| G4 | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Current Logo | |
| Launched | April 24, 2002 |
| Owned by | G4 Media (a majority-owned subsidiary of Comcast) |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
| Slogan | -TV 4 Gamers -VideoGame TV -TV That's Plugged In |
| Country | United States |
| Language | American English |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Formerly called | G4techTV |
| Replaced | TechTV ZDTV |
| Sister channel(s) | G4 Canada E! Style Network Golf Channel Versus Comcast SportsNet |
| Website | http://www.g4tv.com |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | Channel 310 Channel 1310 (video on demand) |
| Dish Network | Channel 191 |
| Cable | |
| Verizon FiOS | 191 |
| Available on many cable systems | Check local listings for channel numbers |
| IPTV | |
| AT&T U-Verse | 149 (SD) 1149 (HD) |
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared toward male viewers aged 12–28, devoted to the world of video games. More recently, the channel has diverted its focus to general-interest programming that targets male viewers aged 17–36, although video games are still represented by the channel.
G4, launched on April 24, 2002,[1] is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States, and owned by G4 Media, a majority-owned subsidiary of Comcast.[2]
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G4 was initially created by Comcast and Insight Communications.[3] The initial concept was to create a service similar to TechTV but "geared more toward MTV's demographics". The network was launched with thirteen original series, however, during the first week of airing, on Comcast's digital service, the video game Pong was shown. It featured the screen of a Pong board, with a game being played out. This was repeated until the channel's first shows premiered.
The launch shows[4] consisted of:
G4 was originally led by Charles Hirschhorn,[5] a former president of Walt Disney Television and Television Animation. He expected video game creators themselves to eventually produce programming for the network. He envisioned that G4 could follow in the footsteps of MTV which in his opinion provided music video producers with a venue for non-traditional television programming.[6] Hirschhorn intended G4 to become a vehicle for unconventional advertising. In 2002, G4 offered advertisers wide latitude to place their products on G4's programs, and even allowing their commercials to appear as if they're a part of the program.[7] G4 also offered what was called a "2 minute unit" which was an advertising package played as if it were part of a G4 program that was long enough to run an entire movie trailer. G4 also offered to sell the right to have a game showcased on the show "Pulse".[8]
On March 25, 2004, Vulcan Inc. sold TechTV to G4 Media which merged both channels to become G4techTV.[9] The original TechTV production facilities located in San Francisco, California, were closed and the merged network headquarters consolidated in Los Angeles. Hirschhorn headed the combined entity.
On February 15, 2005, less than a year after the merger, the letters, "TechTV", were officially dropped from the channel's name in the U.S. and the channel became known again as G4.[10] However, on the network's affiliate in Canada, the "TechTV" letters remained a part of the name until mid-2009, when the channel was renamed G4 Canada.
In September 2005, Neal Tiles[11] replaced Hirschhorn as the channel's president. Tiles had previously been a senior marketing executive at DirecTV, Fox Sports and ESPN.[12]
On May 6, 2006, Variety, the entertainment-trade magazine, reported,
"Now, under the aegis of Comcast and new president Neal Tiles, G4 is evolving into a lifestyle channel, peppered with videogame culture, as opposed to wall-to-wall games." 'We're going through a change. Guys like to play games, but not necessarily watch a bunch of shows with games on the screen,' Tiles says. 'So what we're doing now is expanding G4 from a network solely defined by videogames to one inspired by them.'"[13]
In 2007, G4, in association with Earth911,[14] launched an electronic- waste-recycling campaign called Gcycle.[15]
In June 2008, G4 launched G4 Rewind. This block showed older episodes of X-Play, Judgment Day, Cheat, G4tv.com, Arena, Portal, G4's Training Camp and GameMakers. G4 Rewind was eventually dropped due to the inability of the dated gaming content to attract significant ratings,[16] however G4 Rewind returned in Daytime reruns for older episodes of X-Play until January 2010. In May 2009 G4's website was completely redesigned with a more prominent role of gaming as the intended purpose.[17] Since the redesign of the website, G4's blog, TheFeed, has been overhauled as well.[18] On July 31 a new web video game discussion series, TheFeed: Nightcap debuted.[19] On August 28, 2009 TheFeed Nightcap debuted as Feedback.[20]
Comcast, the parent company of both G4 and E! television channels, announced on October 12, 2006, that it would consolidate its west coast entertainment operations, including G4, E! and Style into a new group headed by Ted Harbert, who had formerly run the E! channel. It was announced that the upper management of the G4 channel would relocate to the E! channel's Los Angeles office.[21] On March 4, 2007, it was announced that the G4 Studios in Santa Monica, California, would close on April 15. Production of G4 programs was relocated to the studios of the E! channel elsewhere in the Los Angeles area. As a consequence, many G4 employees involved in production were terminated. The sets of G4's original programs were also redesigned to fit within the new smaller spaces allocated to them.
Harbert gave his opinion at the time that the focus of the channel on "gaming has been demonstrated as being too narrow." He also gave assurances that while G4 might change, it would not become extinct.[22][23] Design Studios Onesize and yU+Co teamed up to rebrand the G4 network as part of the transition.[24]
On February 17, 2009, it was reported that G4 intended to cut back its original content programming. X-Play would be reduced to three nights a week while Attack of the Show! would be cut to four nights a week. Consequently, a number of the staff and production crew involved in the shows would be laid off. Neal Tiles announced that Layla Kayleigh's contract will not be renewed and in April, she left G4.[25][26]
The numerous changes to the network's programming brought on a storm of criticism from longtime TechTV/G4 fans across the internet, many[27] claiming that the channel has strayed too far from its gaming and technology roots, and accuse the channel of solely relying on shows like X-Play and Attack of the Show!. With most of the remaining G4 original shows having been severely altered, many saw this as G4's ongoing attempt to be a competitor to other male-oriented networks such as Spike,[28][29] thus losing any unique identity.[30] The merger and the attempt at male-oriented appeal[31] caused negative reaction on the fanbase's end.
G4 HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast of G4 that launched on December 8, 2008. It is carried on AT&T U-verse [32] and Verizon FiOS It is slowly making its way to other cable providers including Cablevision, who began carrying the channel on June 29, 2009.[33]
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