescue.

Another poster had it right, there are so many different channels and providers, it's hard to get a one-size-fits all set of listings.

Hey guys, I READ the first TV Guide when it came out, so you can't tell me that an old dog can't be taught new tricks. :-)

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my newspaper (Charlotte Observer) prints a weekly guide... last time i pulled it out of the pile of ads, it was a small size, probably 1/2 the size of a folded paper. we don't even keep that; the digital cable onscreen guide is easier to navigate, has plot notes, and guest stars.
i think that's why TVguide is failing.

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I would have easily paid $2 to take over the publication.

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