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UK TV Magazine Thread (Except for Christmas when we will shut)


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Old 10-11-2016, 18:30
Mr Sirs
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TV Times only became a national magazine in September, 1968. Before then many of the ITV companies had published their own listings magazines. But in 1968 TV Times began publishing 14 different regional editions under the auspices of Independent Television Publications owned by the companies.
Thank you both for that information, very interesting.
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Old 12-11-2016, 13:35
kriZbii
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I think the reason for the earlier release dates of TV magazines in the run up to Christmas is because the channels confirm their listings online earlier than normal. Normally the schedules are confirmed on DigiGuide every Thursday but from early November the listings are confirmed on the Monday/Tuesday instead.
It's nothing to do with online as such (their early confirmation is an effect, not the cause).

From late October, the schedules are made available a day earlier each week to allow the mags to pull forward by a week in time for the double issue. So a few weeks back listings were released on Tuesday instead of Wednesday, then Monday the following week, then Friday and so on until you get to the last week of November when the main channels release their schedules for the double issue on Tuesday night.

It currently means the listings mags are now almost a week ahead of where they'd normally be in terms of production, so they get printed earlier and are able to be distributed a bit earlier (but still long after the same week is available to view online).
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Old 12-11-2016, 13:43
ftv
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I noticed last year that the Christmas TV Times was in the shops several days ahead of Radio Times (I'm in the south of England).
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Old 13-11-2016, 09:56
MidZone
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What are peoples views of TV Times? For me its probably the weakest of all magazines for actual listing content.

Most of the articles I enjoy reading and the previews are generally good, I also like the daily highlights double spread but the actual listings are dire - awful font and programme content is difficult to read. Programme info is lacking for so many channels. When you compare the listing layout to say Total TV Guide its pretty poor for such an expensive magazine.

WoTV, Total TV Guide and TV Choice have a much better listings layout and programme detail - TV Times is really sadly lacking in what is their most important function - programme info.

Just my thoughts - what do others think about actual magazine listing info?
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Old 13-11-2016, 13:49
kriZbii
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I guess Time Inc want three distinct mags.
TV Times is probably stronger on the features, but the listings are very basic.
TV & Sat Week is the most in-depth for listings
What's on TV is a happy medium between the two.

TV Choice is probably fractionally better than WOTV, but they're much of a muchness, so it depends on which channels you prefer as there's a few differences.
Total TV Guide is a direct copy of Choice for 6 of the 10 pages of listings for each day, so it's just a case of whether people consider the extra few satellite channels and radio listings worth the extra cost.

Radio Times has in-depth features and the most detail on the main four channels and BBC4 with credits and cast lists. Radio is best covered by far in RT. The rest of the listings pages try to cram in too much in places with tiny fonts, so aren't as nice to look at as the Time Inc and Bauer mags.

As far as value for money goes, unless you really need any specific channels that aren't listed in the cheaper mags, there's no reason to get anything other than What's On TV or TV Choice. TV Times is more than three times the cost of TV Choice and nearly three times the cost of What's on TV, it simply isn't worth it. TV & Satellite Week can at least try to justify the higher cost with the number of channels it lists, while Total TV Guide is twice the price of TV Choice but with only a little more content. Radio Times is a waste of money if you only want a basic summary of freeview listings, but if you actually want in-depth radio and casts then it's probably just about worth it.


TV Easy never really had much point after it stopped being small as it was more or less identical to WOTV, so scrapping that made sense as it had no unique selling point. TV Quick was scrapped years ago as it was lost between the premium and budget titles and TV Times is in similar territory as it offers budget content for a premium price.
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Old 14-11-2016, 00:42
mrbernay
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I remember the time when I got my parents to drive to Chester or Stoke to get the Television Weekly (TWW/Harlech/HTV) and/or TV World (ATV/ABC Midlands magazine). When TV Times went national in 1968, I got ITP to send me on subscription the Wales and Midlands version of TV Times. It was worth it back then as ITV was really regional and had so many different programmes. They used to arrive arrive on a Wednesday in a bundle. I have a photobucket site with some pre 1968 TV mags scanned pages. This is the link, if it still works: http://s251.photobucket.com/user/mrb...?sort=6&page=1
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Old 14-11-2016, 10:51
Mr Sirs
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What are peoples views of TV Times? For me its probably the weakest of all magazines for actual listing content.

Most of the articles I enjoy reading and the previews are generally good, I also like the daily highlights double spread but the actual listings are dire - awful font and programme content is difficult to read. Programme info is lacking for so many channels. When you compare the listing layout to say Total TV Guide its pretty poor for such an expensive magazine.

WoTV, Total TV Guide and TV Choice have a much better listings layout and programme detail - TV Times is really sadly lacking in what is their most important function - programme info.

Just my thoughts - what do others think about actual magazine listing info?
Completely agree with you about the TV Times - previews/post listings section is well done and a good read, as is the daily highlights...but the actual listings oh dear - poor! The listings are not easy to read (agree problem seems to be with the font/typeface used). Bit of a shame really but it looks as if it's been thrown together.
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Old 15-11-2016, 14:02
Mr Sirs
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What's On TV's Hot TV for next week (Sat. 19th-Fri. 25th Nov):-

BBC1:

Entertainment - Strictly Come Dancing Blackpool, Michael McIntyre's Big Show

Comedy - Walliams & Friend

Drama - Ordinary Lies, My Mother & Other Strangers, The Coroner, The Missing

Documentary - Planet Earth 2, Who Do You Think You Are?

BBC2:

Comedy - Two Doors Down
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Old 18-11-2016, 20:34
jazzydrury3
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I know I started this thread but haven't been on it for a few days.

But we had a family death and a funeral coming up on Monday.

From Monday Night, I will begin positing in here again.

Thanks to Mr Sirs, for letting us know what on TV have covered

My views on the TV Times, which I buy once in a blue moon are, I find the text in the articles fairly small, and with the eyes not so good as they should be, it is hard to read
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Old 18-11-2016, 22:22
Mr Sirs
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I know I started this thread but haven't been on it for a few days.

But we had a family death and a funeral coming up on Monday.

From Monday Night, I will begin positing in here again.

Thanks to Mr Sirs, for letting us know what on TV have covered

My views on the TV Times, which I buy once in a blue moon are, I find the text in the articles fairly small, and with the eyes not so good as they should be, it is hard to read
Sorry to hear your news

It is my intention (time permitting) to post regular updates for the WOTV Hot TV section if folk find it of interest.
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Old 23-11-2016, 16:07
Mr Sirs
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With thanks to Kwynne, copied and pasted from the Ratings Thread over on the DS Tv shows forum:-

Proper sign of Christmas next weeks TV and Radio Times's out early on Saturday with much shorter gaps from now on until the bumper christmas ones.

Radio Times top 11 Christmas things

Doctor Who BBC1
Maigrets Dead Man ITV
Inside No.9 The Devil at Christmas BBC2
The Great Christmas Bake Off BBC1
Witness for the Prosecution BBC1 Agatha Christie drama
Peter Pan Goes Wrong BBC1
The Bronte Sisters BBC1 according to TV times this is called To Walk Invisible
Sherlock BBC1
The Last DragonSlayer Sky 1
Revolting Rhymes BBC1
Alan Bennett's Diaries

Also on at Christmas according to TV Times
GrantChester ITV
Paul O'Gradys Fairytales ITV
Paul O'grady for the love of Dogs at Christmas ITV
Strictly Christmas Special BBC1
Outnumbered BBC1
Mrs Browns Boys BBC1
Still Open All Hours BBC1
Last Tango in Halifax BBC1
Call The Midwife BBC1
Blankety Blank ITV
Birds of A Feather ITV
David Walliams Celebrates Dame Shirley Bassey BBC1
Walliams and Friend BBC1
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Old 23-11-2016, 20:19
Mr Sirs
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What's On TV's Hot TV for next week (Sat. 26th Nov-Fri. 2nd Dec):-

BBC1:

Entertainment - Strictly Come Dancing, The Apprentice

Drama - Rillington Place, My Mother & Other Strangers, The Missing

Documentary - Planet Earth 2, Who Do You Think You Are?

BBC2:

Drama - Close To The Enemy

CHANNEL 4:

Sport - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

CHANNEL 5:

Entertainment - Tour De Celeb
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Old 28-11-2016, 13:16
Mr Sirs
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Despite my previous reservations about it's listings layout/typeface I am getting the TV Times (on an offer) at the moment (!).

Listings issue for 3rd-9th December now on sale, 10th-16th listings issue on sale this Thursday 1st Dec.

Here's the TV Times Editor's Highlights for next week:-

Mon-Fri: Emmerdale, ITV

Wednesday: Six lives with Lucy Worsley, BBC1 England 9pm, BBC1 Scotland 11.45pm & In Plain Sight, ITV 9pm

Friday: Ball & Boe, ITV 9pm & Adele in New York, BBC1 11.25pm
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Old 29-11-2016, 01:02
JAS84
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Autumn 1981 if I remember rightly, just a year or so before they added Channel 4. As I recall, the TV premiere of Jaws on ITV - six years on! - was featured in the first week of the new format.

The masthead went from being all on one line to being a blocky logo with "Times" superimposed over "TV", and that's basically how it remains today although it's now italicised.

I think they dropped the "Magazine" suffix after only two or three years, but I'd have to look at pics of the Christmas covers to be sure...
It was after only one year, on the cover anyway - Channel 4's launch prompted the box that had said Magazine in it to instead read "Full programme guide to ITV & Channel 4"
http://radiosoundsfamiliar.com/compl...-24th-1982.php
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Old 30-11-2016, 13:55
Mr Sirs
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Another TV Times on sale today (for 10th-16th December listings). Claims the Christmas double issue will be on sale from Tue. 6th December "or earlier!" - oh and the standard cover price has gone up from £1.60 to £1.70.

Here then are the TV Times Editor's Highlights for 10th-16th :-

Sat. 10th & Sun. 11th: X Factor Final, ITV

Mon. 12th: When Phillip Met Prince Phillip, ITV

Tue. 13th: Royal Variety Performance, ITV

Thur. 14th: Who Do You Think You Are? BBC1
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Old 01-12-2016, 09:08
ftv
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I see this is turning into yet another thread about TV programmes (haven't we got enough of them ?) instead of about TV magazines as per its title.
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Old 01-12-2016, 09:57
Kevin Smear
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Surely it's only a matter of time before TV Times is a thing of the past? I can't really understand why anyone would buy it, other than 'I've bought it every week for 45 years etc'...

It's neither one thing nor the other - as posted above, it's a budget magazine for a premium price.
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Old 01-12-2016, 11:51
Mr Sirs
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Welcome to the UK TV Magazine Thread, except for as I say the Radio Times Christmas Editions to which we already have a well loved thread for, even though some try to ruin it for others.

Please use this to discuss articles from the TV Listings magazines, Helping out others if they do the games and quizzes and need a little help. Or if anybody needs a token for something, and another user does maybe they can be helped.

We can discuss Bank Holiday schedules, have a good moan about that they aren't like they used to be.

When in like World Cup years, and the TV Listings mags, give a alternative viewing guide depending on what matches either BBC or ITV show

But remember NO Radio Times Christmas Discussion, maybe articles from those Editions could be talked about, but im leaving that to you my friends
I see this is turning into yet another thread about TV programmes (haven't we got enough of them ?) instead of about TV magazines as per its title.
Where exactly? Why not read what the OP suggested (above) - it's been content of magazines discussed/posted - the thread is difficult enough to keep going as it is.
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Old 01-12-2016, 12:08
Mr Sirs
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Surely it's only a matter of time before TV Times is a thing of the past? I can't really understand why anyone would buy it, other than 'I've bought it every week for 45 years etc'...

It's neither one thing nor the other - as posted above, it's a budget magazine for a premium price.
"I never knew there was so much in it!" proclaimed the ad. many years ago. I think the content pre listings pages is actually quite good, easy read and easy on the eye. The 2 pages of highlights for each day is good too. The problem (for me) is when you hit the actual listings pages - the main channel 2 pages are ok but the Freeview listings pages are not easy on the eye (as already mentioned the font/typeface and layout is poor).

If you compare the readability of TV Times to What's On TV the WOTV listings are much clearer (granted they feature fewer Freeview channels and they bold every title of a programme) so the listings work better for me in WOTV. I'm getting TV Times on a cheap offer just now but for me to stick with it longer term they would need to reformat the Freeview listings and drop the cover price down to about a £1. But a price drop isn't going to happen so I agree the future of it may look uncertain as it sits in this "middle ground". Mentioned before Time Inc. (now publisher of TV Times) has recently closed Essentials after 28 years.
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Old 01-12-2016, 14:15
jazzydrury3
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Have had a few issues which meant I haven't been online but im back now.

I know I said we weren't going to cover Christmas, but as the Radio Times thread barely covers the overs, We can include them.

Post on here, when you get your Double Issue, All he Magazines should be available in London Stores on Saturday, other areas by 7 December. If you cant see a copy ask as some Newsagents don't put them out
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Old 01-12-2016, 14:47
Kevin Smear
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Have had a few issues which meant I haven't been online but im back now.

I know I said we weren't going to cover Christmas, but as the Radio Times thread barely covers the overs, We can include them.

Post on here, when you get your Double Issue, All he Magazines should be available in London Stores on Saturday, other areas by 7 December. If you cant see a copy ask as some Newsagents don't put them out
WoTV will be out tomorrow in some places.
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Old 01-12-2016, 14:52
jazzydrury3
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WoTV will be out tomorrow in some places.
I will have to see which of the magazines gets there digital copy out first
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Old 02-12-2016, 22:31
Kevin Smear
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"I never knew there was so much in it!" proclaimed the ad. many years ago. I think the content pre listings pages is actually quite good, easy read and easy on the eye. The 2 pages of highlights for each day is good too. The problem (for me) is when you hit the actual listings pages - the main channel 2 pages are ok but the Freeview listings pages are not easy on the eye (as already mentioned the font/typeface and layout is poor).

If you compare the readability of TV Times to What's On TV the WOTV listings are much clearer (granted they feature fewer Freeview channels and they bold every title of a programme) so the listings work better for me in WOTV. I'm getting TV Times on a cheap offer just now but for me to stick with it longer term they would need to reformat the Freeview listings and drop the cover price down to about a £1. But a price drop isn't going to happen so I agree the future of it may look uncertain as it sits in this "middle ground". Mentioned before Time Inc. (now publisher of TV Times) has recently closed Essentials after 28 years.
Agree with all of that, yes. TV Times has a few problems IMO, which are:

1) The readership is basically dying off - literally. It's always been aimed at a certain demographic and these old(ish) readers are clearly not going to be around for ever.

2) The cover price means it's unlikely to attract new readers when TV Choice/WoTV are 50-odd pence rather than £1.70

3) Is it actually making money for TimeInc? Put simply, is the revenue it brings in still significantly more than the cost of producing it? It's probably pretty close. The circulation numbers went down - percentage-wise - more than any other TV listings mag in the last quarter.

But TimeInc need to be very careful. When they got rid of TV Easy they clearly assumed its readers would automatically migrate to What's on TV. What actually ended up happening was that they seemed to drift to their biggest rivals - TV Choice - instead!

The recent price hike seems to confirm it's in trouble. I'd be surprised if it's still around in a year or two.
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Old 04-12-2016, 08:47
JAS84
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The price hike confirms nothing of the sort. My local newspaper the Hull Daily Mail went up from 60p to 65p this week, Doctor Who Magazine went up from £4.99 to £5.99 recently, it's publisher Panini also increased the price of it's Marvel Collectors Editions comics from £3.50 to £3.99 a few months ago. I'm sure there's probably others. Yet none of those are in danger of closing any time soon. The problem is the stock markets fluctuating, it's pushing up the production costs of print media.

A better indication would be a website. If something used to have it's own website but no longer does, as was the case with Essentials, it could be a clue that it's days are numbered. Which makes me think the Sunday People might not last much longer. Website is just a single page on the Mirror's, and their sports coverage in the paper is just the Sunday Mirror's with different branding. Does TV Times have a website?
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Old 04-12-2016, 16:41
Mr Sirs
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The price hike confirms nothing of the sort. My local newspaper the Hull Daily Mail went up from 60p to 65p this week, Doctor Who Magazine went up from £4.99 to £5.99 recently, it's publisher Panini also increased the price of it's Marvel Collectors Editions comics from £3.50 to £3.99 a few months ago. I'm sure there's probably others. Yet none of those are in danger of closing any time soon. The problem is the stock markets fluctuating, it's pushing up the production costs of print media.

A better indication would be a website. If something used to have it's own website but no longer does, as was the case with Essentials, it could be a clue that it's days are numbered. Which makes me think the Sunday People might not last much longer. Website is just a single page on the Mirror's, and their sports coverage in the paper is just the Sunday Mirror's with different branding. Does TV Times have a website?
Don't think it (ever?) has, got a Facebook page though.
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