The G4/TechTV merger.

[Shoeberto]

Is absolutely ridiculous.

Okay, back story:
TechTV, which started as ZDTV, has been an extended cable network since around 1998 centered around technology. When I got digital cable around two years ago, I got the channel, and I loved it. They had so much variety in their programs - video game reviews, novice support, expert support, movies, new gadgets, lots of stuff. Their shows were original and the personalities made it all really fun.

G4, which has been around about two years, is a channel centered around video games. Yeah, sounds good on paper, but so does communism. It wouldn't be so bad if all the shows weren't so horribly outdated, and if every freaking thing you watch was a rerun. Seriously, they have three new episodes of shows a week - otherwise, all reruns.

A couple months ago, the owner of TechTV decided to put it up for sale, even though it had recently gained quite a following. Comcast, the owner of G4, bought it, and talked about a merger. And they did. G4TechTV was born.

Except it <i>should</i> be G4<font size="1">...(techtv)</font>, because they've injected most of the blocks with their reruns and rehashes, leaving room for only a few of the good TechTV programming. A lot of the good shows from the TechTV lineup disappeared, where the crap that no one watches anyway (Thunderbirds? Future Fighting Machines?) stayed. Even the TechTV mainstay, the man who practically <i>is</i> TechTV, (Leo Laporte) isn't on it anymore.

Obviously, anyone and everyone who was an avid TechTV fan is outraged, which is shown at the <a href="http://forums.g4tv.com/categories.cfm?catid=48">merger discussion forum.</a> While some act like 10 year olds using deragatory terms to fight back, some have taken a different route - like posting <a href="http://forums.g4tv.com/messageview.cfm?catid=48&threadid=156712">this article</a>, which shows how far it really goes.

Yeah, okay, I know I'm flipping out about this, but TechTV was <i>the channel</i> for me to watch, and they're prettymuch neutered it. Anybody else want to discuss?

[Siwolae]

well i'm upset that G4TV is no longer G4TV. i liked the whole idea of having an all gaming network. Anyway, as long as G4TV.com, Cinematech, Filter, and Electric Playground are still on, I don't really have a prob with the merger. I haven't seen the animes that they're currently showing so yay for me.

[Casey]

g4tv sucks. WHY did tech tv have to merge with g4? why!?
btw. comcast=monopoly

Just when microsoft used to own my cable/internet stupid governmant said microsoft was monopolying, and so comcast took over and jacked up all the prices. Comcast wanted to buy disney out to, now they do this. Damn. Comcast.

[Halifax Housewife]

TechTV was my fav. channel in the entire world. That is until the merger occured. Not only has Comcast lost a majority of its fans, it has also prevented people from learning about technology, as shown in Call For Help, which, to be quite frank, was a really good show. Leo was the heart of TechTV and what do they replace him with? Thunderbirds. Like, what in the hell is wrong with this world?

Leo introduced people to technology and he helped them discover how truly magnificent it is, but I'm afraid that's all come to an end. I do listen to Leo's radio show every Fri, Sat, Sun at 12pm pacific time, he's also in the chatroom when his radio show is on, and I talk to him every time (he mentioned me on his radio show once because I gave out a helpful link).

Oh, and I unsubscribed G4TechTV. Without Leo there is no TechTV, and besides, like Hsu said, it's all reruns. You think I'm going to let my parents shell out money for that? No.

[Erdrick Holmes]

I dunno, I kinda like G4 TechTV, I'd always strut over to a pals house who had digital cable with about 400 channels to watch it, now I can just watch some of the G4 shows at home. As for reruns, I hardly notice any, I have my TV always on that channel and I never change it unless I want to play a game. I think it was a great idea really.

[metCloud]

Doesnt bother me because the only TTV show I watch is The Screen Savers. Im enjoying the more game shows but I hope it doesnt get repetitive like X-play.

[Mr. Graves]

I've never, ever seen TechTV, although I've had it on my cable service for a long time before the G4 merger. It would seem that I've missed out. =( Looks like my personal rule of not touching the television except for a few channels has finally bit me on the arse. From what I've read/heard, it sounded awesome.

I do however, have a concrete opinion on G4. With the exception of a few shows, it was mostly incredibly cheesy crap. So I do understand the "Gay4" (I love that play on words, by the way.) remarks that people make, to an extent.

Looking at it with all the facts I have about the business tactics behind the merger, it sounded troutty. TechTV was thriving, then has a majority of their programming axed, which seems like suicide.

I can see anime now, which is a plus. But still, it sounds troutty.

[Erdrick Holmes]

The only show that I absoluty enjoy on that channel is XPlay. That is probably the most updated show on that channel so far, and Morgan Webb is so sexy.

[Siwolae]

Oh, and I unsubscribed G4TechTV.

G4TechTV comes separately with your cable? Wow, it comes with mine. O_o

[Shoeberto]

I dunno, I kinda like G4 TechTV, I'd always strut over to a pals house who had digital cable with about 400 channels to watch it, now I can just watch some of the G4 shows at home. As for reruns, I hardly notice any, I have my TV always on that channel and I never change it unless I want to play a game. I think it was a great idea really.

How can you not notice the reruns? All the G4 shows are usually about games that came out last December, if not later.

And yeah, Graves, you really did miss out. TechTV was a rockin' good time.

[SpiritWolf]

I was happy for the merger because I mainly watched TechTv for X-Plaay but now I have alot of other video game shows to watch.

[Ed, Edd n' Eddy]

I really liked x-play but thats the only show from tech TV that I liked all the others sucked but I liked g4 by itself (and x-play)

[Mr. Graves]

I've seen one episode of X-play a few days ago and that guy is even more cheezy/stupid than anything G4 has in their programming. (With the exception of Dave Sindalor and Blister, which I don't think is in their line-up anymore, but I might be wrong on that.) If they'd just put more info and less cheese in their shows, it'd be a passable network, and I'd probably watch it more often.

[Black Mage]

I'm happy about the merger, because now instead of two crappy stations, we have one.

I never really watched either one often, mostly because the shows were terrible.