59 years ago today (posted 4/4/12) ...

[DrBear]

The first issue of TV Guide was published, with Lucille Ball's new baby on the cover.

[geno57]

The first issue of TV Guide was published, with Lucille Ball's new baby on the cover.

TVG was a must-buy for me every week, for many years.  But I can't remember the last time I picked one up.  It was long before the big format change.

[BrandonFG]

The first issue of TV Guide was published, with Lucille Ball's new baby on the cover.

TVG was a must-buy for me every week, for many years.  But I can't remember the last time I picked one up.  It was long before the big format change.

They streamlined everything around 1999 or so...taking out the local program schedules and using a national grid. I'd say somewhere in that timeframe.

I had the 40th anniversary edition as a kid, but I think it got thrown out. I'm still bummed about that one.

[GrandGame1440]

They streamlined everything around 1999 or so...taking out the local program schedules and using a national grid. I'd say somewhere in that timeframe.

It was actually around the summer of 2005, I believe.

[Jimmy Owen]

When they tried to include too many cable channels, it became too cumbersome to use.  The only grid style I have ever liked was the Washington Post style where each channel could be read from top to bottom.  An asterisk in the listing could direct people to a more detailed listing page with cast lists, etc. I know, ship sailed, never coming back, etc.  The EPG on our TV doesn't go more than 36 hours in advance, so how can you plan the week's viewing with that?

[catkins522]

They streamlined everything around 1999 or so...taking out the local program schedules and using a national grid. I'd say somewhere in that timeframe.

It was actually around the summer of 2005, I believe.

Per Wikipedia:

"On July 26, 2005, Gemstar-TV Guide announced that TV Guide would change in format from its digest size format to a larger full-size national magazine that will offer more stories and fewer TV listings. All 140 local editions were also eliminated, being replaced by two editions, one for Eastern/Central time zones and one for Pacific/Mountain. The change in format was attributed to the increase in the Internet, cable TV channels (like TV Guide Network), electronic program guides and digital video recorders as the sources of choice for viewers' program listings.
 
The new version of TV Guide went on sale on October 17, 2005, and featured Ty Pennington from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on the cover. The listings format, now consisting entirely of grids, also changed to start the week's issue with Monday listings rather than Sunday listings."

Charles Atkins

[aaron sica]

They streamlined everything around 1999 or so...taking out the local program schedules and using a national grid. I'd say somewhere in that timeframe.

It was actually around the summer of 2005, I believe.

The national went in 2005 (fall, like Charles said), but the beginning of the end went in two phases - June 2003, with a limited number of issues, and nation-wide starting with the Fall Preview issue of 2003. The weekday daytime listings went from 7am-7pm, and if programs were different from one day to the next? "Various Programs". Being a TVG fan my whole life, it dropped significantly when they started doing this, and it only got worse...Daytime grids expanded until 7, only "local" stations eventually appeared in the overnight listings, and the overnight listings eventually became a grid with only a handful of channels...

[irwinsjournal.com]

I remember TVG switching from indicating what programs were in Color (via a small C in an oval), to what programs were in Black and White (via a white BW in a black oval if I recall correctly).

[trainman]

June 2003, with a limited number of issues, and nation-wide starting with the Fall Preview issue of 2003. The weekday daytime listings went from 7am-7pm, and if programs were different from one day to the next? "Various Programs".

I didn't remember this at all, even though I had a TV Guide subscription until the 2005 format change. Which should tell you how much attention I was paying to the listings after I got a TiVo in 2001...which partially explains the format change.

[JakeT]

Per Wikipedia:

"The new version of TV Guide went on sale on October 17, 2005, and featured Ty Pennington from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on the cover. The listings format, now consisting entirely of grids, also changed to start the week's issue with Monday listings rather than Sunday listings."

And yet again, as so frequently is the case, Wiki urrrped on this one.  Prior to the big "makeover" of TV GUIDE, each week's issue stated with the SATURDAY listings, not Sunday.  For a kid, it was always fun to see that each week's listings started out at approx. 5AM Saturday, mostly consisting of cartoons and other kiddie programming.

JakeT

[aaron sica]

Per Wikipedia:

"The new version of TV Guide went on sale on October 17, 2005, and featured Ty Pennington from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on the cover. The listings format, now consisting entirely of grids, also changed to start the week's issue with Monday listings rather than Sunday listings."

And yet again, as so frequently is the case, Wiki urrrped on this one.  Prior to the big "makeover" of TV GUIDE, each week's issue stated with the SATURDAY listings, not Sunday.  For a kid, it was always fun to see that each week's listings started out at approx. 5AM Saturday, mostly consisting of cartoons and other kiddie programming.

JakeT

Actually, Wikipedia got this right.  In early 2004, TVG changed that too - instead of going Saturday-Friday, the listings changed to Sunday-Saturday. To make the switchover, there was a one-time 8 days of listings in the TVG - it went Saturday-Saturday just for one issue.

[trainman]

Actually, Wikipedia got this right.  In early 2004, TVG changed that too - instead of going Saturday-Friday, the listings changed to Sunday-Saturday. To make the switchover, there was a one-time 8 days of listings in the TVG - it went Saturday-Saturday just for one issue.

Two-time, actually -- when TV Guide began in 1953, their listings were Friday-Thursday. The July 9, 1954, issue was also an 8-day issue, to transition to the Saturday-Friday schedule.

[Ian Wallis]

I remember TVG switching from indicating what programs were in Color (via a small C in an oval), to what programs were in Black and White (via a white BW in a black oval if I recall correctly).

That was in fall 1972.  By then, since most shows were in color it made much more sense to do it this way.  It's kind of surprising they didn't think of doing to sooner.

[GrandGame1440]

That was in fall 1972.  By then, since most shows were in color it made much more sense to do it this way.  It's kind of surprising they didn't think of doing to sooner.

Were ANY shows still in B&W at that point?  I though television had transitioned fully by 1966.  Then again, being born in the 80s makes me no expert on this subject.

[aaron sica]

That was in fall 1972.  By then, since most shows were in color it made much more sense to do it this way.  It's kind of surprising they didn't think of doing to sooner.

Were ANY shows still in B&W at that point?  I though television had transitioned fully by 1966.  Then again, being born in the 80s makes me no expert on this subject.

Maybe on the local level they might have been but as far as nationwide all daytime and primetime shows were in color by 1972. 1966-67 was the very first season that all primetime shows were in color. 1965-66 (the previous season) to me was very interesting. There was a smattering of shows in color and B&W. I wonder what some shows would have been like had they made it to one more season and been in color - Dick Van Dyke, Patty Duke, and Donna Reed fall under this category.

As far as daytime goes I think the last one went to color in 1967 but not sure.