Christmas 2006

Here in West Yorks all the mags were available yesterday, except for the RT which is still not available today

The fact that the xmas mags run from 23rd Dec to 5th Jan is quite strange. In the magazines you've got the usual spreads at the front "Christmas Entertainment Highlights" etc, and they are featuring Big Brother, Just the two of us and Soapstar Superstar as Christmas highlights! Doesn't seem right really

TV Easy is the only listings magazine ive never got. The small size puts me off and they always put EE on the cover (apart from like twice in the last year). Rarely buy TV and Sat Week or Radio Times either unless there is something special I want. Mainly get TV Q, TV Times and Whats on TV. I think Whats on TV is the one ive got the most this year as its the best value for money at 42p.



Strange that the RT is the only one not avaiable up there when TV Choice is the only one not available down here!

I prefer it when they have Christmas in the first week of listings and the New Year in the second week of listings. The last few years we have had Christmas as the second week of listings with the New Year having a seperate issue completely. There is only 4 days of new programmes really as the new season doesnt start until January 2nd.

The next issue goes on sale on Friday 29th December - so 4 days earlier than it should be.

The small size of TV Easy means it fits nicely on our set top box!


I don't get why when Christmas / New Year falls a bit awkwardly they don't just split the week up a bit - say do the Christmas Guide from the 16th Dec - 1st Jan (17 days), with a New Season special covering 11 days from the 2nd Jan.

We keep ours on the coffee table but I rarely look at the tv guide once ive read it on the Tuesday, apart from the Christmas/Easter/other holiday times when the programmes are at different times so I need a reminder. Im more likely to use the planner on NTL to see whats on.

I dont mind them covering Christmas and the new season in one issue, its better value having it all in one. Cant imagine them ever splitting the weeks up as they number every issue number 1 to 52 during the year and the Christmas double this year is issue 51 and issue 1 together! Also it only covers 4 days of it so its hardly the entire new season.

There is very little new programming on in those few days anyhow with Just The Two of Us, Soapstar Superstar and Celebrity Big Brother filling the 9pm slots!

Not forgetting the new series of Desperate Housewives. Had it been a normal issue of the tv guides I expect they would have had a large article for the new series but they have hardly mentioned it (certainly not the tv guides ive got anyway!)

When are the next TV guides out then - normally around Christmas Eve or just after Boxing Day - but I expect with these going through to 5th Jan it'll be a bit later than that.

Friday 29th December - covering the period of 6th-12th January.

Shame. The third season is apparently the best one yet, or so I've read.

The US shows rarely get major coverage anyhow - usually it's a brief write up in the Pick of the Day / Pick of the Week segment and a small feature if they're lucky!

DH shouldn't need to worry - it's getting the inheritance from the Celeb BB launch show. Also worth noting that E4 are not putting live streaming up against it - and also are not screening the next episode after.


Back to Christmas and according to someone in the Five Christmas thread it's "bah humbug" again from C4 as far as idents are concerned - which is a real shame. Maybe they could get the "Old Man" ident on air at last as a kind of anti-Christmas ident!

Surely C4 could at least do something with their break bumpers - I doubt it's that hard to change the images behind the animating 4 into something a bit festive!

Desperate Housewives and Lost though have always tended be featured quite prominently in the TV Mags but of course DH is just starting at an awkward time so it can't be helped. Like you said though, it has one of the best spots to launch.

I can't beleive Phillip Schofield is doing a shameless rip off of Noel's Christms Presents for ITV!