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The official Radio Times and other TV magazines thread
Simon Jackson
Posts: 8,687 Forum Member
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As usual posts about RT magazine always seem to be sneaking into The Christmas RT thread and not many want to hear about the Christmas TV programmes at the moment and it show how Christmas is hyped up much these days. As there have been small RT threads here before. This should be a better one dedicated to all TV mags past, present and future..
Just noticed on other fourms about the RT going up 30p soon. If this is the case. I think that another nail in RT's coffin. Are they trying to target Economist readers (mag £5 every week)?
Just noticed on other fourms about the RT going up 30p soon. If this is the case. I think that another nail in RT's coffin. Are they trying to target Economist readers (mag £5 every week)?
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Can't see them lasting much more than 10 years
There might be an app for that. It is 2014 after all.
I don't buy listings mags, but just because I can't get the ones I'd like where I live and, wouldn't really want to subscribe as it would be too expensive here where I live. However, If I had a chance, I'd always buy listings mags as opposed to using EPG and listings websites. I'm old school and despite the fact that I have cable, advanced epg, tablet computer, which enables me to use and install various listings apps, printed listings magazines are by far the best imo. Listings mags don't just feature listings but also various tv and radio related articles, soaps news etc. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but the smell and feel of the printed magazine no site or app out there can replace.
I fibd the Radio Times good for that reason Radio, I use my iPad more tgan my laptop, and If I am browsing DS, or browsing the net, Radio is lovely, and it's taken me 40 years to realise that
I don't by RT for the listings, but for the articles, recommendations and reviews. Unless they've changed in the last few years, the free/cheaper listings magazines seem to be packed full of low rent content relating to soaps, TOWIE and other shows I have little interest in.
Happy memories of the whole IPC stable, from TV Times years ago when that was the only source for ITV (and CH4) listings and way back further to the days of IPC Comics - Action, Tiger, Roy Of The Rovers, Battle etc... etc...
Sad to see the name being swallowed up and disappearing off printed media - sign of the times.
The Christmas Issue especially
Totally agree! Back in those days Radio Times was non colour for years apart from the front/back cover and the middle pages, produced on paper quite different from what it is today. TV Times seemed to be more colourful (though in truth much of it was black print/typeface on white background - esp. for the listings). I remember when (must have been the early 80s) TV Times went all sexy and relaunched as TV Times Magazine - ultra glossy on thicker paper, more colourful with longer articles, and obviously trying to be taken for more than just a listings magazine!
Also makes the product much more expensive
Also regularly check TV Easy too, which has much the same content, but far more inferior overall. Was still surprised today to see a full page ad, directing to a further two pages at the back of next week's issue, informing that it's to merge with What's on TV from next week. Whilst aware it's a much smaller seller overall, with a fraction of the sales of What's on TV, it's effectively the last issue of TV Easy out today.
Haven't seen any mags being 'merged' for some time, but it was quite often a method in the past of axing mags and comics, by 'merging' them together with a much bigger seller, with the 'merge' effective being made no further reference to after a few weeks on the front cover. No doubt this is what will happen to TV Easy too. Noticeable also, that no reference whatsoever is made of this in What's on TV's latest issue, no doubt in making sure regular readers are in no way alarmed, as it will effectively be little more than business as usual next week.
From my perspective it was basically a waste of paper. I was glad when the offer finished as it was taking up space in my recycle bin each week. The listings are just pointless - I'm not going to spend the time going through 50 odd channel listings for each day, especially when the only details you get for some the title. Also I didn't appreciate the focus on the 5 'main' channels at the expense of the rest.
I was hoping it would be more of a tv review magazine that could also point me towards new interesting programmes that were coming up. Unless you watch prime time BBC One and ITV that wasn't the case.
Well that might be a bit hard to find, but if someone invents such a thing it would be useful
But I remain faithful at Christmas and buy it then for the two-week edition. At the halfway point at New Year - I swap with my mum...who gets the Radio Times! Best of both worlds
Thanks for starting this thread - enjoying the posts!
Looks like Time Inc. UK have started implementing their review of the IPC stable re their decision to stop TV Easy. Actually I think TV Easy is ok (layout etc...) but the regional variations (eg. BBC Scotland/STV) are not shown as the main body of those channels - so that's a real pain.
I'm old enough to remember such mergers you refer to - esp. with IPC comics back in the 1970s & 80s - read Action comic right up until it merged with Battle, to become Battle Action for a few months - then of course the Action was quietly dropped. You learned quickly enough that if it said "Exciting news inside!" on the front cover then as sure as fate there would be an announcement that the following week your comic was going to be "joining forces with XXX to bring you a great new read" blah blah - sounded great, but as always when you bought the merged comic the following week with the strapline "2 great comics in 1" etc... only about 10% of your characters/storylines survived! A tragedy!
I regularly buy WOTV - find the layout easy to use (notice there was a revamp in the typeface/fonts used last week!), good price - just missing Movies4Men listings (don't think any publication has them - bizarrely!), apart from that it's good for listings, esp. as a Freeview viewer.
Can understand your views on Radio Times - perhaps it has too much listings content! Like you though I have taken up the offers (a few times!) - managed to get the Radio Times Guide To Films (c. £22/£15 Amazon) free with it last time!
I was LOLing