Why G4 TV isn’t about games anymore: Money |
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| BY Matthew Razak Mar. 27th, 2008 | More on: |
The first show I ever watched on G4 was Filter. I admit, I enjoyed it, as any top ten countdown involving games and a remotely attractive Asian woman is going to be enjoyable, but I also wondered how long could it go on for and still be watchable. I mean there were only so many countdowns the show could run through and still be interesting. This problem was kind of emblematic of the entire station though. Not enough content to keep on maintaining interest from the general public. Ratings plummeted and the station reformatted itself.
Now the station is on a 35 month role of increased ratings, according to G4’s President, Neal Tiles on G4’s Open Source page. This is because, he says, they aren’t solely focusing on games anymore, despite the eyer of many of the stations fans. In fact most of the gaming programming has been removed from G4 to allow for shows like Star Trek and Cops because it brings in bigger ratings. Tiles says that this does not mean that gaming will be removed completely from G4 and that the station is not becoming another Spike. After explaining that he wants G4 to be the television station for the “Xbox/YouTube/iPod generation,” Tiles then hit everyone who still had hopes of a station completely devoted to gaming with the hard hand of reality.
Now will every show on G4 be tech, videogame, web-related, etc? While I wish it could, it’s unfortunately not possible in order to grow the network…we need to balance what will define us vs. what has mass appeal…because, first and foremost, we are a business and not a “public service.”
I don’t want to agree, because in theory an all video game channel sounds amazing, but I’m forced to. There just wasn’t enough to keep G4 interesting and I don’t know if there ever could be. Gamers go to the web for their news (thank you, by the way) and can get almost any information the second it is released. Meanwhile a 24 hour television station would seem behind the times with whatever they were doing. Add to this that there really isn’t any old gaming shows the station could use for filler when original programming wasn’t running and you have a station showing the same shows over and over until not even the hardcore gamers are tuning in anymore. It just seems that the medium of gaming was not meant to be covered 24/7 on television. Why this is would take a far more in depth study but I just can’t be angry at G4 for wanting to make money and “all gaming, all the time” was just not doing it for them.
March 27th, 2008
at 6:06 pm
yea i see your point
March 27th, 2008
at 6:24 pm
I agree to a point. But how much TV does a gamer watch anyways? i would rather have a website (
like ours) to broadcast stuff, like game trailers, red vs blue, and other odd end shows or short clips that has to do with the gaming world. Reality shows dominate television right now. Which is why i barely watch TV, unless its south park or family guy, and hell i can get the episodes from the internet
March 27th, 2008
at 6:46 pm
G4 sucks today. I used to watch techTV all the time. Then when they merged it was OK, then it got horrible… because who the hell wants to watchs COPS all day??? The people that watch that channel are people who are interested in technology and digital entertainment (games), not brain-dead rednecks! Next thing you know they’ll have some gay reality show…. why not right? “It brings in ratings” and that’s all anyone cares about apparently.
March 27th, 2008
at 7:42 pm
What they need to do is start airing some game related shows, movies, cartoons etc.
I know there are at least 15 different cartoons that were adapted from video games. Even if most are a bit dated it would still provide plenty of nostalgic value that many gamers and others would appreciate.
I know there was a Mortal Kombat cartoon, Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros., at least 2 Sonics, at least 2 Mega Mans, Double Dragon, Reboot, Zelda, Viewtiful Joe, Dark Stalkers, Donkey Kong, Earthworm Jim, Mutant League, etc. etc.
They can show a weekend double feature also. There aren’t a TON of video game movies (and very few if any good ones) but I’m sure they would be a welcome addition to G4. We got the Mortal Kombat movies, Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros. (Live Dennis Hopper a Bowser!), Double Dragon, Resdient Evils, Silent Hill, Doom, Alone in the Dark, BloodRayne, Tomb Raider, etc.
I (and I think many others) would much rather see any one of those cartoons switched out in place of Cops. I mean, come on, Cops is already aired on about 15 other stations. I’m surprised there isn’t a Cops Channel yet.
March 27th, 2008
at 8:29 pm
What happened to… gah, what was its name? …the show that only showed trailers and upcoming game gameplay movies… had a multisyllabic, technical sounding name… bah.
Regardless, that was all I ever really paid attention to on G4. I did watch Arena for a minute - and it pissed me off how newb the contestants were. I mean, who WALKS in UT2K3? Certainly not someone who belonged in a televised tourney. If only there was a gaming tourney television show that was actually worth watching - outside of Korea, I mean. :>
March 27th, 2008
at 8:33 pm
I personally usually only watch Ninja Warrior and Unbeatable Banzuke. Sometimes I watch Xplay, but thats not very often.
March 27th, 2008
at 8:38 pm
Meh get Dish Network, and you get a 24/7 game channel. It’s apart of the VOOM/HD network, and it’s called Gameplay HD. Nothing but videogames 24/7.
I was just complaining about G4 the other day, and how everytime I swing by the channel, it’s playing COPS, or some other braindead BS.
G4 sucks now, and not worth the time.
March 27th, 2008
at 8:56 pm
The problem with G4 is that it was NEVER about gaming. The opening paragraph hits the nail on the head, only to have the rest of the article miss the point after that. What was G4 really about? Attractive people luring you into watching crap that barely related to gaming whatsoever. I don’t know of a single G4 personality who ever knew crap about gaming except for Sessler (XPlay), but that’s only because G4 bought and then crashed TechTV by using the exact same process (replace knowledgeable people with attractive retards and expect ratings to somehow follow).
I think the G4 reps’ statements really say it all from there- reruns of Cops and Star Trek are their highest draws. Really try to wrap your head around that.
A gaming channel probably could work if somebody were to actually try to implement one. G4TV was never about that. This gaming channel should first and foremost get its hands on a crapload of gaming-related animes and movies, and show reruns of those all day to soak up time slots. With that backbone in place, layer some intelligent shows on top for prime-time draws. Like give XPlay a real budget and let them do their thing. Hire real game developers and industry personalities for commentary and reporting- imagine if you offered John Carmack or some other industry mouth an offer to have a once-weekly segment on a show where he can rant about whatever he wants to a TV audience. People would want to see that, and it would be real gaming content instead of “hey, look at my breasts, I just said Halo as well, doesn’t that make you want to stay tuned in?”
March 27th, 2008
at 9:08 pm
All G4 does is give gamers a bad name. It is the most juvenile station ever. BRING BACK TECH TV DAMMIT!!! Im tired of watching G4 and their self infatuated hosts who have the most immature sense of humor. It’s sad, these people actually think they’re funny. Really though, this is a channel only a 14 yr old boy could love. I remember in the good old days when G4 was TechTV and they would have shows where people could call in and they would field their technilogical q’s.
Now they have all this retarded programming like Ninja Warrior. Seriously though, they play that show so much it should have it’s own channel. Who actually finds that garbage entertaining? Double Dare for Adults - LAME. MXC is better because it makes fun of that stupid shit.
March 27th, 2008
at 9:36 pm
It doesnt have to be gaming all day i like code monkeys i like aots but cops and cheaters have to go surely the could come up with something to get rid of those two shows. He says they are the highest rated but how many people just leave the channel on and wait for the next good show to come on. i know when i used to watch i would just play games and have g4 on in the background all day long on the spare tv so i probly was being counted as a viewer even though i was just pissed about it and waiting for the next good show to come on.
March 27th, 2008
at 10:07 pm
I think the problem is the fact that too many people think of G4 as a videogame channel. Its not, its an entertainment channel. It just happens to have a couple of shows on videogames. Its pretty much just like SpikeTV, except better, in my opinion.
March 28th, 2008
at 1:08 am
I definitely dig the “bring back tech tv” thing, first off. Also, I think G4 should televise gaming tournaments. Maybe there aren’t many tournaments right now, and they wouldn’t fill a whole bunch of time. So, MAKE THEM HAPPEN. I’d watch that stuff. A little COD4 tournament would be great for me. Gather some sponsors, and make a tournament. Do it with SSBB, do it with Halo. I don’t care, just do it.
March 28th, 2008
at 3:12 am
Im with everyone else on brining back techtv. i miss watching all the good shows they used to have.
March 28th, 2008
at 1:47 pm
I barely watch any TV but when I have tuned into G4 nothing really impressed me and I definitely think that it is more of an entertainment channel like Spike. There’s definitely a better formula out there that could be used (for making it actually gaming related) - G4 just hasn’t made the leap and doesn’t look like they will under this management
June 4th, 2008
at 11:33 pm
What the h*** happen to all the good shows on G4.Why is Cops and Cheaters staying on their.Their entirely on re-runs.I mean really,you can find these shows and similar to them on plenty of other channels.Besides nobody watches them anymore.This show was better when it all just about video games and technology,which happened to bring more viewers by the way.
I mean I would watch it all the time back in the day where it was solely about games and technology.Now that I see other crap that I hate and never watch, I turned away from G4 except for XPLAY and Attack of the Show.Where’s Cheats, Cinematech, Arena, Filter, and all those good shows.PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS A.S.A.P.
You have taken away all the coolest shows that gamers love.I mean really, there’s millions and millions of us gamers and people who love to know more about technology.Can you atleast think about making new shows and maybe some old love classic shows appear once again.
I mean I’ve been preocupied with work that I haven’t had the time to catch up on some XPLAY and Attack of the Show episodes.Though Ninja Warrioir,Unbeatable Banzuke,and Code Monkey shows are all fine,but we need more on what people want (Reminder : games and tech is what people want.) and bring fans of the channel back to what they love!!!!!
June 4th, 2008
at 11:41 pm
I speak for many others and including my rights to watch games and tech for just G4.
POWER TO THE GAMERS AND TECHNOLOGISTS!!!!!!!!!!
July 11th, 2008
at 5:07 pm
I agree with gamer Shon, why did they take away all those good shows? I really miss Arena and i really thought Judgement day was sweet.
February 18th, 2009
at 8:57 am
Excuses, excuses, excuses…The gaming industry been around for almost 30 years. I don’t buy any of what the President of G4 says. Either give us a TV gaming network or kill the network entirely! Cops and Cheaters have been on many TV syndications and all they do is prepetuate sterotypes and tacky relationships.
April 3rd, 2009
at 11:37 am
I actually e-mailed g4 and told them how about showing gaming tournaments and competitions. Like madden nation, madden challenge, sports in general, racing, shooters etc.. How to enter these tournaments and where. Once a week, 2 hour slot wouldnt hurt there ratings especially if all gamers knew when they would air it. I loved watching madden nation and would liked to have watched every episode aired but hard to find that even on the net.
July 23rd, 2009
at 1:07 pm
All you people that said G4 was never about games obviously did not watch it in its early years (02-04).
Their freaking motto used to be “TV FOR GAMERS” and all they showed were shows about games.
Not one show on there had anything to do with anything else. It’s only when they merged with TechTV in 05 that things started to go downhill. First TechTV was utterly destroyed minus Screwed, Screen Savers (now Attack of the Show), and X Play, then every G4 show got the boot.
Now all that’s left is X-Play and Attack of the Show, which is ironic since they were both TechTV shows.
I admit, G4 is ABSOLUTE GARBAGE NOW, but do not diss G4 by saying it wasn’t about games because it definitely was until GAMERS decided to stop supporting it.