TCM To Cease Printing the Now Playing Guide

Since January 1997 Turner Classic Movies has published Now Playing,  the channel's programming guide and magazine devoted to classic film. Over the past twenty years Now Playing has offered its readers articles, behind-the-scene looks at TCM, rarely seen photos of classic movie stars, and much more. Sadly, TCM  is ceasing printing Now Playing. Its last print issue will be August 2017. Subscribers will receive a pro-rated refund based on the remaining balance of their subscriptions starting in July.

The print version of Now Playing is going to be replaced by a digital version of the magazine that one can receive through email. The good news about the digital version is that it will be entirely, totally free. The digital version of Now Playing will include a printable schedule, articles, photos, and so on. If you wish to subscribe to the digital version of Now Playing, you can do so here.

As sad as it may be, in some respects it is understandable why Turner Classic Movies is bringing the printed version of the Now Playing guide to an end. The past twenty years have not been kind to print media. Since the Nineties several major magazines have ceased publication, including Amazing Stories, Cinefantastique, Ladies Home Journal, McCall's, and The National Lampoon, among many others. Even given the enthusiasm of TCM fans for anything related to Turner Classic Movies, it seems possible that Now Playing fell victim to the same falling sales as many other print magazines.

While the end of the print version of Now Playing is certainly the end of an era, at least there will be a digital version to take its place. Many of us might well prefer a print version, but at least we will still have something to look forward to and read each month.