DirecTV dumps G4 due to low viewer base

[buzz_n64]

Ha! That's what they get for all that non-gaming crap and cops reruns!
VG247- http://www.vg247.com/2010/11/02/directv-dumps-g4-due-to-low-viewer-base/

[portnoyd]

Did anyone ever watch G4? I know I never bothered.

[Bojay1997]

While G4 has always been a low rated network, this dispute is mostly over carriage fees. Basically, G4/Comcast wanted too much for each DirecTV subscriber and DirecTV had no interest in paying the fees requested. I occasionally watch G4, but I really have never understood the business model as the advertising at least here in Los Angeles is always for trade schools, weird insurance or law office ads and other low end advertising that can't possibly be all that profitable.

[Matt-El]

I watched it for some stuff. E3 live and stuff. So, yeah I watched it and am a DirecTV customer at this time. so, uh, yeah it sucks. Maybe if they'd start going after their main demographic (gamers) maybe it wouldn't have had low viewership? Like, I know the first thing that I wanna do when I wanna watch video game shows, is "Cheaters" or "Cops".:hmm:

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Did anyone ever watch G4? I know I never bothered.

When G4 launched and it was legitimately a 100% gaming centric network I would tune in daily for all sorts of stuff from blocks of Starcade reruns to funny original programs like Portal.

When they dropped any/all game related productions/broadcasts except for The Screen Savers (which became Attack of the Show) and X-Play, I like many many others tuned out. Permanently. Those shows are well produced and have likable personalities ... but the rest of the broadcast schedule (Cops, Cheaters, Star Trek The Next Generation, Ninja Warrior, etc. reruns) isn't even worth keeping on for background noise.

[jonebone]

I'm a DirecTV subscriber and video game enthusiast, yet I don't think I've ever watched anything other than Ninja Warrior on G4. Sure I'm all for having another channel in my lineup, but it's not going to make or break my programming package either.

[jb143]

So...do they give you some other channel instead? Or a discount? Or do you now pay the same amount for 1 less channel? Just curious.

[Snapple]

I'm still bitter over Comcast destroying TechTV, which was a damn good channel.

And then G4 stopped being about games entirely anyway. They kept trying to find whatever stupid way to look hip as they could, cobbling together shows about gaming with sex shows with drift racing... crap that no single person would go to the same channel for. It's all spear-headed by Attack of the Show, which is a show about nothing with no direction and actually has the balls to try and trace its lineage back to the Screen Savers.

Minus the loss of jobs, I wouldn't shed a tear if G4 studios were destroyed by a meteor.

[portnoyd]

So...do they give you some other channel instead? Or a discount? Or do you now pay the same amount for 1 less channel? Just curious.

You're a funny guy.

[jb143]

Well, they're doing something similar with Dish Network and Fox Sports channels or something to that effect that got a lot of people upset. If you tune into those channels you get a screen saying that you can watch these that have added in their place instead.

Seems that if someone pays for a "top 100 channel package" (or whatever) and now you're only getting 99 then people would complain...whether that channel was worth watching or not.

[Baloo]

I haven't watched G4 since about 2004. Back then they had some really great gamer shows, but it slowly went downhill as they put on less and less gamer programming.

Last time I checked G4 it was a really, really shitty channel that shows Cops and Cheaters, and that was at least 2007-ish. Ninja Warrior was the only redeeming thing.

[djbeatmongrel]

I don't have direct tv and i stopped watching g4 after they destroyed techtv. I think this is for the best. Hell Olivia Munn seem to have abandoned ship atleast somewhat since she's been doing bits for the Daily Show.

[diskoboy]

Lately, the only thing I've seen running on G4 was the Back To The Future trilogy.

I gave up on G4 when they quit airing Starcade and Icons.

[exit]

I remember reading about a year ago or so that they started airing Arrested Development, I'm guessing that didn't last very long, they must have thought it was a Cops spin off or something. Seriously tho, I've never watched G4 and never plan to either. Sounds like G4 could easily be competition for Adult Swim and draw some of that crowd in. I'm sure if they started airing "adult programming" and tons of Anime late night, it could actually gain some viewers.

But I guess that's just too logical of an idea.

[Enigmus]

I've seen The Screen Savers: fucking awesome.

I've seen that Attack crap: fucking stupid.

I've seen the rest of the channel as it is today: DirecTV subscribers are frigging lucky, now they have a space open for a channel that's actually coherent. :roll:

To be honest, I only watch them during E3. Otherwise, I forget it even exists. G4's just a textbook case of the higher-ups not getting the point and being led around like stray dogs by the marketing team. It's like they can't let go of the vastly shrunken hardcore market. It's sad, really.

[scooterb23]

First, G4... next Spike. Go DirecTV, go!

[The 1 2 P]

I remember back in the day when G4 actually played video gaming program. I know, it's crazy. Kind of like how MTV use to actually play "music tv".

[exit]

First, G4... next Spike. Go DirecTV, go!

Hey as long as Spike continues to show The Ultimate Fighter and free UFC fights on there, I'm happy just the way they are.

[NE146]

A lot of people miss Tech TV/ ZDTV, but I also miss the original G4tv.

The merging of the two was the beginning of the end for both the networks pretty much.

[diskoboy]

A lot of people miss Tech TV/ ZDTV, but I also miss the original G4tv.

The merging of the two was the beginning of the end for both the networks pretty much.

Aside from Call For Help, I hated Tech TV.

In it's later years, it basically became the template from CNBC and Fox Business. It was just tech stocks and business news practically the other 22 hours it was on the air.

[BHvrd]

People still watch TV??!!

[Greg2600]

I'm still waiting for G4 in HD on Fios. The problem with the network is the non-stop Cops and Campus PD crap.

[kupomogli]

Did anyone ever watch G4? I know I never bothered.

I used to watch it for reasons everyone already listed.


People still watch TV??!!

And this. I watch Dexter though. That's the last thing I've watched in the past six weeks other than streaming Netflix.

[todesengel]

And nothing of value was lost.

[pseudonym]

G4TV was never really that good anyway.

[Rob2600]

People still watch TV??!!

People are still buying TVs, so yes.

[retroman]

i still watch it for xplay, and attack of the show, and the e3 specials

[InsaneDavid]

I'm still bitter over Comcast destroying TechTV, which was a damn good channel.

That was Paul Allen technically, not Comcast.

[JSoup]

I stopped watching G4 around the time they started doing episodes of Icons on crap that had nothing to do with video games.


People are still buying TVs, so yes.

There are uses for TVs outside of public programing you know. Video games, DVDs, etc.

[SegaAges]

G4 sucks really bad now. Back before they merged with TechTV, they were awesome. It was a channel where I could go to it any hour of the day, and have a video game network at my hands. Sure, they did not really have many shows, but the shows were awesome.

I really enjoyed when they had shows like arena and stuff. I actually learned about the game Burnout from that show because one of the things they competed on was crash mode in Burnout 2.

Their problem is that they play too many shitty shows. Cops and Cheaters are on all the time, and those shows, while cool for an episode or 2, really suck when it is 4 hours of cops and then 4 hours of cheaters. Who the fuck watches 4 hours of cops anyway?

[JSoup]

Who the fuck watches 4 hours of cops anyway?

The early 90's were a strange time. I can remember channels running Cops as part of the tail end of Saturday morning cartoons.

[Compute]

I probably would have watched G4 when I had cable, IF I didn't have to pay $40 more per month to get it. TWC here in WI is in denial that their losses of customers is at least partially due to people cutting cable. Maybe if the cable companies stop buying the channels, the media companies will finally listen and let us buy our channels a la carte, like we want.

[acem77]

i still watch it for xplay, and attack of the show, and the e3 specials


same here, but they have lost the main reason... its like they want to be main stream
for the typical douche bags.
It should just focused on the tech. It's like the few original people are too cool now
And forgot their geeky roots.

I still get a few good laughs here and there.
Better than nothing.. Hell I use to record nick arcade and gamepro tv back in the day....
Now that sucked big time but I was desperate to see any new games running in action and related news.

Then again I tried to recorded every video game commercial. like for sega cd, so I could go frame by frame to see the montage of games. It was a like a gift from the gods to snag 2-4 min CES news report from my local station..

[Kyle15]

I gave up when everything special about the network was thrown out. Cops and all that other crap did it in for me.

So yeah, not so surprising if that's really the reason why.

[Aussie2B]

Good riddance. Like the rest of you, I stop watching a long time ago, but there was a time in which I had the TV on TechTV/G4 quite frequently. Now it's a poor man's Spike, which definitely isn't saying much for it. And not only did the programming go straight down the crapper, I also found it more and more unpleasant to watch as a women, which I guess goes hand-in-hand with them becoming a "men's channel".

Even the couple shows they still play related to gaming have gone downhill (and it's not like X-Play was ever amazing or anything). On the very rare occasion in which I've caught X-Play in the last few years, I almost never see them covering anything I'm remotely interested in. And if they do review, say, a Japanese RPG, all they do is play some cheesy voice clip over and over, pretending that they've actually made a genuine attempt at humor, and of course not saying anything worthwhile about the game in the process. It's like X-Play was bad Youtube reviews before bad Youtube reviews existed.

And as corny and low-brow as it is, I'd rather watching something like Tosh.0 over that Attack of the Show dreck any day of the week if I feel like some geeky internet humor.

[betamax001]

I used to watch G4 alot around maybe 2006 or 2007 when I would be over at my grandparent's house overnight for the weekend. Long blocks of XPlay and that one show that showed game clips and trailers from a wide range were on constantly. I know I would watch it if the channel aired more stuff related to video games. I had the option of programming my favorite channels on our new Comcast DVR and I decided tastefully not to include G4, instead opting for IFCHD because they air blocks of Monty Python and Arrested Development quite often.

[james42519]

i remember when it was techtv. liked call for help,the screen savers and lot of other shows and remember when xplay was still extended play and thought that was better without all the humor they try. i never even heard of g4 till they merged. i kinda hoped it would stay g4techtv but kinda knew it would change and take everything techtv away but xplay. i liked the g4 rewind they had on tv few years ago and wish they went further back. they own all thee old shows don't they? it can't cost much to reair some at least or ever sell dvd or something. any time it is brought up about the old shows on the feedback on g4 site the guy that control's stuff says they were taken off because low viewers. they also say that is why techtv was having trouble with that which i don't see.

funny thing is g4 in canada is nothing like here and i would like to have that channel. leo laport even is still has shows there.

[Rob2600]

leo laport ever is still has shows there.

If you want Leo Laporte, go to http://twit.tv. He has a bunch of great weekly shows., including This Week in Tech, Windows Weekly, MacBreak Weekly, This Week in Google, etc.

[RCM]

I very much enjoyed G4 when it was first introduced to my cable system back in 2003 or 2004. Starcade was hilarious, and Cinematech was really useful considering I didn't have broadband or access to a lot of game footage back in the day. The other programming was solid too, but not spectacular. It’s probably telling that I name drop a cancelled show from the ‘80s as their best, heh. But still, I liked and watched it a lot, or at least put it on as background noise.

However, their deliberate intent to become a lifestyle channel for men (or boys?) is boring, and X-Play kind of amplifies everything wrong with videogame journalism and criticism. I have acquaintances and contacts at the network, so this isn’t faceless bashing, but it’s simply garbage from what I’ve encountered lately.

That’s not to say Spike (or anyone) offers some great alternative of how game TV should be. While I have nothing against him personally, it’s a pity that the highest profile game journo/tv personality (Geoff Keighley) is not much more than a very lucky corporate shill.

[james42519]

If you want Leo Laporte, go to http://twit.tv. He has a bunch of great weekly shows., including This Week in Tech, Windows Weekly, MacBreak Weekly, This Week in Google, etc.

yeah i know about that and www.revision3.com . i was just saying he was on a show on tv on g4 canada like call for help and lab with leo and have actual game shows. they have better shows since it is ran by rogers media still. G4 US is owned by G4 Media (a majority-owned subsidiary of Comcast)
canada
http://www.g4techtv.ca/static/schedule.shtml

US
http://g4tv.com/schedule/index.html

don't know but i would rather watch canada shows then what G4 has in US. they have a few shows we have but not on for hours at a time. the owner of G4 US said that what they are doing seems to be working for them but he don't think that would work here in the US because. everything comes down to ratings for him and some how G4 us is getting better ratings doing what they are doing now then what they had in the past some how.

those that don't remember extended play before it was xplay watch this. this was not bad now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aptUeTLV9BA
it was gamspot tv before that too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSIx7YBkv30
that is little choppy so linking this too to get a better idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZfjV5LE3Bk
i miss this.

[acem77]

yeah i know about that and www.revision3.com . i was just saying he was on a show on tv on g4 canada like call for help and lab with leo and have actual game shows. they have better shows since it is ran by rogers media still. G4 US is owned by G4 Media (a majority-owned subsidiary of Comcast)
canada
http://www.g4techtv.ca/static/schedule.shtml

US
http://g4tv.com/schedule/index.html

don't know but i would rather watch those shows then what G4 has here. they have a few shows we have but not on for hours at a time. the owner of G4 US said that what they are doing seems to be working for them but he don't think that would work here in the US because. everything comes down to ratings for him and some how G4 us is getting better ratings doing what they are doing now then what they had in the past some how.

those that don't remember extended play before it was xplay watch this. this was not bad now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aptUeTLV9BA
it was gamspot tv before that too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSIx7YBkv30
i miss this.


damn i want canadas show plan

[Collector_Gaming]

bringing this thread back cause i noticed a few things here

First off on G4 now a days.. The only original person out of the entire thing tech/ZDTV days and G4 days both is Adam Sessler of Xplay
he is the only veteran host.
Sad thing is they became as you guys pointed too straight arrow with their reviews. Its like you take that douche bag dude that takes one small thing and uses it as a motive to make things sound 10x worse then they really are

My favorite incarnation was the ZDTV days when the show was called Gamespot TV.... remember those days?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz5kvEKAKw0&feature=related
much friendlier setup and straight to the point and a much more broad reviews that show every good and bad instead of focusing on one bad and then make the game seem like crap just because of that

and yes i miss Screen Savers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvteeYjtfec&feature=related
from that side of the channels

and G4... well one thing i really miss is this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBxrrORdY1M
http://www.dianemizota.com/uploaded_images/Bingo-America-Diane-Mizota-749303.jpg
http://boondockfans.com/forum/img/smilies/smiley-wub.png

now a days its just cops and boring reality shows that aren't as cool as they use to be so we just blow them off and ignore them.

So does it surprise me G4's dying slowly?
not at all. and its their own damn fault for doing this
so... good bye g4