When a prominent 55-year-old magazine is sold, in its entirety, for less than the price of a single issue, does it have a chance at survival?

On April 3, 1953, TV Guide landed on newsstands, with a cover photograph of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball’s baby boy, Desi IV. It soon became a fixture of American culture.

In 1988, TV Guide was sold to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation for about $3 billion. In 2000, it was sold for $9.2 billion. Last week, TV Guide once again changed hands. This time, the selling price was one dollar.

TV Guide has fallen far since its glory days. In 1980, it sold almost 20 million copies a week. Now, it has a circulation of 3.2 million.

The magazine has faltered editorially, too. Scott Crystal is now chief executive of TV Guide Magazine. Three years ago, as TV Guide publisher, Mr. Crystal oversaw the introduction of the magazine Inside TV, which failed.

TV Guide magazine plans to start the new Web site early in the new year. It will not have TV listings.