1 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: You're listening to Part Time Genius, the production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. Guess what Will? 3 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 2: What's that Mango? 4 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: So the term fake news has been around for a 5 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,240 Speaker 1: long time, but it really entered the public consciousness in 6 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety two, and that is thanks to a hard 7 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: hitting article in one of America's most important and beloved 8 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: magazines Do you know which one? All? Right? 9 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 2: Nineteen ninety two, which in my head is much more 10 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 2: recent than it actually is. Like, it's hard to wrap 11 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 2: my head around the fact that that was like thirty six, 12 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:50,919 Speaker 2: thirty five, thirty four years I've lost track of man 13 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 2: thirty three years ago, right, yeah, a lot of years. 14 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 2: So I'm going to go with that many years ago. 15 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 2: I'm going to go with was it Time or Newsweek? 16 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: You know? And that's a good guess, But it was 17 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: actually TV Guide? Oh wow, yeah, it's not stunning. So 18 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 1: in the February twenty second, nineteen ninety two edition, there's 19 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: a journalist named David Lieberman, and he wrote a cover 20 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: story under the headline fake News, and in it he 21 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: criticized the widespread use of something called video news releases, 22 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: or vnrs, and these were short videos made to look 23 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: like regular news segments, but they were produced by PR firms, 24 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: and they were sent out to all the TV news stations, 25 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: who sometimes aired them as though they were real stories. Now, 26 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: Lieberman acknowledged that the information in these vnrs could be accurate, 27 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: but he said news programs should label them so viewers 28 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 1: know that what they're watching isn't an independent news report, 29 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: just a glorified press release. The article sparked a lot 30 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: of conversation, and at first the PR industry tried to 31 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: push back, but thanks in part to TV guys journalism, 32 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: in June of nineteen ninety two, the Public Relations Service 33 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: Council formed a committee to develop better standards for disclosure 34 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: in VA and ours. And for the record, nobody paid 35 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: me to tell you that story. 36 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 2: I'm glad to share that. I do appreciate your integrity, Mango. 37 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: And speaking of news that definitely isn't fake, today we've 38 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 2: got eight more facts about TV Guide, the little magazine 39 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: that made a big impact on American culture. So let's 40 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 2: dive in. Hey their podcast listeners, welcome to Part Time Genius. 41 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 2: I'm Will Pearson and as always I'm joined by my 42 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 2: good friend mangesh Hot Ticketer and over there on the 43 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 2: booth wearing a Safari vest stuffed with remote controls. This 44 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 2: is one of the best I've seen from him. That's 45 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 2: our Palin producer, Dylan Fagan. 46 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: And don't forget he's got that Safari pit helmet with 47 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: an ten on pomp as well. 48 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 2: That is that's really impressive. So I think we all 49 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 2: know where he's going with this one, right, Like he's 50 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 2: a literal TV Guide Incredible work is always Dylan. 51 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: So will I know. This episode was my idea and 52 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: I just wanted to explain why I've been thinking about 53 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: TV Guide a lot recently. So I was just on 54 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: this super fun podcast as a guest, and it's called 55 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: TV Guidance Counselor, and basically the host Ken has people 56 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: come on and he sends you this old issue of 57 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: TV Guide, like a random old issue, and you go 58 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: through the week together and you pick the things you 59 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: would have watched in primetime and just discuss it. And 60 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: it is so fun, and you know, it's a great 61 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: concept for a show. But it made me realize that 62 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: TV Guide is this almost this incredible record of pop 63 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: culture and media and politics and so much more. And 64 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: also it had recipes from stars in there. Do you 65 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: remember those? 66 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 2: I definitely remember this. Of course we've talked about my 67 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 2: grandmother many times on this show before. I have a 68 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: strong association of TV Guide because there would always be 69 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 2: TV guides on her coffee table and I would try 70 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 2: to convince her every day to stop watching Wheel of 71 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 2: Fortune and it was time to try out something else. 72 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 2: But it never really worked. But I always loved thumbing 73 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 2: through those old issues ed. 74 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: She had all the options right in front of her, 75 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: but she refused so many options. Channel. But you know, 76 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: I was looking at it and I was wondering, like, 77 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: why do you really want to eat like David Hasselhoff's 78 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: cop salad or like Suzanne Summer's vegetarian lasagna or whatever. 79 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 1: But then I read that the magazine editorial was basically 80 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: trying to encourage you to make these really easy and 81 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: quick meals that you could eat in front of the TV. 82 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: And it's kind of brilliant, right, Like everything relates back 83 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: to TV, which is so editorially smart. But you know, 84 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: I'm glad we're doing this topic, and I'm curious where 85 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: you want to. 86 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:49,720 Speaker 2: Start, all right, So I feel like we should go 87 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 2: back to the very beginning like we like to do, 88 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: and that takes us to New York City and then 89 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 2: nineteen thirty so I know, I proved I was really 90 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 2: bad at math earlier, but this is almost one hundred 91 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 2: years ago now. A young man named Lee Wagner got 92 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 2: a job at a magazine publisher where he managed subscriptions 93 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,719 Speaker 2: for several titles focused on movies and celebrities, and later 94 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,359 Speaker 2: he worked for the publisher of Look, which at the 95 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 2: time was one of the most read magazines in the 96 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 2: United States. So Wagner knew the ins and outs of 97 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 2: publishing at the time, and he was convinced that television, 98 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 2: then in its infancy, was about to be the next 99 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 2: big thing. So he takes this leap of faith and 100 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 2: he launches his own magazine. It was called The Television Guide, 101 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 2: which initially just covered programming in the New York City area, 102 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 2: and the first issue appeared on June fourteenth, nineteen forty eight. 103 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 2: The cover featured the silent film star Gloria Swanson. 104 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 1: That's kind of funny, right, Like he's embracing this new 105 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 1: medium by putting a silent film star on the cover. 106 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 2: Yeah. I didn't actually think about that, but that is 107 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 2: pretty funny, Well, Gloria had seen the writing on the wall. 108 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,040 Speaker 2: She was actually trying to break in the TV by 109 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 2: hosting a variety show called the Gloria Swanson Hour, which 110 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 2: was ansel just a year after that. But the magazine 111 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 2: that featured her ended up being a bit more successful 112 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 2: than that. Of course, sales increased and he was able 113 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 2: to expand the magazine, creating these regional editions for New 114 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 2: England and Washington, DC, really specific to those markets. 115 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: And I'm going to pick up the thread here because 116 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: i did a little research about what happens next. So 117 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty three, Walter Annenberg, whose name you might 118 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: recognize from his foundation and the University of Southern California's 119 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: journalism school, he bought the Television Guide and folded into 120 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: his company, Triangle Publications. And his story's kind of interesting. 121 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:39,280 Speaker 1: So in the twenties he was this rich kid playboy 122 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: who dated movie stars and drove fast cars, and then 123 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 1: the stock market crash of nineteen twenty nine happens. He 124 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 1: basically made a bad bet and loses a lot of 125 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: his money. So his dad pulls him into his publishing 126 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: business in Philly, where he gives them kind of this 127 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: fake job, right, He's just like signing checks and doing 128 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:02,480 Speaker 1: as little work as possible. His dad goes to jail 129 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 1: for tax evasion and Walter has to step up, and 130 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: it turns out he's actually pretty savvy. He invests in 131 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: two things. One is in a racing journal called the 132 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: Race and Form, which is for horse betting, and he 133 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: basically realizes that people are betting on horses all over 134 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: the country, and you can make this journal for them 135 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: all across the country so that they could pay attention and 136 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: bet on whatever races. And the other is Television Guide, 137 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: which is kind of a similar idea where he decides 138 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: to combine all these other regional TV listing magazines. So 139 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: there's one in Chicago, there's one New York, there's one 140 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: DC And as part of this change, the name got 141 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: shortened to TV Guide and the new version appears on 142 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: April third, nineteen fifty three, with a cover photo of 143 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 1: one of the years most talked about TV stars, and 144 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 1: that is Desi Arnez Junior, who is just two and 145 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: a half months old at the time. 146 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 2: Actually, I think I've heard about this, So they wrote 147 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 2: luci Oball's real life pregnancy into the plot of is live. 148 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: Lucy right, Yeah, that's right, And at the time this 149 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,119 Speaker 1: was really rare. It was considered bad taste to show 150 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: or even talk about pregnancy on TV, and in fact, 151 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: CBS wouldn't let Lucy use the word pregnant on TV. 152 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: She could only say she was expecting, which is so funny. 153 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 2: Huge difference. 154 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: But the storyline was a huge hit, and Lucille Ball 155 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: time the episode so that the on screen birth corresponded 156 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: with their own planned c section. This is in January 157 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: of nineteen fifty three. Now, the episode where she gives 158 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: birth became the most washed TV program up to that 159 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 1: point in the country. 160 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 2: So when TV Guide relaunched, they actually wanted to lead 161 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 2: with the real star of the show, which was of 162 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 2: course the baby. 163 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 1: Right, and it was baby Dozy's first cover appearance, so 164 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: it was huge news. In fact, Lucy and Dozi Senior 165 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: had a deal to give exclusive photos to Life and 166 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: Look magazine, the two biggest magazines of the country. But 167 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: Desi Arnez Senior agreed to meet with an editor from 168 00:08:55,960 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: TV Guide and apparently the conversation went really well. Desi 169 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: actually had the baby photos on his desk and when 170 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:04,319 Speaker 1: he got up to use the restroom. He told the 171 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: editor that if you know, some of those pictures were 172 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: missing when he came back, it would be okay. So 173 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: TV Guide managed to get the scoop that way, and 174 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: today the issue is a real collector's item. Mint condition 175 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: copies have sold for as much as one thousand dollars. 176 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:23,199 Speaker 1: Of course, Annenberg, like most other magazine owners of the time, 177 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: had plenty of quirks. He ran his magazine like a 178 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: fiefdom and like For instance, there was one time he 179 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 1: was so irritated that the Phillies had scheduled a game 180 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: at the same time as one of his charity benefits 181 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: that he kept their listings out of the magazine for 182 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: a while his punishment. 183 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 2: Oh wow. 184 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: And according to a book on TV Guide's history called 185 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 1: Changing Channels, he also had this thing against a few celebrities. 186 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: I'm not exactly sure why, but Imagene Coca, Sammy Davis Junior, 187 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: Jajrea Gabor, and Dinnah Shore were banned from the early 188 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: TV Guide pages. That is so weird. 189 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 2: I mean, can you imagine not liking Sammy Davis Junior 190 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 2: Actually a few of those celebrities for the that matter. 191 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know, it's really bizarre, but he definitely made 192 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,719 Speaker 1: a smart play with TV Guide. People thought Annenberg was 193 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:08,680 Speaker 1: an idiot for buying a magazine that gave out the 194 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: same TV listings that you could find in your local paper. 195 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: But he believed TV would be a centerpiece of American life. 196 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: And this was back when there were only thirty percent 197 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: of homes in the country at TVs. And he wrapped 198 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 1: his listings in this smart editorial package and sold in 199 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:27,839 Speaker 1: grocery store checkouts, and it really worked. Apparently, Annenberg and 200 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: his editors would send a guy with the schoolyard bell 201 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: through the office hallways to ring it loudly every time 202 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: the circulation rose by an extra one hundred thousand people, 203 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: and it happened so much that the bell broke in 204 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: the early years. 205 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 2: So funny. All right, Well, let's talk about the magazine 206 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 2: changing hands and how much it actually sold for, which 207 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 2: is three billion dollars, Like, can you believe this? That's 208 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 2: the price Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Paid to acquire TV 209 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 2: Guides publisher Triangle Publications. This was in nineteen eighty eight. 210 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 2: Three billion dollars. That is actually about eight billion dollars 211 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 2: in today's money. And the Triangle portfolio included other titles 212 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 2: like seventeen Magazine, the Daily Racing Form, but TV Guide 213 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 2: was the crown jewel of all of those. Back then, 214 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 2: it had the largest circulation of any magazine in the 215 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 2: United States. It was over seventeen million readers. But media 216 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 2: critics and network executives had concerns about the sale, though. 217 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 2: That's because Rupert Murdoch owned the Fox Network, and people 218 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 2: wondered if TV Guide would start favoring Fox shows in 219 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 2: its coverage now. It didn't help that the week after 220 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 2: the acquisition, a new issue of TV Guide appeared with 221 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 2: a cover story about Fox's show twenty one Jump Street. 222 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 2: But it turned out that that story had been in 223 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 2: the works for months. It was all above board, Mango, 224 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 2: They've been talking about this show for a while. 225 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: That's amazing. So TV Guide didn't just cover the best 226 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 1: of TV. It also covered the worst, and the magazine 227 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: launched the j. Fred Muggs Award to recognize each year's 228 00:11:58,200 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: silliest gaffes and gimmicks. 229 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 2: And so who was j Fred Muggs? Like, was he 230 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 2: a real person? 231 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 1: No, he was a real chimpanzee. Oh, of course this 232 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: is true. He was a regular on the Today Show 233 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: for several years in the nineteen fifties, and apparently it 234 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: was a desperate attempt to boost low ratings. But the 235 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: thing is it worked right like people tuned in ad 236 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: sales went up. Producers estimated that the stunt brought in 237 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: over one hundred million dollars, which is wow. 238 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 2: All right? So who were some of the unlucky recipients 239 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 2: of the Jfred Muggs Award? 240 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: So there are a few doozies in there. In nineteen 241 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:37,959 Speaker 1: eighty seven, CBS News anchor Dan Rather won the Quote 242 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: John McEnroe Cup for Petulance under Fire after he stormed 243 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: off because a US Open match was delaying the start 244 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 1: of his newscast. 245 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 2: Wow. 246 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:49,959 Speaker 1: So when the tennis match ended and stations switched back 247 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 1: to the news, there were six minutes of nothing. Isn't 248 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: that incredible? 249 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 2: That is wild. 250 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,199 Speaker 1: Heraldo Rivera also won a Suckers Award for his two 251 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 1: hour live special The Mystery of al Capone's Faults, in 252 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,680 Speaker 1: which he and a team of construction workers dug up 253 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 1: the basement of a Chicago hotel only to find a 254 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: few empty bottles and I kind of love this one. 255 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,840 Speaker 1: In nineteen eighty six, TV Guide gave Ted Turner the 256 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: Mickey Mouse Coloring Book Award because he'd colorized famous black 257 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: and white movies like The Maltese Falcon. 258 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 2: We love the names of these awards. Sounds well deserved. 259 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 2: All right, Well, Mage, I know you talked about a 260 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety two fake news story at the very top here, 261 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 2: But it turns out TV Guide had its own fake 262 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,959 Speaker 2: news scandal just a few years earlier and involved Oprah 263 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,439 Speaker 2: Winfrey and a pile of money. And I'll tell you 264 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 2: all about it right after this break. 265 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Part Time Genius, where we're talking about 266 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: TV Guide. That's right, it's a whole episode about a 267 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: magazine of television listings. But as is so often the case, 268 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 1: if you look a little bit more closely, there are 269 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: some fascinating stories in there. And you know, well that's 270 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 1: what we love to do here, right, We dig deep 271 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:11,079 Speaker 1: and find gems underneath the surface. 272 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 2: That is exactly right. And actually, if you love surprising 273 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 2: facts and unusual stories as much as we do, I 274 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 2: hope you'll subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast 275 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 2: app and leave us a nice rating when review It 276 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 2: actually really helps us out, and more importantly, it makes 277 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 2: Dylan very happy. Lookay, Mango, he's actually smiling. 278 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: Back there, finally smiling. Okay, well, so you left us 279 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 1: on a real cliffhanger before the break, fake news, Oprah Winfrey, 280 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: pile of money. 281 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 2: Go all right, okay, this is a good cues. All right. Well, 282 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 2: it was August of nineteen eighty nine and TV Guide 283 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 2: put Oprah on the cover. Now, the headline read Oprah 284 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 2: the richest woman on TV. That was question mark there 285 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 2: how she amassed her two hundred and fifty million dollar fortune. 286 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 2: So take a look at this cover, Mango, and tell 287 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 2: me what you see. 288 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 1: On Oprah looking very glamour. She's wearing a sparkly gown 289 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 1: and showing a little leg and she's sitting on a 290 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 1: huge pile of buddy. It's eye catching. But you know, 291 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: I have to say, there's something a little off about 292 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: this image. 293 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 2: There is something actually very off about this image because 294 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 2: it's not Oprah, well not entirely Oprah. It's Oprah's head, 295 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 2: but the body belongs to nineteen sixties actress and dancer 296 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 2: and Margaret. How weird is that, Mango? 297 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 1: So they photoshopped her head on someone else's body. 298 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 2: No, this is nineteen eighty nine. Photoshop didn't become widely 299 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 2: available until nineteen ninety. Someone at TV Guide had to 300 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 2: physically cut these images together. This is like third grade 301 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 2: work on our part. So the pile of money is 302 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 2: also fake. In the original an Margaret photo, she's sitting 303 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 2: on some kind of barrel or a round table. Now, 304 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 2: TV Guide might have gotten away with his trickery, except 305 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 2: the guy who designed an Margaret's sparkly dress saw this cover. 306 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 2: He recognized his whole creation, and he alerted the media. 307 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 2: Oprah was, of course furious. Her spokesperson released a statement 308 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 2: that said quote, Oprah would not pose on a pile 309 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 2: of money like that, nor would she pose in that 310 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 2: revealing address, And Margaret's publicist said she was shocked. So 311 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 2: it's a pretty wild When it was a bona fide scandal, 312 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 2: people took it very seriously. The La Times wrote, here, 313 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 2: let me find this quote. It says the incident is 314 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 2: by no means trivial. It should have responsible journalists and 315 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 2: the entire reading public steaming mad and genuinely concerned about 316 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 2: the media's commitment to truth. 317 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: Now. 318 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 2: The piece pointed out that images have a unique ability 319 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 2: to convey accurate information, like how photojournalists helped show the 320 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:43,359 Speaker 2: reality of Vietnam. And you know, as The Times concluded, 321 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 2: if the public has to wonder if an image is real, 322 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 2: it loses its power. 323 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: That's so funny, right, there's something almost like quaint about 324 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: that today. 325 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, no kidding. 326 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: You know, not only are so many things like photoshop, 327 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: but also with AI out there. You see all these 328 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: images of people, your celebrities and them they've got like 329 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:05,439 Speaker 1: six fingers whatever. So here's another problem. One. Did you 330 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,439 Speaker 1: know TV Guide played a role in a landmark federal 331 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: fraud case. I did not, So this is true. It 332 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,159 Speaker 1: had to do with these diet pills called Regimen that 333 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:18,400 Speaker 1: were heavily advertised in print and on TV from nineteen 334 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 1: fifty nine to nineteen sixty four. Now, the ads made 335 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 1: all these outlandish claims that the pills would make you 336 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,400 Speaker 1: lose weight without changing your diet. The company that made 337 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: them even hired women to go on programs like The 338 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: Today Show in American Bandstand to talk about how Regimen 339 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 1: changed their lives. But in fact, all of these women 340 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: had been put on unhealthy, restrictive diets, which is what 341 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: made them lose weight, not the pills. Now, the FDA 342 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 1: opened an investigation. Eventually, New York State brought criminal charges 343 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: against the drug company, its president, and notably the AD 344 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: agency that helped create the campaigns. The case ended up 345 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:56,399 Speaker 1: going to a federal jury trial, and in nineteen sixty 346 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: five everyone involved was found guilty. And this was actually 347 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: the first time an ad agency has ever been found 348 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: guilty of fraud for promoting a client's product. 349 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 2: Wow, that is actually really insane. But how was TV 350 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 2: Guide involved? 351 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 1: So attorneys for the defendants challenged the decision, and one 352 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 1: of their main arguments was that TV Guide had prejudiced 353 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,679 Speaker 1: the jury. Shortly before the trial's conclusion, the magazine ran 354 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: a big article about the case under the headline quote 355 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: the diet pill Fraud All America Watched. It was actually 356 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: an excerpt of a forthcoming book about the weight loss industry, 357 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: and it was written by this journalist, Peter Widen, and 358 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: one of Widen's sources was Martin Pollner, the assistant US 359 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: attorney who prosecuted the regiment case. But the courts denied 360 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,159 Speaker 1: the appeal, and that decision was careful to note that 361 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 1: TV Guide was not responsible for the outcome of the trial. Apparently, 362 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,640 Speaker 1: jurors had followed instructions not to follow any media about 363 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 1: the case while it was pending. And besides, Wyden's article 364 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: relied on information that had already been made public at 365 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:56,920 Speaker 1: that time. But it just goes to show that TV 366 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: guide has popped up in almost every corner of American 367 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: life over all these years. 368 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 2: That's really true. And actually, here's another example. So in 369 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 2: the nineteen eighties, teachers were encouraged to use TV Guide 370 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 2: in the classroom. So I found this article in an instructor 371 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 2: magazine that actually laid out the whole lesson plan. Teachers 372 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 2: were supposed to ask the kids to bring in copies 373 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,640 Speaker 2: of TV Guide and use it to teach them the 374 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 2: hour minute format of writing time, you know, and the 375 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 2: difference between AM and PM. Of course, so after the 376 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 2: kids mastered that, the next step was to learn how 377 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:34,439 Speaker 2: to read and interpret TV listings. Sample lesson questions included 378 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 2: and likes to watch Hollywood Squares on Thursday night. What 379 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 2: time does it start? And here's another one, Jan likes 380 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,479 Speaker 2: to watch The Brady Bunch each weeknight at six thirty pm. 381 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 2: What channel does she watch? 382 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 1: It's so tricky, but I got to make sense by 383 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: the times, you know, Obviously, times have changed since then, 384 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: and TV Guide has changed too, So for the first 385 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 1: fifty two years of its life, the magazine was digestized 386 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:01,680 Speaker 1: about the size of the paperback book, but in two 387 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: thousand and five it switched to a larger, more standard 388 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,800 Speaker 1: magazine format and reduced the amount of listings in order 389 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 1: to make room for more celebrity news. So previously the 390 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,640 Speaker 1: ratio had been about seventy five percent listings twenty five 391 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: percent other stories, but with the format change, that ratio 392 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:20,639 Speaker 1: got inverted. But perhaps the biggest change was the elimination 393 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 1: of the Guide's one hundred and forty regional editions. Instead, 394 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: it shranked to just one national edition with schedules marked 395 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:31,679 Speaker 1: in either Eastern or Pacific time. Parent company Gemstars so 396 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: I did declining readership and ad sales, but at its 397 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: peak in the nineteen seventies, TV Guides circulation was around 398 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 1: twenty million, which is just unfathomable to me, especially you 399 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 1: and me as as people who used to run a magazine. 400 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 1: But by two thousand and four it dropped to nine million, 401 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: And in the past couple decades there's been a whole 402 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 1: maze of corporate sales, acquisitions, spin offs, and so on. 403 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 1: It would actually take a long time to go through 404 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:57,920 Speaker 1: all of them. But since I know you're wondering, here's 405 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 1: where things stand today. TV Guides still exists. Its website, 406 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: additional properties are owned by the fan engagement platform Fandom, 407 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:08,160 Speaker 1: and the print magazine is owned by a Michigan based 408 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 1: publisher called NTVD Media. That is wild. 409 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 2: I'm just thinking back about that staff that you said 410 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 2: that there were one hundred and forty regional editions at 411 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 2: one point. That was pretty wild. But you know, even 412 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,479 Speaker 2: though we're up to our eyeballs and premium channels and 413 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:26,160 Speaker 2: streaming services and of course video on demand, you can 414 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 2: still pick up a print copy of TV Guide. There's 415 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:29,679 Speaker 2: something nice about the. 416 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: Child and maybe all those things you sid died are 417 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: the reason you should because, as the twenty twenty four 418 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 1: TV Guide Media Kit puts it, quote, there's more TV 419 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 1: than ever, so there's never been more of a need 420 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 1: for guidance. 421 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 2: I mean, they're not wrong. If mammal are still around, 422 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 2: I'm pretty sure there'd be one on our coffee table. 423 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:50,239 Speaker 2: But you know mego for that and the fact that 424 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:53,199 Speaker 2: this whole episode was your idea, I'm going to give 425 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 2: you today's Trophy. Congrats. 426 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: Well, I'm so honored and thanks to TV Guidance Council 427 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 1: for the inspiration and for having me on the show. 428 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:05,120 Speaker 1: We will be back next week with a brand new episode, 429 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: but in the meantime, please be sure to follow us 430 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 1: on Instagram at part Time Genius and from Dylan, Gabe, Mary, 431 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 1: Will and myself, thank you so much for listening. Part 432 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 1: Time Genius is a production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. This 433 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: show is hosted by Will Pearson and Me mongas Heartikuler 434 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: and research by our good pal Mary Philip Sandy. Today's 435 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: episode was engineered and produced by the Wonderful of Dylan 436 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: Fagan with support from Tyler Klang. The show is executive 437 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 1: produced for iHeart by Katrina Norbel and Ali Perry, with 438 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,959 Speaker 1: social media support from Sasha Gay, Trustee Dara Potts and 439 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 1: Viney Shorey. For more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio, visit 440 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,640 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast Us, or wherever you listen 441 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.