Riba Rambles:
Musings of a Mental Magpie

Posted by Lis Riba at 11:15 PM

I hereby predict the end of TV Guide.

They've just changed formats from their old digest to a standard glossy magazine format.

Earlier this week, Mark Evanier wrote:

The underlying strength of TV Guide's circulation for years has been the little rack of the magazine that's prominently situated at something like 95% of all supermarket check-out counters. That is prime marketing space and the items that are displayed thereabouts are the result of complicated financial arrangements. [...] One assumes the new magazine-sized TV Guide will be elsewhere on those checkout stands but there's a space now...a physical space that can accommodate something else of comparable dimensions.

So that was a risk, but I assumed the publishers had something better in mind to compensate.

Then I got a look at the latest issue... with 39 pages of listings.

That's right, they expanded the glossy feature articles into the majority of the magazine.

No local listings, just prime-time grids of the national networks and cable channels. I presume they've at least created separate editions per time zone, but on the whole it's less detailed than the TV listing grid in USA Today.

In other words, it's utterly useless at fulfilling TV Guide's primary function.

As Ian pointed out, they must've decided that the cable/satellite/DVR(Tivo) listing channels eliminate the need for print listings, but (a) not everybody has those, and (b) they're not terribly convenient, generally only showing a handful of channels at a time for a short timespan. I find they require the patience of Job to see everything that's on during a particular timeslot, hoping my mind doesn't wander making you miss the crucial program. And ‘what's on now’ is only one use for TV listings. How about checking the schedule for sometime later, or just browsing?

While I'm sure the publisher finds it cheaper not to have to print separate editions for every region of the country, they've totally gutted the content. [One blogger described it thus: "Since when did People magazine had a TV grid?" And since we People and Entertainment Weekly and other such magazines already exist, who needs TV Guide's effort without detailed listings to make it worthwhile?

I wonder whether they have a means of reversing this decision should it prove as disastrous as it looks on first glance? Are they holding onto enough infrastructure to go back?

And in the meantime, cui bono? Could this boost newspaper circulations once more as people seek local listings? There may be an opportunity here, so I wonder what it would take to step into this vacuum?

PS: Anybody have any insight or care to speculate on why they made this format change? Ian thought it looked like a desperation move. I think it was a more elective editorial move. I remember reading ages ago that they wanted to become a more general entertainment magazine (think of all the movie tie-in covers and other features that had little relation to TV in the last few years). I think they're trying to leverage their existing reputation into a cheaper (no local editions) and higher-status publication. Either way, I think they just burned their brand.

Posted by Lis Riba at 9:25 PM

I know I'm pushing things to the last minute, but...

Also time for my annual pointer to the Al Chet for electronic communications for those who feel they have anything to atone for in that arena.

BTW, lately I've been getting more general questions about Judaism and Jewish practice. So I just want to take a moment to plug JewFaq.org, an excellent online resouce I've been using for nearly seven years now. Here's their Gentile's Guide to the Jewish Holidays, along with their Basic-level overviews of Rosh Hashanah, the Days of Awe and Yom Kippur. Just in case anybody's interested.

Posted by Lis Riba at 6:04 PM

The Miers nomination heralds the beginning of the 2008 presidential race, at least for the Republicans. We're already starting to see some jockeying for position, as her selection has proven unpopular with the GOP base, coming out against her is an easy way to curry favor.

As further scandals unfold (and many longterm investigations will shortly come to fruition), more potential-candidates will try to make names for themselves by distancing from the Bush brand.

The good news is that this makes it unlikely the administration will manage to push through much more of its agenda.

The warning for Democratic candidates is that the Democrats can't simply run on an "I'm not like Bush" platform, if the GOP starts using the same message for their candidates. More to the point, Democrats need to stand for something, not just against Bush.

Since I haven't seen this written anywhere else, this is probably (hopefully) obvious. But in case it isn't, I just wanted to put it out there.

Posted by Lis Riba at 5:56 PM

the best of craigslist
 [via Bitch Ph.D.]

Posted by Lis Riba at 8:45 PM

The world is quiet here.

I just haven't felt much like writing in the last week.

What am I doing? Feeling down.

Lots going on requiring my attention or attendance; I'm being pulled hither and yon by circumstance, so I'm rather exhausted and not much for the writing.

I'm still travelling to London in less than a month (yipe!), and I need to get back into planning for the trip.

I've got the flights booked, need to figure out lodging.

I'm not looking for anything expensive or fancy. I'm not really planning on spending that much time there outside the need for a bathroom and comfortable bed where I can sleep.

After looking at bed & breakfasts, I'm starting to wonder whether a hostel may be right for me. In specific, I'm looking at St. Christophers in Southbank. [I'll admit, the idea of sleeping down the street from the Globe is part of the appeal.]

Any more experienced travellers care to share their advice, pro or con, about staying in hostels?