Hey Mom! What's On TV Tonight?

In April of 1953, TV Guide was the publication of choice. It was the most read of circulated magazines in the country. For 15 cents a copy, you had the world by the tail. A couch, snack table with a hot tv dinner, and the holy bible of tv shows was the answer for a perfect life.
Triangle publications owned the magazine and became an authority on television programming. There were articles from contributing writers as well as from the staff.
Based in a small office in downtown Philadelphia, the publication soon moved to a large national headquarters in Randor, Pennsylvania. The fancy building had a large lighted TV Guide logo at the entrance and a vast computer system (I'd like to see that!) holding the data on every show and movie available for the weekly listing.
Life was good for the magazine until cable tv came into the picture. The cable systems published their own magazines and it was next to impossible for TV Guide to list all the shows. Circulation went from almost 20 million in 1970 to less tan 3 million in 2007.
After changing owners over the years, in October of 2008, Macrovision sold the money loosing magazine to Equity Fund, Open Gate Capital for $1.00. Wow! What a story and just another example of the times are a changin.

Back On The Road Again

April 20, 1969

Dear Daddy,
We are finally out of Kansas! It's sure alot bigger than Ohio. But what's cool is, we are in Colorado! Wow, can you believe it! I never thought I would be in Colorado.
What a trip this state is but I still haven't seen a mountain yet. When I see one, I am going to just trip out! We met some people from Kentucky who are hitching out to Los Angeles. We are going to hang with them for awhile. Don't worry, everything is cool and I am fine. I took a nice hot shower yesterday at the dorm of some college.
Now I'm good to go. Well, I will keep you updated about my travels and will call as soon as I can panhandle some change at the next service station.
Love and Peace,
Joyce


Jack Kerouac (Face, On the Road Quote) Art Poster Print - 24" X 36"

Kosmic Trooths

The alternative press in the 1960's was a declaration of journalists who valued freedom of speech and critical thought in a democracy. The events of the sixties resulted in a rebellion against commercialized culture, war, corporate power and prejudice.
The antiwar and counterculture activists, being denied access to conventional media, took advantage of creating their own underground newspapers such as the Berkley Barb, Los Angeles Free Press and the Realist. These alternative papers soon found large audiences and by 1969 there were at least 400 different publications in every major city and college campus.
The readers were united by opposition to the Vietnam war, rejection of traditional American values, use of drugs and the rock and roll scene. Some of these underground papers covered feminism, gay liberation, and the environment. Also, communal living, mysticism, and Native American movements.
The most enduring publication was Rolling Stone magazine. Founder, 20 year old Jann Wenner, borrowed $7,500 in 1967 to start the publication. Within two years, the magazine had over 64,000 subscribers and was a major magazine of the rock generation.
The Whole Earth Catalog gave practical instruction for everything from do-it-yourself burials to building geodesic domes. Hippies could buy a huge array of products not found in your local store.
Acid-head cartoonist, R. Crumb published an underground comic book with graphically sexual and nothing was sacred images called Zap Comix. Crumb envisioned a world run by hippies. He wrote, "It's frightening!" To think about prison camps full of people not hip enough and prison guards with big peace symbols on their arm bands."