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                                                                 EXHIBIT 10.16



                                   March 29, 1999


[Name]
[Address]

     Re:  Consulting Services, Termination and Release of Employment

Dear ______:

     This will confirm that we have agreed to the following in connection with
your resignation as a director, officer and employee of Source Media, Inc., and
each of its direct and indirect subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company"):

     1. Resignation; Vacation. You have advised us of, and you hereby confirm,
your resignation as a director, officer and employee of the Company effective as
of the later of (i) the date of execution of definitive documents relating to
the transactions substantially upon the terms contemplated by the Letter of
Intent dated February 11, 1999 between the Company, Prevue Ventures, Inc. and
United Video Satellite Group, Inc., and (ii) May 1, 1999, but in no event later
than May 28, 1999 (the "Effective Date"). Accordingly, effective as of the
Effective Date, you shall no longer be a director or a member of any committee
thereof, an officer or an employee of the Company and, therefore, you are not
entitled after the Effective Date to any salary or other benefits from the
Company, except as otherwise specifically provided herein.

     2. Consulting Obligations. The Company desires to retain your services as a
consultant after the Effective Date, and hereby engages you for a period (the
"Consulting Period") commencing on the Effective Date through and including
January 31, 2000 as a consultant of the Company to consult with and advise the
directors, officers and employees of the Company from time to time, as and when
requested upon reasonable prior notice, with respect to any matters relating to
the Company's business, provided that the amount of consulting time to be
devoted by you shall not unreasonably interfere with your ability to secure or
maintain alternative full-time employment, or with other business or personal
activities, during the Consulting Period.

     3. Consulting Payments. In consideration of your agreement to act as a
consultant, the Company hereby agrees to pay you during the Consulting Period at
a rate equal to your


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[Name]
Page 2
March 29, 1999

current base salary, at the same payment intervals and otherwise in accordance
with the Company's standard practices as in effect from time to time. The
Company shall reimburse you for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by
you which relate to your consulting services.

     4. Health Insurance. The Company shall continue your current health care
benefits through the date which is the second anniversary of the Effective Date.
If the Company is unable to provide such health care benefits to you at any time
during such two-year period, the Company shall reimburse you for costs incurred
by you in obtaining health care benefit comparable to those currently provided
to you by the Company.

     5. Stock Options. Notwithstanding the provisions of any agreement between
you and the Company, any and all options for stock of the Company which you
currently hold shall become exercisable in full as of the Effective Date, and
may be exercised at any time prior to the expiration of the related "Option
Period" stated in such agreement notwithstanding any termination or other
cessation of your employment or other engagement by the Company. An additional
option to purchase 16,666 shares of the Company's Common Stock is hereby granted
to you pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement in the form attached as Exhibit A.
The Company agrees that the foregoing previously and newly granted options will
be fully and irrevocably vested as of the Effective Date and that,
notwithstanding any option or other agreement to the contrary (including without
limitation the provisions of any stock option agreements or stock option plans),
such options shall not be subject to termination or cancellation (neither shall
you forfeit such options nor shall the Company be entitled to recoup the
economic value thereof) except in the event of a material violation of
paragraphs 2 and 9 of this letter agreement; provided, however, that any
previously granted options shall not be subject to termination or cancellation
(nor shall you forfeit such options nor shall the Company be entitled to recoup
the economic value thereof) in the event of a material violation of paragraph 2
of this Agreement. You shall not be deemed to be in material violation of either
paragraph 2 or 9 of this Agreement unless (a) you have first received written
notice of such material violation (specifying in detail the specific basis for
the Company's belief that you have engaged in such a material violation) and (b)
you have not cured such violation within thirty (30) days after receiving such
written notice of material violation; provided, however, that the Company shall
not send you such written notice of material violation unless the Board of
Directors shall have first voted approval of such written notice at a meeting
which you (and your counsel, if you so desire) shall be permitted to attend and
be heard on the subject of such material violation. The Company represents that
the newly granted options described above, as well as the provisions of this
paragraph, have been approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors of the Company and/or such other Committee(s) as may be necessary to
approve the newly granted options or the provisions of this paragraph.

     6. Release. In consideration of your continued engagement by the Company as
a consultant and the aforesaid payments and benefits to be granted to you, you
hereby release and forever discharge the Company, its affiliates, officers,
directors, agents, employees, successors and assigns from any and all claims,
demands, actions, liabilities, damages or rights of any kind


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[Name]
Page 3
March 29, 1999

whether known or unknown that you have, have ever had, or may have through the
date of this letter agreement including but not limited to those arising out of
or related to your employment or resignation from employment with the Company;
provided, that the foregoing shall not apply to any claims for indemnification,
claims arising out of this letter agreement, or claims for reimbursement of
expenses incurred prior to the date hereof, or claims for any vested benefits
under any employee benefit plan of the Company. You further understand and agree
that you will not institute or authorize any other party governmental or
otherwise, to institute any administrative or legal proceeding seeking
compensation or damages on your behalf against the Company or any of its
officers, directors, agents, employees, successors or assigns relating to or
arising out of any aspect of your employment or your resignation therefrom. The
Company releases and forever discharges you from any and all claims, demands,
actions, liabilities, damages or rights of any kind whether known or unknown
that the Company has, has ever had, or may have through the date of this letter
agreement, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to any claims that may be
the result of your gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with
your employment by the Company (provided that the Company represents that it is
presently unaware of the existence of any such claims). This release is intended
to extend to and include, but not be limited to, any claims arising under Title
VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 2000e, et seq., the Age
Discrimination Employment Act, 24 U.S.C. Section 621, et seq., the Americans
with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 12101, et seq., and any other
applicable federal or state law, as well as any common law, contract, quasi
contract or tort claims.

     7. Independent Contractor Status; Return of Property. Effective beginning
on the Effective Date and through the Consulting Period, you shall be deemed for
all purposes herein an independent contractor for the Company and nothing herein
shall create, or shall be intended to create, an employment relationship between
you and the Company. Accordingly, you shall have no authority to, and shall not,
speak about or on behalf of the Company. Furthermore, you hereby acknowledge
that all records, files, data, documents and/or equipment or other matter (in
whatever form) and all copies thereof relating to the business of the Company
which you have prepared, used or came into contact with shall be and remain the
sole property of the Company and shall not be either duplicated and/or removed
from its place or places of business. You shall be permitted to remove only your
personal effects from the Company's premises.

     8. Nondisparagement; Cooperation in Litigation; Indemnification;
Confidentiality; References; Press Release. You hereby agree you will not make
any statements, public or otherwise, relating to the Company or its affiliates,
including, without limitation, to the financial press and financial analysts or
by means of electronic communication (i.e., over the Internet or similar mediums
for communication), you will not engage in any conduct or make any statements
which are critical of the Company or its affiliates, you will not disclose any
information about the Company or its affiliates which is confidential or which
could be deemed confidential or private or sensitive in nature. You will
cooperate fully and assist the Company to the best of your abilities (upon
reasonable notice and not requiring an amount of time inconsistent with your
ability to secure or maintain alternative employment or to engage in other


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[Name]
Page 4
March 29, 1999

business or personal activities) in connection with any pending or subsequent
legal matter or proceedings involving, directly or indirectly, your role or
actions as director, officer or employee of the Company. The Company agrees (to
the fullest extent possible under existing law) to indemnify you and hold you
harmless, and to provide you with a defense at the Company's expense, against
any and all claims brought against you in any way related to or arising out of
the execution of your duties and responsibilities on behalf of the Company under
this Consulting Agreement, exclusive of claims arising out of your gross
negligence or wilful misconduct in the performance of your duties hereunder.
Both the Company and you acknowledge and agree that all the terms of this
Agreement are important and are to be kept confidential, and shall not be
disclosed except as required by law. When requested to do so by you, the Company
shall give a reference to prospective employers in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit B. The Company shall obtain your approval of any press release to be
issued relating to the subject matter of this letter, which approval shall not
be unreasonably withheld.

     9. Post-Employment Restrictions. During the Consulting Period, you will
not, directly or indirectly:

         a. engage in direct competition with the business of the company or the
joint venture referenced in paragraph 1 hereof (the "Joint Venture") as it
exists as of the Effective Date or at any time during the Consulting Period; or

         b. induce any employees, consultants or other paid consultants of the
Company or the Joint Venture to cease their employment or other relationship
with the Company or the Joint Venture; or

         c. adversely affect the relationship of the Company or the Joint
Venture with any of its customers, associates, consultants or employees.

     10. Miscellaneous. If a dispute concerning this Agreement shall arise, such
dispute will be resolved by applying the laws of the State of New York without
regard to its conflict of law provisions, and any cause of action for breach of
this Agreement shall be brought in any state or federal court located in the
State of New York, you having hereby waived any claim that this is not a
convenient forum. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between
the parties and no waiver or modification of the terms hereof shall be valid
unless in writing signed by the party to be charged and only to the extent
therein set forth. Your rights and obligations hereunder are personal in nature
and this Agreement may not be assigned by you to any other party.



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[Name]
Page 5
March 29, 1999

     If the foregoing confirms your understanding and Agreement, please
countersign the enclosed copy of this letter and deliver same to the
undersigned.


                                  Very truly yours,


                                  SOURCE MEDIA, INC.



                                  By:
                                      ---------------------
                                      Stephen W. Palley
                                      Chief Executive Officer



AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED BY:


[Signature]
[Name]