History of TV Guide in Timeline
TV Guide is an American digital media company providing television program listings and entertainment news. It serves as a comprehensive resource for viewers seeking information on what to watch, including schedules, reviews, and related content. Originally a print magazine, it has transitioned to a digital platform while maintaining its focus on television programming and the entertainment industry.
2 hours ago : TV Guide Highlights 'Scrubs' Reboot, Tracy Morgan, and 'Survivor' Season 50
TV guide features the Scrubs reboot, Tracy Morgan as Reggie Dinkins, and the 50th season of Survivor. The guide highlights what to watch this week, including daily recommendations for February 23.
1910: Birth of Lee Wagner
In 1910, Lee Wagner, who would later develop the prototype for TV Guide magazine, was born. He played a vital role in the creation of the magazine.
May 9, 1948: First publication of TV Forecast
On May 9, 1948, TV Forecast was first published in the Chicago area, becoming the first continuously published television listings magazine.
November 7, 1948: First release of The Local Televiser
On November 7, 1948, The Local Televiser, later known as TV Digest, was first released in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
1948: Publication of The TeleVision Guide
In 1948, Lee Wagner printed The TeleVision Guide in the New York City area, first released on local newsstands on June 14. The first issue featured silent film star Gloria Swanson on the cover. Wagner later began publishing regional editions for New England and the Baltimore–Washington area.
March 18, 1950: New York-based Television Guide title abbreviated to TV Guide
On March 18, 1950, the New York-based Television Guide had its title abbreviated to TV Guide.
April 3, 1953: First issue of national TV Guide released
On April 3, 1953, the first issue of the national TV Guide was released with 1,560,000 copies sold in ten U.S. cities. The cover featured a photograph of Lucille Ball's newborn son Desi Arnaz Jr. The magazine was published in digest size.
April 1953: Initial Success and Subsequent Circulation Decrease
In April 1953, the launch of TV Guide as a national magazine was an almost instant success. However, the circulation decreased over subsequent weeks, even as the magazine's distribution expanded to five additional cities.
1953: Inaugural year of "Fall Preview" issue
Since the magazine's inaugural year in 1953, TV Guide has featured a "Fall Preview" issue, which includes reviews of new series premiering during the fall television season. This issue has become a recurring tradition for the magazine.
1954: Change in listings format
In 1954, TV Guide changed the listings format to start on Saturday and end on Friday, starting with the July 17–23 issue. This format remained for all local editions until April 2004.
1956: Addition of SPECIAL and COLOR Icons
Around 1956, TV Guide added icons with the words "SPECIAL" and "COLOR" in capital letters inside a rectangular bar to denote television specials and programs broadcast in color, respectively. These were the first icons used for purposes other than identifying listed stations.
1963: Wagner steps down as consultant
In 1963, Lee Wagner stepped down as a consultant for The TeleVision Guide magazine. He had sold the magazine to Walter Annenberg five years prior, who incorporated it into Triangle Publications.
May 1969: Modification of Icons in Local Listings Section
In May 1969, TV Guide modified all icons incorporated into the local listings section. The font for the TV-shaped bullets identifying local stations changed from Futura to the standard Helvetica, and TV-shaped bullets marked with the abbreviation "C" were used to denote color programs, replacing the bar/text icons.
1969: Triangle Publications sold Philadelphia newspapers to Knight Newspapers
In 1969, Triangle Publications sold its Philadelphia newspapers, including TV Guide and The Philadelphia Inquirer, to Knight Newspapers.
1970: Peak Circulation
By 2007, TV Guide's circulation had decreased to less than three million copies from a peak of almost 20 million in 1970.
1970: Change in Movie Listing Format
Subsequent to 1970, TV Guide magazine listed each movie in its own time entry. Previous to 1970, the magazine listed double-feature or triple-feature movie presentations by a station at the starting time of the first feature, with numeric bullets in front of each title and synopsis.
August 1972: Identification of Black and White Programs
In August 1972, TV Guide opted to identify programs originating in black and white, marked under the abbreviation "BW", within the listings section. This change was made as color programming became more common.
1979: Grid Introduced
In 1979, TV Guide began incorporating a grid into its listings to save page space. The grid displayed programs scheduled to air during the evening hours each night, organized by channel.
1980: Inclusion of cable channels listings
In 1980 or 1981, depending on the edition, TV Guide began to list cable channels in the magazine. The channels listed also differed with the corresponding edition.
September 1981: Inclusion of Captioning and Sign Language Information
In September 1981, TV Guide listings began to identify programs presented with closed or open captions or with on-screen sign language interpretation, making the magazine more accessible to viewers with hearing impairments.
1981: Grid in Listings
In 1981, TV Guide continued incorporating a grid into its listings to save page space. The grid displayed programs scheduled to air during the evening hours each night, organized by channel.
1981: Electronic Program Guide Network Launch
In 1981, the Electronic Program Guide network, later known as the Prevue Channel, was first launched.
1982: Gradual addition of Cable-Originated Channels
Between the winter of late 1981 and the first half of 1982, TV Guide gradually added cable-originated channels such as HBO, CNN, the CBN Cable Network (now Freeform), the Alpha Repertory Television Service (ARTS, later succeeded by A&E), and Nickelodeon, depending on the edition. This marked a significant expansion in the magazine's coverage of television programming.
1983: Grid Expansion
By 1983, TV Guide's grid had expanded to a two-page section that included programs airing during the early access and late fringe periods. The prime time daypart was delineated by a thicker border. Channels were organized by broadcast stations, basic cable channels, and premium channels.
1983: Pay-TV Movie Guide Added
In 1983, TV Guide added the "Pay-TV Movie Guide" feature. This guide provided summaries of films scheduled to air on cable channels. Later renamed to the "Premium Channels Movie Guide".
1984: Merger of ARTS and The Entertainment Channel
In 1984, the Alpha Repertory Television Service (ARTS) merged with The Entertainment Channel to form A&E. ARTS was one of the cable-originated channels added gradually between the winter of late 1981 and the first half of 1982, depending on the edition, in TV Guide magazine.
1985: Cosmetic Changes and Advertising Restrictions
In May 1985, TV Guide introduced a smaller Helvetica font for the log listings and made cosmetic changes. The show length began to be listed after the show's title. Advertising was restricted to special events for local stations, with most program promotions being limited to national broadcast and cable networks.
1986: ABC Acquisition of TV Stations via Merger with Capital Cities
In 1986, the television stations that were formerly owned by Triangle Publications and later Capital Cities Communications, now known as KFSN-TV and WPVI-TV, were acquired by ABC through its merger with Capital Cities. This marked a significant shift in ownership for these stations.
August 7, 1988: Triangle Publications Sold
On August 7, 1988, Triangle Publications, the publisher of TV Guide, was sold to News America Corporation for $3 billion.
1988: VCR Plus+ Codes Incorporated
In 1988, channel and program codes for VCRs using the VCR Plus+ system were incorporated into the magazine's listings.
January 1989: "Pay-TV Movie Guide" Moved
In January 1989, the "Pay-TV Movie Guide" in TV Guide was moved to the pages immediately following the Friday listings. This resulted in the consolidation of the national section into the first half of the pages.
1989: First publication of "The Best Children's Shows on TV"
In 1989, TV Guide first published "The Best Children's Shows on TV", which features stories and reviews on family-oriented programs. This issue was later renamed.
1990: Renaming of "The Best Children's Shows on TV" to "Parents' Guide to Children's Television"
In 1990, TV Guide renamed "The Best Children's Shows on TV" to "Parents' Guide to Children's Television". This issue continues to feature stories and reviews on family-oriented programs.
1990: Children's Television Act Compliance Designated
In 1996, children's programs that were compliant with the Children's Television Act of 1990 began to be designated by a circular "E/I" icon.
1990: VCR Plus+ Codes Added
In November 1990, VCR Plus+ codes were added to some regional editions of TV Guide. These codes allowed users to automatically record television programs using devices incorporating the VCR Plus+ technology.
1991: VCR Plus+ Codes Expansion
In September 1991, TV Guide expanded the use of VCR Plus+ codes to all local editions of the magazine.
1992: Colorized Version Icons Added
In September 1992, TV Guide added bullet icons to identify colorized versions of older feature films or television shows.
1993: Death of Lee Wagner
In 1993, Lee Wagner, the developer of the prototype for TV Guide magazine, passed away. Wagner's initial work was instrumental in the magazine's eventual creation and success.
1993: Renaming of "Parents' Guide to Children's Television" to "Parent's Guide to Kids' TV"
In 1993, TV Guide renamed "Parents' Guide to Children's Television" to "Parent's Guide to Kids' TV". This issue focuses on stories and reviews of family-oriented programs.
1994: First publication of "Winter Preview" issue
In 1994, TV Guide first published the "Winter Preview" issue, which previews midseason series. From 2006 to 2009, this issue was known as the "(year) TV Preview".
1994: Infomercials Designation
Until 1994, Infomercials had been designated under the boilerplate title "COMMERCIAL PROGRAM[S]", later changed to "INFORMERCIAL[S]".
March 7, 1996: iGuide Launched
On March 7, 1996, TV Guide launched the iGuide, a web portal featuring more comprehensive television listings data, news, editorial content, and a search feature called CineBooks, offering information on around 30,000 films.
1996: First publication of "Returning Favorites" issue
In 1996, TV Guide first published the "Returning Favorites" issue, which previews series renewed from the previous television season returning for the upcoming fall schedule. This issue complements the "Fall Preview" issue.
1996: Listing Format Changes
In 1996, the print publication of TV Guide switched program titles to a mixed case Franklin Gothic typeface. Film titles began appearing before the synopsis in italics. Children's programs compliant with the Children's Television Act of 1990 were designated by a circular "E/I" icon. Infomercials ceased being listed.
January 13, 1997: iGuide Relaunched as TV Guide Entertainment Network
On January 13, 1997, iGuide was relaunched as the TV Guide Entertainment Network (TVGEN), shortly before MCI bowed out of the venture. The refocused site covered television, music, movies, and sports.
1997: Content Ratings Added
Beginning with the January 25–31, 1997, issue, the log listings of TV Guide began incorporating content ratings for programs assigned through the newly implemented TV Parental Guidelines system.
1997: "Pay-TV Movie Guide" renamed
In 1997, the "Pay-TV Movie Guide" was renamed to the "Premium Channels Movie Guide".
July 11, 1998: TV Guide Merged with Total TV
Effective with the July 11, 1998, issue, TV Guide merged with Total TV. The magazine began printing a version in Total TV's full-size format while retaining the original digest size version.
October 1998: Content Descriptors Added
In October 1998, the content descriptors - the "DLSV" system - were added to the content ratings of TV Guide.
1998: New Channels Added
Beginning with the September 12–18, 1998, issue, TV Guide added several new channels to many of its editions, including those that had previously been mentioned only in a foreword on the channel lineup page as well as those that were available mainly on digital cable and satellite.
February 1, 1999: Prevue Channel Rebranded
On February 1, 1999, the Prevue Channel was rebranded as the TV Guide Channel.
1999: TV Guide Awards
In 1999, TV Guide began hosting the TV Guide Awards, an awards show honoring television programs and actors. The winners were chosen by TV Guide subscribers.
1999: Evening Grids Scaled Down
In July 1999, the evening grids in TV Guide were scaled down to the designated prime time hours, complementing the descriptive log listings for those time periods.
March 2000: TV Guide en Español Discontinued
In March 2000, TV Guide discontinued the TV Guide en Español insert due to difficulties resulting from confusion by advertisers over its marketing as "the first weekly Spanish-language magazine".
2001: TV Guide Awards Discontinued
The TV Guide Awards telecast was discontinued after the 2001 event.
2002: TVGEN Renamed TV Guide Online
In 2002, the TV Guide Entertainment Network (TVGEN) was renamed to TV Guide Online. The site covered television, music, movies and sports, along with wire news and features.
2002: 50th Anniversary Issues
In 2002, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of TV Guide as a national magazine, the magazine published six special issues.
June 21, 2003: Changes to Local Listings
Beginning with the June 21, 2003 issue, TV Guide condensed the 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday listings down to four grids in a few select markets. If programming differed from one weekday to the next, the generic descriptor "Various Programs" was listed.
September 13, 2003: Listing Changes Permanent
Beginning with the September 13, 2003, "Fall Preview" issue, the changes to the local listings of TV Guide became permanent in all editions.
September 2003: Adoption of widescreen logo
In September 2003, TV Guide adopted a widescreen appearance for its logo to reflect the modernization of television screens.
2003: Magazine Changes
In 2003, starting with the "Fall Preview" issue, TV Guide reintroduced a half-page daily prime time highlights section and added a full-page "Weekday Highlights" page. Program synopses were added to the grids and log, a "NEW" indicator was added for first-run episodes, and the "Premium Channels Movie Guide" was restructured as "The Big Movie Guide".
January 2004: Listing Changes
In January 2004, the midnight to 5:00 a.m. TV Guide listings, as well as the Saturday and Sunday 5:00 to 8:00 a.m. listings, ceased including broadcast stations outside of the edition's home market, leaving only program information for stations within the home market and for cable channels.
April 11, 2004: Format Change
On April 11, 2004, TV Guide changed its format to start the week's listings on Sunday instead of Saturday.
April 2004: End of the Saturday-to-Friday Listings Format
In April 2004, the Saturday-to-Friday listings format which had been in place since 1954 for all local editions of TV Guide ended. This marked a significant change in how TV Guide presented its program listings.
July 2004: Overnight Listings Removed
In July 2004, TV Guide removed the overnight listings entirely, replacing them with a grid from 11:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. that only included broadcast stations in each edition's home market and a few cable channels. The daytime grids also shifted from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
May 18, 2005: TV Guide Talk Podcast Launched
On May 18, 2005, TV Guide launched "TV Guide Talk," a weekly podcast hosted by Michael Ausiello and colleagues.
July 26, 2005: TV Guide announces change to full-size magazine
On July 26, 2005, Gemstar-TV Guide announced TV Guide would abandon its digest size format and become a larger, full-size national magazine, eliminating all 140 local editions.
October 17, 2005: New TV Guide on sale
On October 17, 2005, the new version of TV Guide went on sale, featuring Ty Pennington on the cover, and the listings format changed to start each week's issue on Monday instead of Sunday. Broadcast stations were replaced by broadcast network schedules.
2005: Switch to national listings
In 2005, TV Guide switched to national listings, ending the use of the "log" format for displaying program information. The "log" format had been in use for the magazine's first 52 years of publication.
2005: Channel Additions
In early 2005, more channels were added to the prime time and late-night grids in TV Guide.
September 2006: Website Redesign
In September 2006, TV Guide launched a redesigned website with expanded original editorial and user-generated content.
December 22, 2006: First Two-Week Edition
On December 22, 2006, TV Guide introduced its first ever two-week edition, featuring Rachael Ray on the cover and issued for the period from December 25, 2006 to January 7, 2007.
December 25, 2006: Two-Week Edition Launch
On December 25, 2006, TV Guide's first two-week edition was released, with Rachael Ray on the cover.
2006: Rebranding of Winter Preview to (year) TV Preview
From 2006 to 2009, TV Guide rebranded their Winter Preview to (year) TV Preview. The winter preview issue features previews of midseason series.
January 7, 2007: End of Two-Week Edition Period
January 7, 2007 marked the end of the period for TV Guide's first two-week edition, which began on December 25, 2006.
December 7, 2007: Rovi Acquires Gemstar-TV Guide International
On December 7, 2007, the Rovi Corporation acquired Gemstar-TV Guide International, including TV Guide On Screen (Guide Plus+), in a $2.8 billion cash and stock deal.
2007: TV Guide Channel Rebranded
In 2007, the TV Guide Channel was rebranded as the TV Guide Network, shifting towards airing full-length programs.
April 4, 2008: Podcast Ending Announcement
On April 4, 2008, it was announced that the "TV Guide Talk" podcast would be ending.
April 10, 2008: Final Podcast Episode
On April 10, 2008, the final episode of the "TV Guide Talk" podcast (Episode No. 139) was released.
May 2, 2008: Gemstar-TV Guide Acquired by Macrovision
On May 2, 2008, Macrovision acquired Gemstar-TV Guide for $2.8 billion and stated its intention to sell the magazine, TV Guide Network, and TVG Network.
October 13, 2008: Magazine Sold to OpenGate Capital
On October 13, 2008, Macrovision sold TV Guide Magazine to OpenGate Capital for $1 and a $9.5 million loan. Macrovision retained ownership of the website, which was then sold to One Equity Partners.
2008: Sale of TV Guide magazine to TV Guide Magazine LLC
In 2008, the company sold its founding product, the TV Guide magazine, along with its entire print magazine division, to a private buyout firm managed by Andrew Nikou, who then established the print operation as TV Guide Magazine LLC. This marked a significant shift in ownership and operation for the magazine.
2008: Listing Reductions
In early 2008, the Monday through Friday daytime and daily late night grids were eliminated from the listings section of TV Guide, and the television highlights section was compressed.
January 2009: Lionsgate Buys TVGuide.com
In January 2009, Lionsgate Entertainment bought TVGuide.com along with the TV Guide Network.
2009: End of (year) TV Preview
In 2009, TV Guide ended the (year) TV Preview rebranding. The winter preview issue features previews of midseason series.
June 1, 2010: TVGuideMagazine.com Shutdown
On June 1, 2010, TVGuideMagazine.com was shut down; TV Guide Magazine and TVGuide.com then entered into a deal to restore content from the magazine to the latter website.
November 2012: Discontinuation of Guide Plus+ Begins
From November 2012, Rovi gradually discontinued broadcast transmission of the Guide Plus+ service.
March 2013: CBS Acquires Stake
In March 2013, CBS Corporation acquired One Equity Partners' stake of their TV Guide assets.
April 2013: Guide Plus+ Service Discontinued
From November 2012 to April 2013, Rovi gradually discontinued broadcast transmission of the Guide Plus+ service.
May 31, 2013: CBS Buys Lionsgate's Share
On May 31, 2013, CBS bought Lionsgate's share of TV Guide Digital, including the website and mobile apps.
January 31, 2014: Cross-Promotion Deal
On January 31, 2014, OpenGate Capital and CBS Interactive announced a deal to cross-promote TV Guide Magazine with TVGuide.com and CBS Interactive's other internet properties.
2014: TV Guide Price Per Copy
As of 2014, TV Guide sold for $4.99 per copy. The magazine's price had gradually risen over the years from its initial cost of 15¢ per copy.
January 14, 2015: TVGN Relaunched as Pop
On January 14, 2015, TVGN was relaunched as Pop, shifting its programming focus to pop culture.
September 2016: Adoption of flatscreen logo
In September 2016, TV Guide updated its logo to its current flatscreen appearance. Different versions of the logo are used for the magazine and the separately owned, CBS-managed digital properties.
2020: Red Ventures Acquisition
In 2020, Red Ventures acquired the assets of CNET Media Group, including TV Guide, from ViacomCBS.
October 3, 2022: Sale to Fandom Inc.
On October 3, 2022, Red Ventures sold TV Guide and other entertainment websites to Fandom Inc.
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