This is actually something that has been bothering me now for the last couple of years. I remember back in 2002 when a TV cable network named “G4: the Network for Gamers” was launched and I thought it was the greatest idea since amateur porn on the internet. Here it was a TV station dedicated solely to video games and the culture that surrounds it. Needless to say when my TV was on, it was tuned to G4. I watched everything; from a show comprised of video game “cut-scenes” called “Cinematech” to the topical video game news show called “G4TV”. I even watched a video game “game show” from the 1980’s called “Starcade”, which is actually one of the funniest TV shows ever. I was all set. I had found the perfect TV network. But just like a loaf of bread, G4 slowly started to deteriorate with time. Much like the downfall of another cable network named MTV, G4 shifted their programming away from the viewers it was meant for and started airing shows in hope of capturing a broader audience.

The main reason that G4 is now about half as cool as it use to be is that whoever is running the network feels it’s necessary to provide programming that has nothing to do with video games. I don’t understand this. When G4 first started it was called “G4: The Network for Gamers.” And now to reiterate again; THE CHANNEL HAS SHOWS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH VIDEO GAMES! It’s kind of like if C-SPAN all of sudden started showing reruns of “Walker Texas Ranger”. Don’t get me wrong. Chuck Norris kicks ass, but there’s no reason to sandwich an episode of “WTR” between a Senate hearing on the Patriot Act.

Listed below are programs you will find on G4: “the Network for Gamers?” daily. What these shows have to do with video games I have no idea. But instead of thinking about it until either my head explodes or I throw my TV out the window, I’ve provided what channels these shows should be on.

(Actually this show is so terribly bad that its good – the episode where the host Joey Greco gets stabbed should be in the Radio & Television Hall of Fame.)

G4 still has a lot of good shows on its network like: “Icons” “Gamemakers” “Cinematech” “Attack of the Show” and “X-Play”, but I miss “G4TV.com”. Well, really I just miss Tina Wood who was the show’s co-host. “Attack of the Show” and “X-Play” are very informative and good at keeping a gamer up to date on what’s going on in the computer/video game industry, but the only problem I have with these shows is that the “On-Air” talent is so over-the-top on everything that listening to them is comparable to a group of teenage girls on cell phones. Alert!: Kevin Pereira (Co-Host of “Attack of the Show”) You can’t act and you’re not funny. Alert!: Adam Sessler (Co-Host of “X-Play”) You also can’t act and are not funny. And what are you like 50 years-old? Alert!: Morgan Webb (Co-Host of “X-Play”) You are……really hot! But like most hot girls that is your only talent. These are still good shows. I just wish they would tone down the lame antics they feel they need to throw into every show to fill content.

Looking back I know that G4 will never return to the way it was when it first premiered. And I understand that that’s because of the way the TV business just works, old shows run their duration and eventually get canceled. But usually new shows appear that are made for the target audience of that specific network. However, G4 has taken the path of collecting cheap crappy programs from the cable wasteland and trying to pass them off as fresh and interesting. Do the powers that be at G4 just not respect the interests of the average gamer? Or do they just not care as long as they sell more advertising? G4 was originally made with the notion of a TV network for gamers. What a concept! And how wonderful it use to be.

Comments (5)

...
written by Will, July 31, 2006

G4TV is owned by G4 Media, Inc.

That "inc." means incorporated which means that G4 Media is a corporation and is divided into shares.

The law is that a company must do what is best for the shareholders, absolutely must, within the law.

In this case, it would be to air more generic shows to attract a wider (possibly stupider) audience so that their ratings are higher. Then, they can sell more adverts, as you pointed out.

So yes, yes they *are* only interested in selling more adverts, because they are bound by law to try to do this!

The only way that you can change the programming is if people just stop watching the shows! That, or, I guess you could bribe the AC Neilson Families (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nielsen_Ratings) into not watching the shows you don't like.

In New Zealand where I learned media, there are only 470 Neilson families, so I guess they'd be easier to bribe

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by danzuke (NetPhantom), August 01, 2006

Look at the big brain on Will!!

That's right Will, you're a smart motherf***er!


(pulp fiction reference in case anyone missed it and thinks I'm just talking shit)

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by Greshkov, August 01, 2006

damn smart kiwi

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by Will, August 01, 2006

Haha, Kiwi's aren't smart (I'm a bad-teethed limey); I lived there for a couple of years and got to witness the horror's of their new education system ("reformed" the year before). It's called NCEA if you'd like to wiki the pain.

Metric 'Royale' burger sizes FTW!

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by Greshkov, August 02, 2006

"Haha, Kiwi’s aren’t smart (I’m a bad-teethed limey)"
well then, that makes perfect sense.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

Add Comment