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Change, change, change

We're changing the look of our TV and Cable Guide, here's some reasons why:

Why did you change the TV and Cable Guide?

This change enables us to print the guide in our downtown Fresno facility rather than shipping it to a printer in Modesto.

By printing the book here in Fresno, we achieve multiple goals. Most importantly, we'll be able to provide readers with more up-to-date listings that reflect late changes in TV station and network programming.

Also, we'll have more control over the printing quality since we'll run the book ourselves. In the past, we have heard from many readers who said the guide's type was too dark or too light to read or that over-inking resulted in smudges and dirty hands. With our pressroom's commitment to quality, we hope to eliminate these issues.

There's also a cost-cutting benefit. The Bee will save some printing and transportation costs by not sending the guide to an outside printer.

Why can't you print the smaller TV Book at The Bee?

The Bee's presses cannot print pages smaller than tabloid-sized. Also, our pressroom does not have the capability to bind, or staple, the TV book.

Did you take anything out?

Yes, one short feature - the sports profile that ran next to the sports listings - was dropped in favor of longer and more comprehensive sports listings.

Did you add anything?

While there were no new features added, some changes should be considered additions. All grids are slightly larger, which should make them more readable. Also, the listings of televised sporting events and three- and four-star movies are significantly longer.

Why did you make this change without asking for reader feedback?

While we did not conduct a reader survey asking for opinions about the new book, the guide has many changes that resulted from requests, suggestions and complaints from readers. The most significant change is that listings now should be more up-to-date because our deadlines are a full seven days later than previously.

The new book also has longer, more comprehensive listings of sporting events and three- and four-star movies, which were frequent requests from readers.

Comments

No thank you. The new t.v. guide is too large and unwieldy. The original tabloid-size was fine.

While your reasons for changing the TV Guide are logical, they ignore the reality that a larger dimensioned Guide is far less appropriate. It no longer fits space available, thus is much less useful. Being unbound also hinders. The Sacramento Bee's Guide is much preferred. Change back!

The new format size is fine. Why isn't TCM included in the line-up? It is in the daily editions but it would be very handy to have it in this Sunday guide. I know people who only get the Sunday edition.
Bob

I can't believe that you could possibly think that the new extra large TV guide could ever be useful to anyone. Why not go all the way and print it full size so everyone can just pin it to the wall as a poster.

New TV guide TOO flimsey and not bound. It falls apart and is very uncontrollable. Buy a new press that will print the old size and then you can make more money printing other things and it will be cost effective.

This new format is a waste of paper! It is much too big and awkward to use, taking up too much space on the coffee table! What were you people thinking???

I'm hoping this is one of many comments you receive regarding the TV and Cable Guide.

It has always been a convenient size, plus "stapled" paper. It was conveniently kept throughout the week without looking like a newspaper was needed to be tossed in the trash for recycling.

Being an avid sports fan and movie fan; I enjoy the daily Fresno Bee's TV section, it covers programming for the day. I see no need to duplicate in the Guide.

It is certainly not the best and easiest way to check out the nights programs.

If there is a need for change, please try again. It is an extremely poor example for improving TV and Cable Guide section coming from a great newspaper. This is not acceptable at all in my opinion.


I think the new TV Guide is way to big and you don't print what is going on from 11:30 PM - 6:00 AM. Also, you need to add more channel such 194,195 238 and so on. I would like to see questions and answers on celebrity and where I can write about why a particular shows on TV get cancel.

BIG MISTAKE -- it took me 3 times to go through the paper before I found it -- it was hidden behind the Big 5 ad. And the size -- just what I got away from with the Merced Sun-Star. Look like I'll have to subscribe to the TV Guide. Hate the BIG STUFF. Your sports all over the place -- no good. You have made a big mistake even if your presses can't do it -- so you say. Perhaps you shouldn't have got that kind of press. The ink never got on my hands and I used it every day. Now, this one goes in the trash can to be recycled. Sorry you changed. Gerry Green

Why did you change the TV guide? It makes your Fresno Bee not worth getting on Sunday.

A guide is supposed to show what is on TV for the next 24/7 days, not a spotted version. If we would have known that this new guide would be like this, we would have never paid for another subscription. Next time, remember this when you call about why we are not subscribing.
Terry Lujan, Art Lujan, Mike Sutters, Evelyn Sutters

You are kidding on the size of the new tv guide! This I don't wanting sitting on my coffee table. Please go back to the original.
JBevins

We'll get used to the large format, but why don't you show the Speed Channel (#35) schedule. Our local paper, the Visalia Times Delta, does. Fresno Bee has not shown this channel for as long as I can remember. There's some good auto stuff on Speed that I enjoy.

Ron and Hallie Bosetti

Why are all TV guides in newspapers only for cable and antenna reception? Are you not aware there are MILLIONS of us using satellite? Why can't we be listed along with the others? All it takes is another column with channel numbers!!

Bob Weller
Visalia

the tv guide is to big ,to flimsy, to many ads, margins are to wide, these are a few things i don't like about it. i stopped taking the TV Guide because they made it into a magazine that doesn't fit available space either.

Virginia Quick

The new TV guide format is horrible. Who can take credit for this stupid idea? It does not work in any capacity, falls apart and is so frustrating, I get nervous just thinking about having it tossed on my porch. Maybe I will stop The Bee altogether, that's my idea of change!

V. Gallock

I do not like the new TV guide format. It is very awkward to use. I feel like cancelling my Sunday subscription for another Sunday paper.

This new TV guide is good for a fire starter. Seniors can't handle it well and no one else should have to fight with it.

Absolutely a mess. It falls apart. It is way too big. Check the Sacramento Bee. Their TV Guide is so much better. Years ago you made your news pages smaller. Now you make the TV Guide bigger. Bad idea. As it was, you never included enough information about the movies, shows, etc. This is a disaster. Please change the format.

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What is this?

We in the newspaper business make our living communicating, but when it comes to explaining ourselves, we have long fallen short. So it's no surprise that misconceptions abound about what we do and why we do it. Here, you can ask us why we do what we do and we'll try to answer it.
E-mail asktheeditors@fresnobee.com.

Fresno Bee Editors

Senior Vice President & Executive Editor
Betsy Lumbye
blumbye@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6207

Betsy Lumbye was named senior vice president and executive editor in 2006. After coming to Fresno as assistant managing editor in 1997, she was promoted to managing editor the following year. She was managing editor at The Herald in Rock Hill, S.C.; was metro editor at The Record in Stockton; was a reporter, assistant city editor and city editor at The Knoxville (Tenn.) Journal; and was a reporter at The Colorado Springs Sun. She graduated from the University of Virginia, where she majored in English and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society.

Managing Editor
Jack Robinson
jrobinson@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6410

Jack Robinson came to the Bee in 2006 from the Los Angeles Times, where he worked for nine years as an assistant metro editor, editor of the paper's Orange County edition and assistant business editor. Previously he was a reporter and editor at The Press-Enterprise of Riverside.

Assistant Managing Editor for Presentation
Kris Eldred
keldred@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6463

Kris Eldred joined The Bee in 1992. She also has worked for The Bee as copy desk chief, assistant news editor, interim business editor, metro team leader and news editor. Previously, she was a copy editor/designer at the Times Herald-Record in Middletown, N.Y.; a reporter, copy editor and assistant city editor at the Tracy Press; and a reporting intern at the Merced Sun-Star.

Assistant Managing Editor for News
John Rich
jrich@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6663

John Rich joined The Bee in 1984. He became assistant managing editor in 2005 after four-plus years as metro editor. Previously, he worked in the sports department, including five years as sports editor. John has also worked at The Modesto Bee.

Editorial Art Director
Andrea Cooper
acooper@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6634

Andrea Cooper is the editorial art director of The Bee. She has been with The Bee since 1984. In that time, she was first a designer with advertising/marketing and then a news artist with editorial. Before joining The Bee, Andrea was art director at Normart Advertising.

South Valley Bureau Chief
Gene Garaygordobil
ggaraygordobil@fresnobee.com
(559) 622-2408

Gene Garaygordobil is The Bee's bureau chief for the South Valley. He joined The Bee in August 2003, returning to Visalia after a five-year absence. Gene began his career in 1988 as a reporter for the Visalia Times-Delta. His tenure there included a yearlong stint as assistant city editor and 2.5 years as city editor, with a stint as interim managing editor tucked in between. Gene left Visalia in 1998 for stints as assistant city editor at the Riverside Press-Enterprise and Bakersfield Californian.

Director of Photography
William Haines
bhaines@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6376

William Haines is the director of photography and has been at The Bee since 1999. He previously was director of photography and graphics at The Saginaw News (MI) and assistant photo editor at The El Paso Times. Before that, he was a general assignment photographer at the Sioux Falls, South Dakota Argus Leader and several papers in Oregon.

Features Editor
Alison Lucian
alucian@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6351

Alison Lucian joined the paper in 1998. She also has worked in the features and metro departments at the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel, The Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Fla., and the Daily Press in Newport News, Va.

Metro Editor
Kathy Mahan
kmahan@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6491

Kathy Mahan joined The Bee in 2000 as an assistant metro editor. Previously, she spent five years with the Reno Gazette-Journal, where she held positions as business editor, assistant business editor and copy editor. Kathy also spent a year and a half as an editor and reporter for the Daily Independent in Ridgecrest, Calif.

Business Editor
Mike Nemeth
mnemeth@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6329

Mike Nemeth has worked in the newspaper business for 21 years, mostly in Alaska and Washington state. He has a wife named Peggy and three children. He drives an old VW bug.

News Editor
Steve Provost
sprovost@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6466

Steve Provost joined The Bee in 1997. Previously, he was sports editor and news editor of the Tulare Advance-Register and Visalia Times-Delta; a copy editor in Visalia; and an education reporter in Tulare.

Head Librarian
Nancy Ramirez
nramirez@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6380

Nancy Ramirez has been Head Librarian since December 2005. She joined the editorial library in 1990 as an Editorial Librarian. She has worked at The Bee since 1978.

Assistant Managing Editor for Online
Jennifer Ward
jward@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6363

Jennifer Ward manages the content team for FresnoBee.com. She joined The Bee in 2003 after working for as a site developer and interactive editor for DallasNews.com. Jennifer began her career as a programmer, making the move to newspapers in 1999 as a copy editor for the Carlsbad (N.M.) Current-Argus. She eagerly awaits the completion of her 1965 Mustang.

Sports Editor
Robert Zizzo
rzizzo@fresnobee.com
(559) 441-6340

Robert Zizzo joined The Bee in October 2001 as deputy sports editor and became sports editor in October 2002. He previously served as news editor for the Wisconsin State Journal. He also worked in sports and news at the Las Vegas Sun after spending six years as sports editor at the Sheboygan (Wis.) Press.