Eric Andrews

June 6, 2010

English 202C

Proposal

Dear Jeannete Novakovich,

Subject: Proposal to write about TV Guide for the PA Center for the Book Project.

Introduction: TV Guide is a nationwide magazine and TV listing service, but now

operates as mostly just a TV magazine and website where subscribers can get information
on celebrities, TV shows, and other TV broadcasts. The magazine started to take off
when Walter Annenberg took over TV Guide and Triangle Publications in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. I am writing about TV Guide Magazine and Walter Annenberg due to the
contributions they have provided Pennsylvania and the United States.

First Published TV Guide magazine featuring Lucille Ball's baby Desi Arnaz Junior.
http://apimages.ap.org

The history behind TV Guide Magazine’s success can be contributed to one man, Walter
Annenberg. TV Guide started up as a major magazine publication on April 3rd, 1953 by
Walter Annenberg and combined TV Digest from Philadelphia, TV Forecast from
Chicago, and TV Guide from New York. The magazine would eventually feature a
national television listing and was made possible by Annenberg creating regional editions
and by purchasing other listing publications already created. The magazine was a tabloid
sized magazine and also featured articles from writers about TV publications. The
television listings combined with articles featuring the TV shows that were listed was
perhaps the greatest explanation for TV Guide's success.

TV Guide has also expanded from its original design. Starting in 2001, TV Guide Online
launched an online web guide. In 2005, TV Guide was revamped to a full-sized and full-
color magazine and focused more on lifestyle and entertainment and less on TV listings.
TV Guide Magazine's headquarters were located in Radnor, Pennsylvania before being
sold to Rupert Murdoch in 1988. TV Guide Magazine also started a website featuring
blogs, behind the scenes material, and interviews with TV stars and producers in early
2009, which can be found at TVguidemagazine.com. There is also the TV Guide
Network, which shows scrolling television listings along with its own programs,
previews, and other Hollywood information.

Cultural Significance:
The significance of TV Guide Magazine comes from Walter Annenberg, the mastermind
behind TV Guide. Annenberg was a philanthropist, an ambassador, and a business man.
Triangle Publications and TV Guide Magazine was sold in August of 1988 to Rupert
Murdoch for $3.2 billion and was the largest magazine deal of the time. Annenberg has
donated over $2 billion to primarily educational causes and has two communication
schools named after him at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern
California. Annenberg has stated "some people think they know more about how you
should spend your money than you do," and education, especially educating poor blacks,
was an important goal of Annenberg.

Not only were TV Guide Magazine and Walter Annenberg culturally important due to the
philanthropy they presented, but it was also the easiest way for people to know what was
on TV and what channel they could watch it on. This made the magazine extremely
popular. The magazine consumers could follow their favorite shows and celebrities
because the magazine also featured articles on celebrities, previews, behind the scenes
information, and discussed shows that would be on television.

Lastly, the pricing of TV Guide when it was first introduced was affordable. The
magazine was fifteen cents, about the same price as a box of cereal, and included one full
week of listings. There was no competition for TV Guide and the number of subscribers
grew to be 17,000,000 in 1988, when it was sold to Rupert Murdoch. Advances in
technology and many changes of ownership have decreased the circulation to about
2,000,000 million readers now, but the TV Guide branded cable network has, in a way,
replaced what the original TV Guide Magazine offered.

Credentials: Current Pennsylvania State University undergraduate in the Premedicine

major. I am interested in writing about TV Guide Magazine because its enormous
success has contributed to a great deal of philanthropy and I believe its existence has had
a significant impact on education, especially of those that could not normally afford an
education. I think philanthropy is great and greatly respect anyone who can give his or
her wealth to others. Walter Annenberg is an extraordinary person and there should be an
article that gives him credit for the contributions he has made.

Conclusion: TV Guide Magazine was created on April 3rd, 1953 by Walter Annenberg
and is a full size magazine featuring articles on TV publications and nationwide TV
listings. Annenberg has played an important role in U.S. history through his
philanthropy, TV Guide Magazine, and his role as an U.S. Ambassador. This article will
target an audience that is looking for information about the contributions TV Guide
Magazine and Walter Annenberg have made to American society. Considering the
important contributions Annenberg and TV Guide Magazine has provided Pennsylvania
and the nation as a whole, I would like permission to precede with the article.

Research: The research I conducted consisted of searching for TV Guide Magazine.

Once I found more information about TV Guide, I researched Walter Annenberg, the man
behind the foundation of the magazine. I searched many databases and other sources.
There was not a lot of information about TV Guide before Walter Annenberg had
purchased it, but Annenberg was an important philanthropist, politician, and of course,
business man. I found many great articles and many great sources.

Images:

“United States Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg stands in front of “Visit U.S.A.” travel
dome which he opened at Battersea Festival Gardens in London, May 17, 1973. The
exhibit dome is a spherical air-inflated building approx-54 ft high, 85 feet maximum
diameter, with a base diameter of 75 feet.” (AP Photo)

“Walter Annenberg is shown at the White House Friday Dec. 17, 1993 where he
announced that he would pledge $500 million over five years for public schools around
the country. Decrying violence in America's schoolhouses, the philanthropist pledged the
money, the largest single gift ever made to public education.” (AP Photo/Greg Gibson)

“Former Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg, left, holds the gold medal of the “Bob Hope
5-Star Civilian Award” after it was presented to him by comedian Bob Hope during
ceremonies at Valley Forge Military Academy and Junior College in Wayne,
Pennsylvania, Tuesday, May 2, 1984. A school citation praised Annenberg for his
“distinguished service to the United States.” President Reagan, Sen. Barry Goldwater and
former Sec. of State Alexander Haig are among past recipients of the award.” (AP
Photo/George Widman)

TV Guide Logo

Annotated Bibliography:

"Annenbergs as a Point of Reference in considering Other Media Czars." Ketupa.net - a

Media Industry Resource. Web. 24 May 2010. <http://ketupa.net/annenberg.htm>.
• Great source
• Timeline of Walter Annenberg's important contributions
• Useful to see how Walter Annenberg rose to his fame

Associated Press. "MURDOCH TO PURCHASE TV GUIDE :[SPORTS FINAL, C

Edition]. " Chicago Tribune (pre-1997 Fulltext) 8 Aug. 1988,Chicago
Tribune, ProQuest. Web. 19 May. 2010.
 • Great information
• Article about the sale of TV Guide to Murdoch in 1988
• Relates because it was one of the largest media sales ever at that point in time

By Richard Koenig. "Annenberg-Funded Philanthropy to Get Big Cash Infusion From

Sale of Triangle. " Wall Street Journal 15 Aug. 1988, Eastern edition: ABI/INFORM
Global, ProQuest. Web. 24 May. 2010.
• Good source
• Article about Annenberg's sale of Triangle Publications
• Important to understand the success of TV Guide

Clifford, Stephanie. "The New York Times Log In." The New York Times - Breaking
News, World News & Multimedia. Web. 23 May 2010.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/08/business/media/08guide.html?
_r=2&ref=television>.
• Great source
• Nice article with a brief history of TV guide
• Important because it is mainly about the sale of the business in 2008

"Deaths." Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search (11 Sept. 1993). Google News.
Web. 24 May 2010. <http://news.google.com/newspapers?
nid=1350&dat=19930911&id=j20xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VwMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4689,27
89619>.
• Great source
• Obituary of Lee Wagner
• Lee Wagner owned TV Guide before Walter Annenberg purchased it from
him

"Desi Arnaz Jr. is pictured on the cover of the first issue of TV Guide Magazine, April 3,
1953. His mother Lucille Ball appears in the inset in the upper right hand corner. (AP
Photo/ho)." APimages. Web. 24 May 2010.
• Great picture
• Picture of the first TV Guide Magazine published
• Features Lucille Ball’s $50,000,000 baby

George Lazarus. "HOW TIME LOST OUT ON TV GUIDE :[SPORTS FINAL, C

Edition]. " Chicago Tribune (pre-1997 Fulltext) 9 Aug. 1988,Chicago
Tribune, ProQuest. Web. 19 May. 2010.
• Great information
• Article about the sale of TV Guide to Murdoch in 1988
• Relates because it was one of the largest media sales ever at that point in time

Gorman, Christine, Shaw, Peter, and Smilgis, Martha. "A $3 Billion Gamble. " Time
22 Aug. 1988: ABI/INFORM Global, ProQuest. Web. 24 May. 2010.
• Great source
• Article about Murdoch's gamble in buying Triangle Publications
 • Important because this is the end of Walter Annenberg's ownership of TV
Guide

JOHN MCDONOUGH. "By the tube's early light Television history was being made,
and TV Forecast was right here in Chicago to cover it :[FINAL EDITION, C]. " Chicago
Tribune (pre-1997 Fulltext) 18 Nov. 1990,Chicago Tribune, ProQuest. Web. 24 May.
2010.
• Excellent source
• Very detailed explanation of the start up of TV Guide through Walter
Annenberg
• Very important because this is when and where TV Guide would take off

Knight-Ridder Newspapers. "TRIANGLE RUMORS GROWING WITH

ANNENBERG'S AGE :[FINAL EDITION]. " Chicago Tribune (pre-1997 Fulltext) 10
Apr. 1988,Chicago Tribune, ProQuest. Web. 24 May. 2010.
• Great source
• Article about the rumors of Annenberg's sale of Triangle Publications
• This article gives a good measurement of the success of Annenberg's
company prior to being sold to Murdoch

"Lee Wagner, 83; Founding Owner of TV Guide Magazine :[Home Edition]. " Los
Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext) 14 Sep. 1993,Los Angeles Times, ProQuest. Web.
24 May. 2010.
• Decent source
• Another obituary for Lee Wagner
• Lee Wagner owned TV Guide before Walter Annenberg

New York Times (1923-Current file). Jan 17, 1953. p. 27 (1 page)

• Great source
• Short article about Walter Annenberg purchasing TV Guide
• Very useful because it marks the beginning of TV Guide's success

"Obituaries: Annenberg guided TV viewers. " Variety 7 Oct. 2002: Arts

Module, ProQuest. Web. 19 May. 2010.
• Good information
• Obituary of Walter Annenberg, creator of TV Guide
• Obituaries show the major accomplishments of

"REMEMBERING WALTER ANNENBERG (1908-2002) AND HIS "AUDACIOUS

MOVE". " Media Industry Newsletter 7 Oct. 2002: Research Library Core, ProQuest.
Web. 19 May. 2010.
• Good information
• Obituary of Walter Annenberg, creator of TV Guide
• Obituaries show the major accomplishments of

ROBERT L. JACKSON. "Annenberg's Education Gift Lauded by Clinton Donation:

President says the philanthropist's $500-million grant will help advance a `standard of
excellence.' He believes troubled schools will find remedies that have been successful
elsewhere :[Home Edition]. " Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext) 18 Dec. 1993,Los
Angeles Times, ProQuest. Web. 19 May. 2010.
• Good source
• Mostly about the philanthropy exhibited by Walter Annenberg
• Important because it shows what Walter Annenberg gave through his
success with TV Guide

"TV Guide Logo." ehomeupgrade.com. Web. 3 Jun 2010.

<http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/media/tv_guide_logo.gif>.

TV Guide Magazine. Web. 20 May 2010. <http://www.tvguidemagazine.com/>.

• Not the best source
• It's the website associated with TV Guide Magazine
• Useful to see what the magazine is all about

TV Guide, TV Listings, Online Videos, Entertainment News and Celebrity News |

TVGuide.com. Web. 21 May 2010. <http://www.tvguide.com>.
• Not a great source
• It's a website not associated with TV Guide
• Not very useful, but good for comparison to TV Guide Magazine

TV Guide, TV Listings, Online Videos, Entertainment News and Celebrity News |

TVGuide.com. Web. 21 May 2010. <http://www.tvguide.com>.
• Not a great source
• It's a website not associated with TV Guide
• Not very useful, but good for comparison to TV Guide Magazine

"Waking Up a Sleeping Giant New TV Guide Publisher Faces Top Challenge of Career :
[Home Edition]. " Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext) 30 Nov. 1988,Los Angeles
Times, ProQuest. Web. 24 May. 2010.
• Great source
• Article about the company owner switch of Annenberg to Murdoch
• Important because it marks the hiatus of the company

"Walter Annenberg." APImages. #7305171295. Web. 24 May 2010

"Walter Annenberg." APImages. #8405021299. Web. 24 May 2010

"Walter Annenberg." APImages. #931217014. Web. 24 May 2010

"WALTER ANNENBERG." The Museum of Broadcast Communications. Web. 20 May

2010. <http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=annenbergwa>.
• Great website
• Short bibliography about Walter Annenberg
• Walter Annenberg started TV Guide and this bibliography points out other
contributions