Television Guides and the Time of Digital Television

Back in the 50’s, TV Guide magazine had pretty much the entire television programming listing market to itself. Well, that is certainly not the case today, with the never-ending parade of web sites devoted to chronicling the world of television shows, both cable and network. And not only do television guide web sites provide program listings, they are also stuffed with information about each show, its main characters, and the actors portraying them, as well as trivia and interesting facts about the business end of television.

Popular cable television guide sites offer moderated chat interviews with celebrities, as well as online planners that visitors can employ to be reminded when their regular shows are coming on. Others contain discussion and chat areas where visitors can talk about their favorite shows or actors, as well as read through archives of past articles and discussions. Cable movie channels provide sites that run the gamut from goofy to glorious, with downloadable clips and trailers, reviews of current features, tidbits about screen idols and Hollywood gossip, and interviews with directors and stars.

Some are fairly basic and straightforward in their presentations, providing simple web page designs with easy navigation, and offering only movie descriptions and reviews along with information about how to subscribe to the channel. But there are others that are expansive and well-designed, offering detailed search engines, biographies, gossip, children’s sections, and even listings of jobs in the television field. With the ever-increasing number of cable television channels to sort through, everyone can benefit from the also ever-increasing number of television guide sites available on the Web.