Last updated: February 1, 2004. This version: 8.00
Answer: Let's answer these questions one at a time, with the first question first:
Broadcasting & Cable Magazine:
[NOTE: Some of the information in this section was provided
"Vidiot" (brown@vidiot.com).]
Broadcasting & Cable Magazine is actually a 'trade' magazine. However, some people outside of the TV industry also subscribe to Broadcasting & Cable because it contains some information useful to fans of TV. Perhaps its most interesting information is the Top 20 (Nielsen) rated shows on cable and in syndication.
Currently, a year's subscription to Broadcasting & Cable Magazine costs over $100(?) (so it's a bit expensive). The address for subscribing (and for obtaining information) is:
Broadcasting & Cable
PO Box 6399
Torrance, CA 90504-9865
Epi-Log Magazine:
[NOTE: This section, edited by me, was provided Loren Heisey
(lorenh@hpcvra.cv.hp.com) to the Tardis FTP site
(ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/public/media/tv/collections/tardis/).]
One of the more asked questions in Usenet newsgroups for TV is "Are there episode guides for [shows]?". Besides internet TV episode guides and FAQ's available via FTP and/or WWW (see the other sections of this FAQ for more information), one source for TV episode guides is Epi-Log Magazine.
Epi-Log is a magazine specifically devoted to printing TV episode guides. The quality of the Epi-Log's TV episode guides varies quite a bit depending on who wrote the synopses. They do list all the episodes of a TV show, and they usually give the original air-dates. Early issues of Epi-Log were known to have lots of errors, so be warned. More recent issues have gotten better, but still contain the occasional error. People who are looking for error-free information on a show will probably not be interested in Epi-Log guides, but they are useful for keeping track of which episodes one has seen or has yet to see.
In the U.S. the magazine can often be found at Sci-Fi conventions, and a few comic book stores. They can also be ordered by mail from:
Star Tech
P.O. Box 456
Dunlap, TN 37327
Star Tech's catalog, which contains information on Epi-Log Magazine, as well as other sci-fi and fantasy TV and movie paraphernalia, is $1 (in the US).
In the U.K. the magazine can be found at Forbidden Planet, on New Oxford Street, London.
For a list of the TV episode guides done in Epi-Log magazines, see the Tardis FTP site at:
ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/public/media/tv/collections/tardis/.
NOTE: I have received information stating that Epi-Log is no longer in production. It can still be obtained, but new issues are not in production. (No doubt this is a result of the prevelance of Internet inspired TV episode guides!)
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