Readers Upset by Star Tribune's Decision to Discontinue Weekly TV Guide
The Weekly TV Schedule Has Become a Tradition in Many Households
Unfortunately no one asked me, my family or my friends if we still read TV Week. No one asked us if our programming information is available on screen - which it isn't. We aren't subscribers of satellite or digital cable. Call us old-fashioned, but we love our weekly TV Guide.
In our house we referred to it as "The TV Guide" even if it was called "TV Week." It always had a special place of honor sitting next to the couch and the TV remote. Everyone in my family knew its importance. On the rare occasion that it got sent out to recycling by mistake, we all felt lost without it.
As a child, I remember being gently scolded for drawing on the TV guide. It was at this point that I realized the TV guide was more than just scrap paper, it was a part of our family's social calendar. Are we busy Friday night? Check the TV guide. Is our favorite show on this week? Check the TV guide. Anything good on tonight? Check the TV guide. What are we going to do without it?
The Star Tribune offers this solution for us: purchase a subscription to TV Guide. In fact, they have made a special deal with TV Guide for Star Tribune subscribers who would still like a weekly TV magazine. For only $10 you can receive 18 weeks of TV Guide. Plus, compliments of Star Tribune, you'll get eight additional weeks free. Star Tribune says, "So, get ready for more TV action, more insight on your favorite TV personalities and simply more of what you love about TV. Sign up today for TV Guide and sit back and enjoy."
Do they really think their readers are going to be excited about paying for TV Guide when TV Week had been included with the price of the paper for all these years? I don't think so.
Star Tribune's decision to discontinue TV Week will undoubtably save Star Tribune a lot of money, and cost me a lot more. I either have to upgrade to digital cable, or purchase a subscription to TV Guide. Either way I'm not happy. And either are many others whom I've talked to.
Perhaps if all of us old-fashioned TV watchers call in to complain we can show Star Tribune that we aren't going to sit idly by as the Star Tribune ends one of our great family traditions.
Published by Julie Lind
Julie Lind is a piano teacher, mother, composer and a writer. View profile
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21 Comments
Post a CommentPeople may be interested to know that, if you call to cancel, they will offer you the paper for 6 months (I think that's what she said) at a discounted rate in which they pay the TV Guide fee for you. I passed on that, but some people may want to look into it.
I may be a slow learner, but I just discovered today that TV Week has ceased to be. Don't expect to find mention of that fact anywhere in the paper or on the website, though. In fact, as of today (12/10/2007), www.startribune.com STILL says "TV Week - Extremely popular with readers" in their advertising webpage. Otherwise, nary a mention. Count me as another disgruntled, long-time and now soon-to-be ex-subscriber.
The strib owns the St Paul pioneer press it's only a matter of time
Who was the company that made TV Weekly? we can probably buy it from them. I have to admit the only reason we have the Sunday paper is for the ads and the tv guide
Totally lame excuse for undermining your own marketing dept. Did the tv guide help sell papers? Gee, it seems some people can figure that out. So what is it that the management gurus have in mind to make up for all the lost sales?
Hey Pissed Off-
Just because you just renewed doesn't mean you can't cancel. They will give you a refund, which you can use to buy the Pioneer Press.
I am not happy about this as well.
I printed what was on the link below and sent it with a letter to Nancy Barnes, the Editor.
http://www.startribunecompany.com/180
One of the last things this link says "TV Week - Extremely popular with readers"
It's says this in their OWN MARKETING WEBPAGE!!!
Yes, I can get TV listings on computer. I can also get news on computer. So why should I buy the paper? I can cut costs too.
Many people have been your good customers for years, too old to start learning Computor, and can't afford it. you are not being fair to the elderly.
Damn! I just renewed for the Sunday StarTrib. This (TV Week) decision, plus the stupid new motto I just noticed (my Latin's a tad rusty, but I think it's something like "Sweet and Fitting is it to die for one's country") makes me think the StarTrib is no longer the paper for me...
Come to think of it, I just noticed that somebody else just cancelled their subscription. Hmmmm...