Do you rely on TV listings in the paper anymore?
Erie-Meadville: In the modern world of accessing information on the internet, this could apply to the newspaper industry in general. However, I'll keep it geared towards the TV listings that come with the Sunday paper. Are they as important to you as they used to be? You can now access listings from tvguide.com or my favorite zap2it.com. I still tend to check out the listings called "TV Week" in the Sunday Erie Times-News and notice a few things about the listings. One is that they are still geared towards the over the air analog and cable TV crowd. Second, there is absolutely no information regarding the changeover to digital TV for over the air viewers. Information regarding converter boxes and channel locations would help to further inform the viewer that a change is coming. In a few months, this will be the only way viewers will be able to watch most over the air stations and they could be left scrambling without their favorite programs. Most digital stations in Erie do carry the same programs as their analog counterparts but WQLN occasionally carries different programs on their analog and digital stations. However, you wouldn't know that if you only relied on the Sunday paper for listings. I'd list the 3 Erie stations that currently carry over the air HD programming separately from the analog listings. Also mention that the same stations are available on Time Warner cable and their channel locations there. But again, is this really something to worry about in a time when most people rely on the internet for TV listings? I think it is for the sake of those who do not even have a computer. Your thoughts are welcome here.Readers’ Forum
I don’t really look at the TV listings published on Sunday. However, throughout the week when I look over the newspaper, I often check the daily listings to see what the big networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX – often the local stations) are airing that evening.
Usually, I just flip through the channels to see what is on when I watch cable TV (without a digital box) or check the guide on the digital converter box (Zenith’s Simple Guide – Now and Next).
Now, you can use you cable or satellite receiver to see what is on and scan ahead if the programming information is available. Unfortunately, Time Warner sends the information to the cable boxes at 8 PM daily, so for a while after this time, the display shows “Loading program data…” instead of what’s on until it downloads everything. It is quite inconvenient because most people are watching their TVs at this time and can’t figure out what’s on until it updates the program data.
By the way, Time Warner has added the Big Ten Network to its digital cable package as of yesterday (in time for the Penn State game, I guess – however, I discovered the channel during the fourth quarter of the game). It’s on channels 333 and 334. You can watch 333 but 334 was “blacked-out” or made unavailable despite being listed in the guide. I live in the city of Erie, not in the county. Since Erie is part of the Northeast Ohio system, channel 333 might be available for the Erie (and possibly Northwest Pennsylvania) area while channel 334 is for Ohio subscribers based on the fact that 333 had the Penn State game, which could be watched in the city of Erie, while 334 had the Ohio State games, which couldn’t be watched in the city of Erie.
Doug - August 31, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I think it is still important to print out TV listings, there are still many out there that still go by the paper, my mother for one and my 93 year old grandmother as well. I’m sure there are some younger viewers who rely on the printed TV listings as well.
Charles D. Mandus - August 31, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I almost missed the end of the Penn State game on Dish Network. I tuned to channel 439 and found the Ohio State / Youngstown State game there. I tuned up and couldn’t find the alternates. I later discovered that the Big Ten alternates were moved to ch. 5440-5443. I do glance at the TV listings but usually go by the Dish listings or those on my OTA converter boxes for areas outside of Erie.
Tom Lavery (URL) - September 02, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I still use the Sunday paper TV section occasionally, but more often, I find myself going here . . .
http://www.titantv.com/quickguide/quickg..
Troy - September 05, 2008 at 9:48 pm