Prevue Becomes TV Guide Channel - Feb. 1, 1999

Here it is - the last moments of Prevue Channel and the first minute or so of TV Guide Channel. As you can see, the changeover was quite subdued and happened at the stroke of midnight. The Prevue ident aired for the last time, then John Lithgow appeared to plug his TV Guide Insider profile.

Some tests of the new TV Guide imaging were in effect that last night, as you can see. The guide itself was updated the next day to replace the Prevue graphics with TV Guide ones. The initial graphics and presentation were produced by Pittard Sullivan, and were really nicely put together with a catchy theme. I prefer this warmer, but still hip, package to the somewhat dark and scary 1998 Prevue look.

This has a bit of Prevue's new 1998-era format, hipper imaging, and slightly updated guide. Instead of Prevue Tonight, numerous features would appear throughout the half-hour; news and weather at 5 minutes before, sports at 15 and 45, and so on. TV Guide initially kept this format more or less, adding in celebrity profiles and entertainment news.

Then the grid went yellow, hosts were added, and it all went to hell.