Direct Tv Program Guide

Byline: Critique by Maryjane Fahey, partner, Fahey O'Connor

MAG STATS

TV Guide

Company: Gemstar-TVGuide International, Inc.

President, TV Guide Publishing Group: John Loughlin

Senior vp and publisher: Scott Crystal

Editor-in-chief: Michael Lafavore

Creative director: Doug Turshen

Mission: Says Loughlin: "The new TV Guide reflects the irreverent nature of television today, and provides clear, organized information to help people decide what to watch, when to watch, and how to watch."

TV Guide has cracked it! It has finally embraced the reason for its existence and has re-emerged as a guide - not a fussy mini magazine full of the soft entertainment content everyone else has - but as an obsessive and focused vehicle for TV lovers.

While I miss some of the "prettiness" of the older, highly crafted design, I am more than willing to forfeit it for a redesign that is more unapologetic about its mission.

COVER

The logo retains the fast-read identity of the original, but the Web-like button background box and cleaner characters give it a bolder, more modern presence.

Still, the generic-feeling cover lacks focus. I would love to see a more unique approach to flagging TV Guide's (now) remarkably efficient services, new columns, and reads.

TYPOGRAPHY & GRAPHICS

I am not an avid television fan, but I was drawn into every page of the new guide due to the clean, no-nonsense approach. All points of entry are short, snappy, and direct. The writing, too, gets straight to the punch line.

The original body type was a small and annoyingly light, condensed sans serif print that was impossible to read. The new type is larger and clearer with better leading. The type and the layouts are direct, in your face, and help you scan the page quickly.

The "Web" feel from the logo is carried on inside in a series of snappy buttons, Web cross-reference icons, and other signage to help readers navigate. And there is a consistency to the primary colors and straight, simple headlines that is inviting and helpful.

I do find the new bright colors a bit too "women's magazine," but stripping the color palette of its subtle earth tones was a smart move, since they weren't really appropriate to the magazine or its mission. All charts and info graphics are now much more reader-friendly and easier to follow.

ACCESSIBILITY

On the downside, there is no device used in the redesign that I haven't seen before. I would have liked to see more unique "branding." However, every "trick" used makes honest sense. In the front-of-book opener, "16 good reasons to stay home," the yellow highlighting effectively signals a fast service read. And separating the movie listings on colored stock at the back of the book was a sensible change.

SUMMARY

There is a women's magazine feel to the redesign because of the bright primary color palette, the use of lower case in numerous slugs, and a general sensibility that I question. What about the male readers? And, I would have preferred more "uniqueness" to the pages, but I gladly put these quibbles aside to embrace a stronger, more focused design that is clearly more suited to the readers' needs.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Copyright by Media Central Inc., A PRIMEDIA Company. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group

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