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Radio Times new look

(April 2010)

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ST
Stuart
I'm glad they're putting the freeview numbers back, why take them out, I don't instantly recall channel 7 when I see BBC3

The Freeview channel numbers were always shown (next to those for Freesat, Sky & Virgin) at the bottom of each day's listings.

I'm not sure why they need to repeat the Freeview channel again in the header. It's not as though the eye has to wander a great distance!
JE
Jez Founding member
Not sure when: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/may/12/tv-quick-faces-closure

Can't believe TV Choice is the biggest seller. Yes, at 40p it's the cheapest, but I think compared to What's on TV and TV Easy, which are both less than 50p, it's nowhere near as good IMO - and the listings especially are pretty poorly laid out.


TV Choice listings are very clear - also it isnt really a long read for people who just want their TV Listings and not interviews. I think its a nice little magazine and the cost is brilliant. Just wish the share of soap covers was more fairly split.
JJ
Juicy Joe Founding member
I can't believe they haven't reverted back to the daytime listings on a separate page after all this time!! After having loads of complaints sent to them, I haven't seen any metnion of them in the Letters pages at the back since the relaunch. I thought they would have stepped down by now - surely they must be losing readership? Confused
BR
Brekkie
To who though - even with the changes no other mags offer more detailed daytime listings. I suspect too the features are a stronger incentive to buy the RT than their daytime TV listings too.

13 days later

JE
Jez Founding member
The final issue of TV Quick hit the shelves today - it had a letter from the editor saying it was the final issue, thanking everyone etc then a few features and interviews from this weeks tv and a section looking back at the first issue and the various TV Quick awards. In the middle of the mag was this weeks TV Choice so they are obviously hoping readers of TV Quick will switch to TV Choice as they mentioned several times in the mag that its made by the same people, they hope readers will add it to their shopping list etc. There were no listings in TV Quick in its final issue, probabaly cos they were in TV Choice which was given free with it,so pointless printing them twice, especially as they are identical to TV Choice just different colours for different columns.

The cover price was 42p this week (same as TV Choice), I assume because it wasnt a full issue (TV Choice with it was supposed to be free!)

Im not surprised TV Quick has gone because half the shops which sell tv mags never seemed to have it (but had all the other mags) - also they closed the website and redirected to TV Choice, the listings became the same as TV Choice, even the awards show got renamed.
BR
Brekkie
What was TV Quick's usual cover price in the end - around 80p?

As I've said before I'm not a fan of the listings in TV Choice when you can spend an extra few pence and get much clearer listings in What's on TV and TV Easy - whilst at that end of the market they hardly compete with features.

TV Times probably most comparable to TV Quick in terms of features, but I think closer to £1 - but I imagine all rivals will see some kind of boost. I can't see one magazine particularly benefiting, especially if they're not revamping TV Choice to also cater for TV Quick readers.
JE
Jez Founding member
I like the listings in TV Choice but that's about the only part of the magazine I do like - there never seem to be any proper interviews, the soap section is really small compared to Whats on TV and what TV Quick had. So yeah id say overall Whats on TV is much better value considering its only about 7p more. Not keen on TV Easy - the small size of it puts me off.

I imagine those TV Quick readers who are happy with tv listings and a quick overview of the weeks tv will get TV Choice/TV Easy but people who want interviews will get TV Times as that's more simular to TV Quick than TV Choice is. I think in terms of price and content Whats on TV is closest to TV Quick so it could backfire on the magazine company if TV Quick readers opt for Whats on TV and that overtakes TV Choice in terms of sales.

The cover price of TV Quick was 80p so it was in the middle of the cheap mags (Choice/Easy/Whats on TV) and the mags over £1 (Radio Times/Total TV/TV Times).
JJ
Juicy Joe Founding member
Another week goes by and Radio Times still adopts it's extremely poor cut down daytime listings in a 4cm column down the left hand side of the page... Rolling Eyes
MA
madmusician
Another week goes by and Radio Times still adopts it's extremely poor cut down daytime listings in a 4cm column down the left hand side of the page... Rolling Eyes


And this week's Letter of the Week is one praising the Radio Times. How many of the letters and e-mails complaining about the new look did they publish? That's right - none.
BU
buster
It must be a first, not publishing any comments at all on a major redesign? An indication if it were needed that virtually none were positive...
TV
TVnut15
Where the daytime listings have been shortened and squished into a small box, to be fair they didn't ned any bigger. The same daytime schedule has been running for ages now. We don't need much room to explain what the programme is, when anybody knows what the programmes are. They ahve been worked into our lives. Either your never there to watch, or you've watched the programmes so many times we already know what's on.
ST
Stuart
Where the daytime listings have been shortened and squished into a small box, to be fair they didn't ned any bigger. The same daytime schedule has been running for ages now. We don't need much room to explain what the programme is, when anybody knows what the programmes are. They ahve been worked into our lives. Either your never there to watch, or you've watched the programmes so many times we already know what's on.

The same could be said for the evening schedule, but they have continued with full listings from 6pm.

I think what probably annoys most of those complaining, is that the space previously used for daytime listings on the main 5 channels has been given over to even more recommendations, usually accompanied by huge pictures which rarely add anything!

They could still provide full daytime listings together with all their recommendations on the initial 'double page' for each day, just by losing or reducing the size of the pictures.

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