Hello everyone. I am writing today about a television guide published before the TV Guide. It was called Television Forecast, then later called TV Forecast. According to the website epguides.com, it was started by Mr. Les Viahon and three of his WW II veteran friends. Each chipped in $250 and started publishing the magazine in the basement classroom of Abbot Hall on the Northwestern University Campus. They were so broke that they bound their first issue with staplers borrowed from the professors upstairs!

They obtained (from a TV dealer’s association or such) a mailing address list of everyone in the area who had purchased a TV set. For several months mailed the publication free, as a “programming service”. This lasted until August 8th, when they began charging $3.00 per year (Charter members $2.00 per year). Prices for copies sold at newsstands were 15c. The first issue of distribution was 16,000 issues. As more people bought TVs the circulation went upwards into the tens to hundreds of thousands, but nearly all the copies were tossed out, once the next week’s issue became available. A couple of competing mags were also launched at some point.

By late 1952 the circulation of TV Forecast was almost 200,000. There were 4 TV stations in Chicago: WBKB 4 CBS, WNBQ 5 NBC, WENR 7 ABC & WGN 9 DuMont. Walter Annenberg bought out TV Forecast (that by that time already had editions in Minneapolis and the Quad Cities) along with TV Guide ( a local New York City magazine, that also had editions for Washington DC / Baltimore and New England) and TV Digest a local Philadelphia magazine. In March 1953, the last issue of all these publications came out. In April 1953, the first issue of the national magazine TV Guide came out. It had a cover and articles in color and local listings in B&W. This would continue into the early part of the 21st century.

I have created a video showcasing all the covers of Television Forecast provided background music of classic TV themes shows and commercials. Here it is:

Vanished Chicagoland: Television/TV Forecast TV Program Guide Video

I hope you enjoy my new video. Thank you, everyone! Pete Kastanes, Admin for Vanished Chicagoland Facebook Page.

Here is a list of all the issues of Television Forecast / TV Forecast, with the cover feature listed:

Chicago TV Forecast 1948-1953 DATE COVER FEATURE TYPE 1948 May 9, 1948 Chicago Cubs photo red pc Television Forecast May 16, 1948 Kukla & Ollie photo red pc May 23, 1948 Dick Two Ton Baker photo blue pc May 30, 1948 Sulky Racing photo green pc Jun 6, 1948 Minor Opinion photo red pc Jun 13, 1948 Woman’s World photo brown pc Jun 20, 1948 Connie Mack photo dark orange pc Jun 27, 1948 Girl’s Baseball photo blue pc Jul 4, 1948 Freedom Train photo grey pc Jul 11, 1948 Gus Van photo olive green pc Jul 18, 1948 Midget Races photo light blue pc Jul 25, 1948 Lifeguards photo red pc Aug 2, 1948 Bob McKee photo blue-green pc Aug 9, 1948 Football photo brown pc Aug 16, 1948 Young & Victor photo blue pc Aug 23, 1948 Conrad Veidt photo dark orange pc Aug 30, 1948 Chicago Rockets (football) photo grey pc Sep 6, 1948 Sportsman Corner bowling photo light purple pc Sep 13, 1948 Don McNeill photo brown pc Sep 20, 1948 test pattern comic art red pc Sep 27, 1948 WBKB dog Mac photo light blue pc Oct 4, 1948 Dick Tracy art green pc Oct 11, 1948 Johnny Hill photo blue pc Oct 18, 1948 Ed Roden photo brown pc Oct 25, 1948 Alan Dale photo blue-grey pc Nov 1, 1948 WNBQ Antenna photo blue pc Nov 8, 1948 Joe Wilson photo dark orange pc Nov 15, 1948 Chicago Bears photo purple pc Nov 22, 1948 WGN Mystery Show Photo yellow pc Nov 29, 1948 WNBQ photo red pc Dec 6, 1948 people do write- a man surrounded by letters photo blue pc Dec 13, 1948 Uncle Mistletoe & Aunt Judy photo blue-green pc Dec 20, 1948 Merry Christmas Santa art red pc Dec 27, 1948 Man About Town- Connie Russell photo green scan 1949 Jan 3, 1949 John Dunham of WBKB photo brown pc Jan 10, 1949 Coaxial Cable photo blue pc Jan 17, 1949 Skip Farrell photo olive green pc Jan 24, 1949 Arthur Godfrey of WGN photo red pc Jan 31, 1949 Georgia Kay & Gloria Yates photo blue-green pc Feb 7, 1949 Lanny Ross photo red pc Feb 12, 1949 Bob Elson photo blue-grey pc Feb 19, 1949 Rush Hughes & Ruth Crowley photo dark orange pc Feb 26, 1949 Kukla- Fran & Ollie photo blue-green pc Mar 5, 1949 Fontanne Sisters photo pink pc Mar 12, 1949 Lulu Belle & Scotty photo red pc Mar 19, 1949 WBKB’s Telefashions photo red pc Mar 26, 1949 Coca & Caesar & McCarty photo brown pc Apr 2, 1949 WGN 1st Aniversary art grey pc Apr 9, 1949 Rajah Hornsby of WENR photo blue-green pc Apr 16, 1949 Ernie Simon of WBKB photo brown pc Apr 23, 1949 Milton Berle photo blue pc Apr 30, 1949 Harold Isbell photo grey pc May 7, 1949 TV Show is Born photo red pc May 14, 1949 Cliffy of Super Circus photo olive green pc May 21, 1949 Ulmer Turner photo dark orange pc May 28, 1949 John Cameron Swayze photo blue pc Jun 4, 1949 Wendy Barrie photo green pc Jun 11, 1949 Bill Brundige WENR sportscaster photo grey pc Jun 18, 1949 first test pattern photo brown pc Jun 25, 1949 Howdy Doody photo red pc Jul 2, 1949 Nancy Wright & Gordon Page photo blue-green pc Jul 9, 1949 Johnny Olsen photo blue pc Jul 16, 1949 Vera Ward of Comic Capers photo pink pc Jul 23, 1949 Betty Chapel photo blue pc Jul 30, 1949 Hines & Revolta photo olive green pc Aug 6, 1949 Super Circus House Party photo red pc Aug 13, 1949 Tommy Sands photo brown pc Aug 20, 1949 Roberta Quinlan photo blue pc Aug 27, 1949 Al Morgan on WGN photo red pc Sep 3, 1949 Uncle Mistletoe photo green pc Title changes to TV Forecast Sep 10, 1949 Frontier Theater photo brown pc Sep 17, 1949 Kukla- Fran & Ollie photo red pc Sep 24, 1949 Dave Garroway photo red pc Oct 1, 1949 Eddie Cantor photo green pc Oct 8, 1949 Ed Wynn- King of Jesters photo blue-green pc Oct 15, 1949 Jack Brickhouse photo brown scan Oct 22, 1949 Red Grange photo red pc Oct 29, 1949 Doris Brown of Lucky Pup photo orange pc Nov 5, 1949 The O’Neills photo blue pc Nov 12, 1949 Paul Whiteman photo magenta pc Nov 19, 1949 Kay Kyser of College of Musical Knowledge photo green pc Nov 26, 1949 Fred Waring photo yellow pc Dec 3, 1949 Nancy Wright photo orange pc Dec 10, 1949 Toni Gilman photo red pc Dec 17, 1949 Connie Russell photo green pc Dec 24, 1949 Santa Claus art red pc Dec 31, 1949 Mercedes McCambridge photo yellow pc 1950 Jan 7,1950 Art Jarrett photo orange pc Jan 14, 1950 Rebel Randall photo green pc Jan 21, 1950 Herbie Mintz of Bit Not Forgotten photo red pc Jan 28, 1950 West Twins of Lucky Letters photo red pc Feb 4, 1950 Tarzan White- wrestler photo magenta pc Feb 11, 1950 Mary Hartline photo green pc Feb 18, 1950 young boy photo red pc Feb 25, 1950 Arthur Godfrey & Janette David photo yellow pc Mar 4, 1950 Birthday Greetings Woman’s magazine of the Air photo orange Chic Mar 11, 1950 Eleanor Binder & Jim Moran of Courtesy Hour photo green Chic cover ripped Mar 18, 1950 Sussan Shaw photo red Chic Mar 25, 1950 Mr. Puffle & Ilka Chase photo yellow Chic Apr 1, 1950 Happiness Hour- ventriloquist photo magenta pc Apr 8, 1950 Bob Murphy photo green pc Apr 15, 1950 Lou Thesz – wrestler photo red pc Apr 22, 1950 Jack Carter photo orange pc Apr 29, 1950 Lucky Letters photo purple pc May 6, 1950 Paddy the Pelican art orange pc May 13, 1950 Danny O’Neil of Jay’s Jamboree photo blue pc May 20, 1950 Gloria Van & Johnny Desmond of Tin Pan Alley photo green pc May 27, 1950 Cliff Norton photo yellow pc Jun 3, 1950 Andy Pafko- Cubs photo red Chic Jun 10, 1950 Paula Rae photo orange Chic Jun 17, 1950 Kay Kyser- father of the year photo blue Chic Jun 24, 1950 Peggy Lee Torme photo green Chic Jul 1, 1950 Joan Alt of Time for Beanie photo yellow Chic rusty stapes Jul 8, 1950 Joan Belton- singing star photo red Chic Jul 15, 1950 Gloom Dodgers photo dark orange great lakes Jul 22, 1950 Ransom Sherman photo purple Chic Jul 29, 1950 Ginny Scott photo blue Chic Aug 5, 1950 Come to the Chicago Fair photo green Chic Aug 12, 1950 Neil Hamilton photo orange pc Aug 19, 1950 Acrobat Ranch photo yellow Chic Aug 26, 1950 Wayne King photo orange Chic Sep 2, 1950 Frances Langford of Star Time photo green pc Sep 9, 1950 Don McNeill photo yellow pc Sep 16, 1950 Dean Martin & Jerry lewis photo blue pc Sep 23, 1950 Marlene Reilly of Foto Test photo red pc Sep 30, 1950 Jack Carson photo orange pc Oct 7, 1950 Mae West & Irv Kipcinet photo yellow Chic Oct 14, 1950 Cheif Ernie Simon & kids photo blue Chic Oct 21, 1950 Marlin Perkins photo montage red Chic Oct 28, 1950 Jack Benny photo-art orange Chic Nov 4, 1950 Chicago Calendar Jack Brickhouse et al photo-art yellow Chic Nov 11, 1950 Chico Marx of College Bowl photo blue pc Nov 18, 1950 Panhandle Pete & Jennifer Holt photo-art red Chic Nov 25, 1950 Faye Emerson photo-art purple Chic Dec 2, 1950 Shirley Sexby Miss Tavern Pole 1950 photo-art green pc Dec 9, 1950 Uncle Mistletoe art orange pc Dec 16, 1950 Peter Lind & Mary Healy photo-art yellow pc Dec 23, 1950 Santas art red pc Dec 30, 1950 Kyle MacDonnell photo-art yellow-green pc 1951 Jan 6, 1951 Jackie Gleason art green Chic loose cover Jan 13, 1951 Super Circus Clowns photo-art orange Chic Jan 20, 1951 ? photo-art green Chic Jan 27, 1951 Burns & Allen photo yellow Chic Feb 3, 1951 1950 TV Awards photo gold & white pc Feb 10, 1951 Sue Topping & Frank Sweeny Valentine’s Day photo-art red Chic Feb 17, 1951 Antonio Rocca (wrestler) photo orange pc Feb 24, 1951 Wife of Michael Veach of Magic Slate photo-art blue Chic Mar 3, 1951 Elanie Neblett of Let’s Have Fun photo yellow Chic Mar 10, 1951 Toni Rodgers photo-art red Chic Mar 17, 1951 Billy Rose photo-art green Chic Mar 24, 1951 Dorsey Connors photo-art magenta Chic Mar 31, 1951 Frank Sinatra photo-art orange Chic Apr 7, 1951 Ted Mack’s Family Hour photo-art red Chic Apr 14, 1951 Tony Fontaine photo-art green Chic Apr 21, 1951 Milton Berle photo-art pink pc Apr 28, 1951 Arthur Godfrey photo-art blue pc May 5, 1951 Marty Hogan Miss US TV photo green pc May 12, 1951 Mary Hartline Win a Puppy photo orange pc May 19, 1951 Meet the Range Rider photo red on white pc May 26, 1951 Jean Mowry photo red on white pc Jun 2, 1951 Hank Sauer Chicago Cubs player photo green on white pc Jun 9, 1951 Teresa Georgian photo blue on white pc Jun 16, 1951 Laraine Day photo pink pc Jun 23, 1951 Bob Hope & Joel Kupperman photo blue pc Jun 30, 1951 Peggy Lee photo orange on white pc Jul 7, 1951 Betty Betz photo green pc Jul 14, 1951 Tom Corbett Space Cadet photo magenta pc Jul 21, 1951 Eileen Weston of Hit Parade photo yellow-orange pc Jul 28, 1951 Ernie Simon of WBKB photo blue pc Aug 4, 1951 White Sox player photo dark-orange pc Aug 11, 1951 Marion Morgan of stopping the Music photo green pc Aug 18, 1951 Marion Marlowe of Arthur Godfrey show photo pink pc Aug 25, 1951 Jackie Kelk & Pat Horsley photo blue pc Sep 1, 1951 Eloise McElhone photo Could be red. It’s a photocopy pc Sep 8, 1951 Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca photo green pc Sep 15, 1951 Milton Berle photo pink pc Sep 22, 1951 Arthur Godfrey photo blue pc Sep 29, 1951 Frances Langford & Don Ameche photo montage orange pc Oct 6, 1951 Bob Hope & Jimmy Durante photo green pc Oct 13, 1951 Kukla- Fran & Ollie photo red pc Oct 20, 1951 Toni Gilman photo green pc Oct 27, 1951 Studs Terkel photo orange pc Nov 3, 1951 Perry Como photo green pc Nov 10, 1951 Bert Parks photo red pc Nov 17, 1951 Frank Sinatra photo blue pc Nov 24, 1951 Rafael Kubelik- Can Culture Survive? photo orange pc Dec 1, 1951 Jackie Gleason photo-art green pc Dec 8,1951 Lucille Ball photo magenta pc Dec 15, 1951 Dean Martin & Jerry lewis photo blue pc Dec 22, 1951 Walt Disney characters art red on white pc Dec 29, 1951 Football Special photo montage green pc 1952 Jan 5, 1952 Dinah Shore photo orange pc Jan 12, 1952 Dorothy Collins Hit Parade Honey photo green pc Jan 19, 1952 Ed Sullivan photo red pc Jan 26, 1952 TV Awards photo-art gold pc Feb 2, 1952 Wanda Lewis photo orange pc Feb 9, 1952 Captain Video photo blue pc Feb 16, 1952 Kay Westfall Night on the Town photo purple pc Feb 23, 1952 Marie Wilson photo green pc Mar 1, 1952 Claudia & David photo red pc Mar 8, 1952 Peggy Taylor photo Blue pc Mar 15, 1952 Hal Block photo tan Chic slight water damage Mar 22, 1952 Jack Benny & Mary Livingstone photo green pc Mar 29, 1952 Mimi Benzell photo dark Orange Chic Apr 5, 1952 Gay Compton – How to Treat Pets photo brown-orange Chic Apr 12, 1952 TV’s Easter Family photo pink pc Apr 19, 1952 Dave Garroway photo green Chic Apr 26, 1952 Athletic Angel photo pink Chic May 3, 1952 boxing Chico Vejar vs Chuck Davey photo blue pc May 10, 1952 Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz photo montage orange pc May 17, 1952 Donald O’Connor photo blue-green Chic May 24, 1952 Howdy Doody photo magenta Chic May 31, 1952 Gene Autry photo pink Chic Jun 7, 1952 Lena Horne photo white on orange pc Jun 14, 1952 Bishop Fulton Sheen photo magenta pc Jun 21, 1952 Lois Collier photo blue-green pc Jun 28, 1952 Chet Roble photo orange pc Jul 5, 1952 Bob & Ike Republican Convention photo red Chic Jul 12, 1952 Jimmy Durante photo blue pc Jul 19, 1952 Democratic Convention photo-art brown pc Jul 26, 1952 Sam Levenson photo-art red on white pc Aug 2, 1952 Space Patrol photo light green pc Aug 9, 1952 Groucho Marx photo red pc Aug 16, 1952 Roxanne of Beat the Clock photo pink pc Aug 23, 1952 Garry Moore photo orange on white pc Aug 30, 1952 John Daly of What’s My Line? photo green pc Sep 6, 1952 Don McNeill photo red Chic Sep 13, 1952 Larry Storch photo orange Chic Sep 20, 1952 Oliver J. Dragon photo light blue pc Sep 27, 1952 Margaret Truman photo pink on black pc Oct 4, 1952 Marilyn Monroe photo orange on white pc Oct 11, 1952 Bob Murphy photo green pc Oct 18, 1952 Luigi photo orange pc Oct 25, 1952 Eve Arden of Our Miss Brooks photo pink pc Nov 1, 1952 Arthur Godfrey photo-art red-orange Chic Nov 8, 1952 Ozzie & Harriet & Ricky & David photo blue pc Nov 15, 1952 Fred Waring photo light green pc Nov 22, 1952 Marion Marlowe & Frank Parker photo purple Chic Nov 29, 1952 Eddie Cantor photo brown Chic Dec 6, 1952 Perry Como photo red pc Dec 13, 1952 Carmelita Pope photo blue pc Dec 20, 1952 many shows photo montage red on white pc Dec 27, 1952 1953 calendar / TV couples photo montage light green pc 1953 Jan 3, 1953 Jackie Gleason photo montage dark orange pc Jan 10, 1953 TV Awards photo-art m gold pc Jan 17, 1953 Ed Sullivan photo montage red pc Jan 24, 1953 Great TV Cowboys photo-art m blue pc Jan 31, 1953 Mary Hartline of Super Circus photo red pc Feb 7, 1953 Davey or Galivan? Boxers photo montage brown pc Feb 14, 1953 Kukla- Fran & Ollie photo montage red Great Lakes Feb 21, 1953 Johnny Coons photo blue Great Lakes Feb 28, 1953 Eddie Fisher & Julius La Rosa photo purple Great Lakes Mar 7, 1953 Jimmy Durante art orange pc Mar 14, 1953 Wally Cox as Mr. Peepers photo brown Great Lakes Forecast and Guide Mar 20, 1953 Wayne Griffin- Operation Foxhole photo blue-green Chic Guide and Forecast Mar 27, 1953 Patti Page photo dark orange Great Lakes Guide and Forecast Becomes TV Guide- a national publication

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