TV Guide will resume listing CW and MTV in their February 9 issue, a source at the struggling magazine confirmed to wowOwow. TV Guide caused a controversy two weeks ago when it mysteriously dumped the two high-profile networks, and TV Guide’s Publishing Group President Scott Crystal claimed there simply wasn’t room left to list the two channels.

"There are now hundreds of channels on television and we can only accommodate approximately 70 in our primetime grids," he e-mailed the Philadelphia Inquirer. "In the past few weeks, the following networks have not appeared in the grids: MTV, CW, DIY and TV Guide Network."

But why would TV Guide drop a broadcast network like CW, not to mention a popular cable channel like MTV from its scheduling grids while retaining more obscure channels like, say, MyNet, Ion and QVC? Variety suggested that QVC was included because the Home Shopping Network was a major advertiser. They also speculated that the TV Guide reader is older than your MTV or CW viewer — saying that the magazine’s audience may not care when "The Hills" or "Gossip Girl" airs. But that’s not really the case:

Actually, given the aging demographics of TV Guide’s readers — and the fact that most young TV viewers access listings via their set-top box — the decision to focus on channels that appeal to older demos perhaps is a plausible explanation. (But not a complete one — channels such as teen-oriented the N and kid-friendly Toon Disney are still included). But if TV Guide is turning its back on younger viewers, that wouldn’t explain why this week’s issue contains a story about the CW’s "Smallville."

We don’t know why the magazine is changing course again. Reader reaction? Bad press? TV Guide’s editor-in-chief and Publishing Group president did not return our immediate calls. We will update you with any further developments.

Click here to read the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Click here to read Variety.

Update: Scott Crystal, president and CEO of TV Guide Magazine, sent us the following statement: 

After a recent test period, the CW and MTV will be returning to TV Guide Magazine’s primetime listings grids with the February 9th issue. From time to time, the network listings in this section will shift in the form of additions and/or deletions. TV Guide Magazine continually evaluates the magazine’s various sections and features in order to provide the best in television entertainment coverage for our loyal readers.

Crystal also took time to reply to all readers who wrote in about the CW/MTV brouhaha.