The tradition of buying a weekend newspaper for its TV guide is all but dead now that the Globe and Mail has dropped its full week of daily listings grids.
If you don't have Toronto Sun home delivery in the GTA, your only choice for a worthy television guide package is the Saturday Star.
As of today, the Globe has dropped the TV grids in its Friday 7 section, advising readers to check out daily listings on the paper's website.
So people who have been buying the Friday Globe for its 7 package with TV listings are being encouraged to read the online listings for free.
That does not make sense to print media traditionalists.
Gord Stimmell, Starweek's tireless TV guide editor for almost a decade and a Sunday Sun TV guide editor for 25 years before leaving in 1999, has been working wonders with 36 pages.
An added bonus for Star readers: Cover stories by Bill Brioux, one of the many quality Toronto Sun writers shown the door in recent years.
The Star recently dropped its glossy Starweek cover to save big bucks, but with few complaints. As they say, it is what's inside that counts.
So this print media traditionalist will continue to look forward to the Saturday Star for TV programming planning, a good read or two, a crossword puzzle, TV Q&A etc.
Bell's often outdated satellite listings and the various inconvenient online listings just don't beat the ease of a handy print guide by your side.
If you don't have Toronto Sun home delivery in the GTA, your only choice for a worthy television guide package is the Saturday Star.
As of today, the Globe has dropped the TV grids in its Friday 7 section, advising readers to check out daily listings on the paper's website.
So people who have been buying the Friday Globe for its 7 package with TV listings are being encouraged to read the online listings for free.
That does not make sense to print media traditionalists.
Gord Stimmell, Starweek's tireless TV guide editor for almost a decade and a Sunday Sun TV guide editor for 25 years before leaving in 1999, has been working wonders with 36 pages.
An added bonus for Star readers: Cover stories by Bill Brioux, one of the many quality Toronto Sun writers shown the door in recent years.
The Star recently dropped its glossy Starweek cover to save big bucks, but with few complaints. As they say, it is what's inside that counts.
So this print media traditionalist will continue to look forward to the Saturday Star for TV programming planning, a good read or two, a crossword puzzle, TV Q&A etc.
Bell's often outdated satellite listings and the various inconvenient online listings just don't beat the ease of a handy print guide by your side.
I stopped using a TV guide when I downloaded a free app for my iPod touch called "What's On?" It doesn't contain any great Bill Brioux articles, but I like it anyway.
ReplyDeleteOK, exactly who uses a printed TV guide anyway? Show of hands? I mean, there may be people who sit down with a highlighter to plan their week because they can't remember ER is on Thursday and Wheel of Fortune is on at 7 p.m., let alone which channel the local cable provider puts their hour-by-hour program listings, but can we assume those people who pre-plan their weeks by what's on the tube are in a minority and may already buy TV Guide or get a cable magazine anyway and may not need the acres of newsprint newspapers provide for this subject? Or do people really need the 'NHL Playoffs: 7 p.m. - Teams TBA' during the hockey season and equally informative grid lines during every other sport post-season?
ReplyDeleteI want to thank you for going back to your old format, covering late night listings. I am a night owl and need those listings. I will continue to subscribe to the Sun. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
G. Bowes