Check Your TV Guide Subscriptions (UPDATED)

[Wish Upon A Star]

UPDATED - Ok, so I call them this morning . . .and I said my renewal date kept changing and customer service rep said "yes it does" and I said "why" and she said because some issues of tv guide are considered double issues so it really counts as 2 issues that week and that there was a disclaimer inside the tv guide which states that. I guess you learn something new every day huh . . .



The weirdest thing happened to me and I do not want to see it happen to anyone else.


I renewed by TV Guide subscription over the Summer (July 31st to be exact) and my first issue arrived with an expiration date of August 27, 2007. A few weeks later I noticed that the expiration date was changed to August 6, 2007 and I figured maybe I read it wrong. So today, I looked at the expiration and it now reads July 9, 2007. Ummmmm hold on a sec . . .WHAT?! So I knew I threw out a tv guide recently and luckily our trash pick-up isn't until Monday and I rolled up my sleeves and picked through almost a weeks worth of garbage . . .and low and behold found that tv guide and guess what?? That expiration date said July 23, 2007 . . .So basically, slowly, but surely, they have been taking 2 weeks off my subscription renewal . . .

I just want to get this message out there so that everyone else who subscribes keeps an eye out for this. I know the first phone call I'll be making on Monday morning and its not going to be pretty at all!

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

 

[bicker]

Interesting. So you're buying a number of issues instead of a subscription for a period of time. That's new.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

Yes, I never realized it either . . .I can't wait to go home and find this disclaimner . . .well at least I know I'm not going crazy . . .

 

[Chattyaholic]

I am SO DONE with TV Guide! I think it's ridiculous that they take a week off your subscription when they have a "special" double issue!!

And I HATE the "new" larger magazine format. Doesn't even have local daytime listings, for that you have to go on-line!

If I wanted a MAGAZINE with gossip stories, etc. I would BUY one!

I want TV listings, and I LIKED the smaller format.

And Saturday they went me a renewal notice...and our subscription doesn't run out until JUNE 11!! They want me to renew SIX MONTHS ahead of time!

I don't think so! When this subscription runs out we'll stick with the on-screen guide.

 

[bicker]

If you want television listings, then online is your best bet. That's why I cancelled my TV Guide subscription. All I wanted was listings, and there is no way that a paper magazine could be as useful and powerful as an online listings website, and the integrated online guides available in my TiVos and my Comcast DVR.

And that's probably why TV Guide switched format. There is no money to be made in a weekly listings magazine. Listings in electronic form have supplanted the need. While a few people still enjoy the paper format, they're not enough to warrant a magazine like TV Guide, and so TV Guide had to re-invent itself. They've done a passable job. I have gone back to reading TV Guide's website now, even though their listings aren't as good, because I like reading a few of the columns (including the gossip columns) they have. It's still not worth resubscribing to the magazine, though.

 

[bicker]

Interesting... from the subscription page on TV Guide Magazine's website:

TV Guide is published weekly, except for up to 4 double issues per year, plus occasional special issues. Each combined or special issue counts as two subscription issues.

What's interesting is that it is the only caveat they consider important enough to put on that page. Others are relegated to other pages on the website.