TV Guide Inc., New York, has formed TV Guide Direct, a new division, which will sell products and services through direct response and e-commerce. The unit is based in New York.
John Lappegaard, formerly president of Foster & Gallagher’s Spring Hill group, has been appointed executive VP and general manager of the new division.
“We see this as an opportunity to apply database software [technology] and use the information we can gather from that to understand our subscriber file and use that knowledge to profitably enter certain merchandise lines,” Lappegaard said.
The TV Guide media platforms, which reach more than 60 million people each week, include TV Guide Magazine, TV Guide Channel, TV Guide Interactive and TV Guide Online.
Lappegaard was not willing to discuss specific programs. A spokesman confirmed that marketing plans will not be limited to TV Guide-branded products or television entertainment, nor “will it be limited to targeting those 60 million.”
Plans call for forming partnerships with manufacturers and licensees in various categories.
TV Guide Inc. was recently formed through the combination of United Video Satellite Group and TV Guide.
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