DirecTV Drops G4 From Channel Line-Up

[Pardus]

Article

DirecTV has pulled G4 from the channel line-up following an end of negotiations between DirecTV and G4 parent company Comcast. According to DirecTV, G4 was removed from the channel list after the latest Nielsen data revealed it to be among the lowest rated networks.

G4 was originally launched back in 2002, initially geared to be a competitor for TechTV (formerly ZDTV) focusing on “the gaming lifestyle” and technology news. G4 eventually purchased TechTV and consolidated much of the programming from it’s former competitor, although it eventually strayed to a format mostly consisting of re-runs of COPS and Ninja Warrior. The only original show from either network to survive the merger was X-Play, which continues to be one of the highest-rated shows left on the dwindling network.

The trainwreck of G4 has been playing out for many years, especially as the focus shifted from gamers and techies to attempting to compete with the ”male-oriented” Spike channel. As they’ve abandoned their original fanbase in some perplexing programming choices, is it any wonder that the network is failing? Will anyone even lament the absence of G4 on DirecTV?

 

[mcmilljb]

That channel just gets worse and worse. I would not miss it if TWC took it away. It would take a lot of work to save that channel.

 

[BoomerD]

I agree.

 

[Kirby]

I'd rather watch QVC.

Bring back TechTV!

 

[0roo0roo]

learning the lesson of scott pilgrim..
geeks are now shitty audience.

 

[indamixx99]

I'd rather watch QVC.

Bring back TechTV!

Bring back Leo Laporte!

 

[Hubes]

There is honestly one show on that network worth watching, AOTS, and thats because there is often a hot chick hosting. Besides that G4 is crap.

 

[Crono]

I used to watch The Screen Savers back when TechTV was separate. Decent show, and it's one of the things that got me more interested in computers and customization at that time (first PC build for me was back in 2005 when I joined AT).

G4 has been awful, though. It's amazing how dumbed-down much of cable TV has become in the past 5-10 years. Not that it was a beacon of intelligence before that, of course, but more programs have become unwatchable for me. Maybe it's just me maturing (lol), but I doubt it's just that.

Anyway, I won't shed a tear if G4 disappears completely.

 

[Anonemous]

I miiss AOTS!

 

[Anubis]

kind of a repost but IDK why it was posted in the console gaming forum

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2116335

also as i said in the other thread i agree with DTV

 

[tRaptor]

At first I was kinda sad to hear this, but then I realized I just never watch it, I do watch cops on G4 occasionally, but not enough to make me sad to see it go.

 

[lupi]

Cable around here has it only on the upper tier digital package and I imagine that's how it is with most of the networks...so exactly what ratings are they supposed to get.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Where will I watch Ninja Warrior and Cheaters!?!

 

[PottedMeat]

and nothing of value was lost :awe:

what definitely won't happen - "DirecTV lowers rates accordingly due to dropped channel"

 

[dfuze]

That channel has certainly gone down hill. I agree and think trying to compete with Spike is what killed it, especially since with Spike I can get that on my basic cable rather than pay extra for G4 on another tier. Not worth the extra $$ for 2 shows.

 

[Fritzo]

It was cool, but then it turned into "How many shows can we put together geeks and soft core porn can we make?"

Why can't they make a channel that pretty much does the same thing Gizmodo and Engadget do- like a 24 hour tech channel? That's what G4 should have been.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Does this make room for AMC HD?

 

[ussfletcher]

I watch G4 occasionally because they have some neat shows. What I really don't understand is why they still replay episodes of Cheat! from years ago, or why that show ever even existed, when all they do is look up the cheats online anyway.

 

[olds]

I miss Leo and TechTV.

 

[NFS4]

I miss Leo and TechTV.

Yup, Leo and Kate were the best. We used to watch it on satellite in the "tech room" of the mom and pop computer shop I used to work at in high school. Ahh, those were the days

 

[thescreensavers]

G4 sucks everyone knows this. No value in cops reruns for 16 hours of the day.

Finally they dropped G4. But it also makes me sad that comcrap and Vulcan ventures royally fucked everything up.

Techtv was the reason I got more into computers as well and when I discovered AT since they showed their reviews and stuff.

I was lucky enough to see the June 30th 2004 show in person. But this was after the merger and the network was called "G4Techtv" and leo was gone.

Patrick was there, talked to him a bit but I was 13 so did not talk too much lol. I got a ton of extra memorabilia they had laying around that was going to be thrown out.

 

[Anubis]

yea i discovered AT from TSS as well they were talking about oldschool AMD OCing

 

[darkewaffle]

I didn't think G4 was that bad for a period after the merger even. Once it started playing Ninja Warrior / Cops / Cheaters all day it really went down hill, but the weekend movies aren't too bad. I miss Icons / Codemonkeys / Unscrewed with Martin Sargent the most.

AotS is still worth watching at least, Kevin's really matured into a decent host and Olivia is gorgeous. Same can be said of Xplay and Adam/Morgan.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Was that the channel that aired 'Movies that Don't Suck'? They showed some decent flicks but never in HD which was always disappointing actually.

 

[meltdown75]

..