TVTimes
 TV Timeslogo from 1999 to 2016 | |
| Editor | Claire Ruck |
|---|---|
| Categories | TV listings magazine |
| Frequency | Weekly |
| Circulation | 197,153 (ABC Jan – Jun 2016)[1](Print and digital editions) |
| First issue | 22 September 1955 |
| Company |
|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Based in | London |
| Language | British English |
| Website | www |
| ISSN | 0962-1660 |
TV Timesis a Britishtelevisionlistings magazine. From 1955 until 1991, it was the only source of seven-day listings forITVand, from 1982,Channel 4(as well asS4Cin Wales in an enclosed local supplement titledSbec). The magazine did not circulate nationally until 1968 as some (usually smaller) regional stations opted to produce their own listings publications. Until the market wasderegulated,its nearest rival wasRadio Times– owned then by theBBCand at the time the only source of weeklyBBC television and radioschedules. However the two magazines were very different in character, and viewers wanting the full listings for the coming week were required to purchase both publications. TheTV Timesbranding was also used for several broadcast spin-offs on ITV, including theMiss TV TimesandThe TV Times Awardsduring the 1970s and 1980s.
Previously published by Independent Television Publications, owned by the participating ITV companies, the magazine was acquired byIPC Mediain 1989, which became Time Inc. UK in 2014.[2]It was acquired byFuture plcin 2020.[3]
History and profile
[edit]TV Timeswas launched on 22 September 1955, with the start of transmissions of the firstITVstation,Associated-Rediffusion.Initially, the magazine was published only in theLondonarea, carrying listings for Associated-Rediffusion (Rediffusion, London from 1964) on weekdays andATVat weekends, but regional editions began to appear covering thoseITV regional companieswhich did not opt to establish their own listings magazines.TV Timesbecame a national magazine (except for the Channel Islands) from 21 September 1968.
During the late 1950s until the early 1980s,TV Timessuffered frequent printing disputes that often meant emergency or special combined editions.
The magazine was branded asTV Times Magazinefrom 3 October 1981 until 6 October 1984, the premise being it contained more than simply television listings. From November 1982 onwards, it carried listings forChannel 4and itsWelshequivalent,S4C.On 7 October 1989, the programme schedule pages were printed infull colourfor the first time. When the television listings werederegulatedon 1 March 1991,TV Timesbegan carrying listings for theBBC's television channels which, up to that point, had only been printed in the BBC's official listings magazine,Radio Times.[4]On 11 February 2006, the magazine was refreshed for a more modern look including the double-page highlights of programmes on all channels as well asradioand kids' television listings were scrapped, increasing the publication's emphasis on big-star interviews and soaps.
On 15 March 2022, the television listings were given a refreshed layout which is similar toRadio Times,TV & Satellite WeekandWhat's on TV.The changes included a return of radio schedules to the magazine after a 16-year absence.
TV TimesAwards
[edit]The awards were held annually to celebrate best in British television as nominations and winners are entirely chosen by its readers.[5]
Regional editions
[edit]Until 21 September 1968, several of theregional ITV companiesproduced their own listings magazines:
| Magazine name | ITVregion |
|---|---|
| TV Times |
|
| TV Guide | Scottish Television(until 13 May 1962) |
| Television Weekly |
|
| Wales West and North Television(14 September 1962 – 26 January 1964) | |
| TV World |
|
| The Viewer |
|
| TV Post | Ulster Television |
| Look Westward | Westward Television |
| Channel Viewer | Channel Television |
On 1 March 1991,TV TimespublishedBBC1andBBC2programme listings for the first time, which also mirrored the 11 regional editions generally referred to by the ITV company's name, rather than geographical area:
| Region | BBC TV | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| London | BBC South East | |
| East of England | BBC East | Anglia Television |
| Midlands | Central Television | |
| South/South East England (includesChannel Islandsfrom 26 October 1991) |
|
|
| South West England | BBC South West |
|
| Wales/West of England(withS4C) | HTV | |
| North West England | BBC North West | Granada Television |
| Yorkshire/Lincolnshire | BBC North | Yorkshire Television |
| North East England (includesEnglish-Scottish border) |
BBC North East | |
| Central/Northern Scotland | BBC Scotland | |
| Northern Ireland (withRTÉ1andNetwork 2) |
BBC Northern Ireland | Ulster Television |
The ten regional editions in England had ended by September 2005, and since then there have been only four editions:
| Region | Channels |
|---|---|
| England | All 13BBCand 10ITVregions in England, theIsle of Manand theChannel Islands |
| Wales | |
| Scotland | |
| Northern Ireland |
|
TV World
[edit]From 1956 to 1964, theMidlandsoriginally had their own edition ofTV TimeslistingATVandABCprogrammes. A separate listings magazine calledTV Worldwas published from 27 September 1964, with the innovative idea of splitting itself 50:50 with a second cover in the middle allowing for the magazine to be folded over to create both a weekend and a weekday section from one publication.TV Timeswent national (except for the Channel Islands) from 21 September 1968.
Channel Viewer/CTV Times
[edit]Channel Televisionpublished its own listings magazineChannel Vieweron 1 September 1962, followed by a relaunch asChannel Television Timesin 1971 and then later shortened toCTV Timesuntil 25 October 1991 as it was feared that the company might cease trading without the revenue from its own magazine.[6]
Sbec
[edit]S4Claunched its own pull-out weekly listings supplement magazineSbecon 1 November 1982, distributed free with theWalesedition ofTV Times.It contained full details of schedules in bothWelshandEnglish.Channel 4's programmes were also included.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"ABC Certificates and Reports: TV Times".Audit Bureau of Circulations.Retrieved6 January2015.
- ^Devitt, Maureen."Scottish Television profit 21% brighter".Herald Scotland.Retrieved23 August2014.
- ^"Proposed Acquisition of TI Media for £140 million".otp.investis.com.30 October 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 11 July 2023.Retrieved31 October2019.
- ^"The TV-Listings Market: The Duopoly Strikes Back".The Economist.2 February 1991. p. 53.
- ^"TV TIMES Awards 2022".Birminghamworld.15 October 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 14 October 2022.
- ^"Not the TVTimes - Schedules - Transdiffusion Broadcasting System".
