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G4
G4
Launched April 24, 2002[1]
Owned by G4 Media (Comcast)
Formerly called G4techTV
Sister channel(s) G4techTV Canada, E!
Website www.g4tv.com
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV Channel 354
Dish Network Channel 191
Cable
FiOS TV 171
Comcast 162
IO Digital Cable Service 175

G4 is an American cable and satellite television channel originally geared toward male viewers aged 12–34, devoted to the world of video games and the video game lifestyle. Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. G4 Media Inc is the parent company of G4, a 24-hour cable and satellite channel originally dedicated to Video games. Comcast Corporation ( is the largest Cable television company the second largest Internet service provider and (according to the company the fourth largest telephone G4techTV ( May 28, 2004 &ndash February 15, 2005) was a cable and satellite channel resulting from a G4techTV Canada is a Canadian English language category 1 Digital cable Specialty channel co-owned by Rogers Media and E! Entertainment Television (or simply E!) is an American Cable television and Direct broadcast satellite network DirecTV (trademarked as "DIREC' TV' " is a Direct broadcast satellite (DBS service based in El Segundo California, USA, that was founded Not be confused with Indian Service Dish TV DISH Network is a Direct broadcast satellite (DBS service that provides Satellite television Verizon FiOS, sometimes simply FiOS which stands for " Fi ber O ptic S ervice", is an Internet telephone and TV service that is presently Comcast Corporation ( is the largest Cable television company the second largest Internet service provider and (according to the company the fourth largest telephone Interactive Optimum, better known as iO Digital Cable or simply iO, is a Digital cable service offered by Cablevision, available in New The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Satellite television is Television delivered by the means of Communications satellites as compared to conventional Terrestrial television and Cable The term television channel generally refers to either a Television station or its cable / satellite counterpart (both outlined below A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. More recently, the channel has diverted its focus to general interest programming that targets male viewers aged 17–36. G4 launched on April 24, 2002. Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. [2] It is headquartered in Los Angeles, California and owned by G4 Media (which, in turn, is owned primarily by Comcast). Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West G4 Media Inc is the parent company of G4, a 24-hour cable and satellite channel originally dedicated to Video games. Comcast Corporation ( is the largest Cable television company the second largest Internet service provider and (according to the company the fourth largest telephone G4 is available in 62 million cable and satellite homes in the United States. [3]

The name "G4" originally stood for the four generations of video games (text, sprites, polygons and textures). In Computer graphics, a sprite (also known by other names see Synonyms below is a two-dimensional/three-dimensional Image or Animation that Polygons are used in Computer graphics to compose images that are three-dimensional in appearance Texture mapping is a method for adding detail surface texture or colour to a computer-generated graphic or 3D model. It now stands for Games, Gear, Gadgets and Gigabytes.

Contents

History

Early days

G4 was created by Comcast and Insight Communications in 2002. The initial concept was to create a service similar to TechTV but "geared more toward MTV's demographics". TechTV ( May 11, 1998 &ndash May 28, 2004) was a 24-hour cable and satellite channel based in San [4] The network was launched with 13 original series. The launch shows consisted of Arena (a digital sports-highlight game show), Filter (a Top-Ten countdown voted by viewers), Blister (focused on action/adventure game news), Cinematech (described as a showcase for the best high-end digital art), Sweat (focused on sports game news). Arena was a G4 (formerly G4techTV) TV show hosted by Lee Reherman and Kevin Pereira. filterjpg|right|200px|thumb| Filter's logo after the 2005 revamp Blister was a TV Show that aired on G4 in the United States. Blister featured Game trailers and videos narrated by the host in the Cinematech is a TV show on G4 and G4techTV that showcases various Cut scenes and trailers for Video games Cheat! (tips on games), Portal (focused on multiplayer online games), Pulse (news on the gaming industry), Judgment Day (currently known as Reviews on the Run, "two video-game gurus will opine on the latest entries") and G4tv.com (an interactive talk show on video games). Cheat! is a TV show on G4 (formerly G4techTV) and Jack TV that provides Cheat codes strategies and other hidden features Portal is a former TV show which aired on G4. During its two-season run from 2002 - 2004 Pulse was a prerecorded weekly news show that focused on the gaming industry that ran on cable TV channel G4. Reviews on the Run (formerly known as Judgment Day in the United States) is a Video game review TV show hosted by G4tvcom (also known as G4tv The Show or simply G4tv) was a weekly Video game Talk show that aired on Building on the theme of the channel, shows such as Players and Icons were added. Players (styled Player$ for logos is a former TV show that ran on G4 (formerly G4techTV) starting in 2002 For other senses of this word see Icon (disambiguation. For a list of icons for use on Wikipedia see WikipediaIcons. Players focused mainly on celebrities' choices on video games, consoles, and showing off their custom personal computers. Icons focused mainly on developers, gaming publishers, and famous franchises in the industry such as Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Everquest, Valve Software, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Will Wright. is a Fictional character created by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Video Games See also [[List of games featuring Sonic the Hedgehog]] Nearly all games in the series feature a teenage hedgehog named "Sonic the Hedgehog" EverQuest, often called EQ, is a 3D fantasy -themed Massively multiplayer online role-playing game ( MMORPG) that was released Valve Corporation is an American video game development company based in Bellevue Washington, USA that was founded in 1996, and made famous is a Japanese Video game designer. He is the creator of the Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, William Wright or Bill Wright may refer to William Wright (1829-1898 the real name of Dan DeQuille, American author newspaperman and humorist To further reinforce the gaming culture and community, reruns of an arcade based game show from the 1980s known as Starcade were included in the daily rotation. Starcade was a Game show where contestants competed against one another by playing Video games Starcade was produced by JM

G4 was originally led by Charles Hirschhorn, a former president of Walt Disney Television and Television Animation. Walt Disney Television is the Television production division of The Walt Disney Company with Walt Disney name Walt Disney Television Animation is the animated television production division of The Walt Disney Company. He expected video game creators themselves to eventually produce programming for the network. He thought 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. [5]

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. "[6] 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". [7]

TechTV merger

On March 25, 2004, Vulcan Inc. (formally Vulcan Ventures) sold TechTV to G4 Media (owned primarily by Comcast), who then merged both channels to soon become G4TechTV. Events 1199 - Richard I is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting France which leads to his death on April 6. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Vulcan Inc was founded in 1986 by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, to manage his investments Vulcan Inc was founded in 1986 by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, to manage his investments TechTV ( May 11, 1998 &ndash May 28, 2004) was a 24-hour cable and satellite channel based in San G4 Media Inc is the parent company of G4, a 24-hour cable and satellite channel originally dedicated to Video games. Comcast Corporation ( is the largest Cable television company the second largest Internet service provider and (according to the company the fourth largest telephone G4techTV ( May 28, 2004 &ndash February 15, 2005) was a cable and satellite channel resulting from a The original TechTV production facilities located in San Francisco, CA would be closed and the new network would be located in Los Angeles, CA. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Charles Hirschhorn of G4 was put in charge of the combined entity.

Reaction to this news left many fans of both channels strong feelings of displeasure and hostility, seeing the removal of almost all the original shows from both G4 and predominantly TechTV, and the immediate firing of many employees (including the spontaneous termination of most/all original TechTV employees and hosts). Termination of employment is the end of an Employee 's duration with an Employer. The relocation of a technology/video gaming network away from the San Francisco area (where a large portion of game/tech development takes place; also see Silicon Valley) also seemed very foolish to many. For the valley nicknamed "Silicone Valley" see San Fernando Valley.

On February 15, 2005, less than a year after the merger, TechTV was officially dropped from the channel's name in the U. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. S. completely, and is now known only as G4. However, on the network's affiliate in Canada, the TechTV name still remains strong (along with some original TechTV programming and more), and the channel is also still known as G4techTV Canada. G4techTV Canada is a Canadian English language category 1 Digital cable Specialty channel co-owned by Rogers Media and

Format

On September 19, 2005, it was reported by TVweek. Events 335 - Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar by his uncle Constantine I. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. com [8] that former DirecTV executive Neal Tiles[9] had replaced G4 founder Charles Hirschhorn as the channel's CEO. DirecTV (trademarked as "DIREC' TV' " is a Direct broadcast satellite (DBS service based in El Segundo California, USA, that was founded A chief executive officer ( CEO) or chief executive is typically the highest-ranking corporate officer ( executive) or administrator Also reported was a managerial decision to decrease G4's emphasis on video game coverage, in favor of a shift toward a male general interest programming format, reminiscent of Spike. Spike (formerly called Spike TV) a division of MTV Networks, is an American cable network designed for an audience described The programming format mostly consists of syndicated material.

Its website address in lieu of the slogan "Videogame TV" was introduced and gradually replaced the existing logo over the next few months.

Variety. com 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. " [10]

In addition to its programming, G4, along with Earth911 recently launched an electronic waste recycling campaign called Gcycle. [11]

Consolidation

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 the person who had formerly run the E! Network. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. It was announced that the upper management of the G4 network would relocate to the E! Network's LA office and that there would likely eventually be layoffs within the management of G4 as operations were consolidated. Ted Harbert, the CEO of the newly-created Comcast Entertainment Group, also said that in the long run the organization would look at colocating G4's television production facilities with those of E! to further cut costs. Harbert gave his opinion 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. [12] [13][14]

Design Studios Onesize and yU+Co have teamed up to rebrand the G4 network. [15]

Criticism

G4 has since its beginnings been involved in relationships with advertisers and sponsors which some have found questionable. [16] G4 has, in the past, boasted about its willingness to go beyond the traditional limits of advertising on the network. The willingness of the network to sell advertisements inside of program content as well as efforts in the past to sell coverage of products on shows to companies raises questions about the honesty of all content on G4.

The numerous changes to the network's programming also brought on a storm of criticism from longtime TechTV/G4 fans across the internet, many 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! to be the only reason why the channel is still on the air. X-Play (previously GameSpot TV and Extended Play) is a TV program about Video games known for its reviews and Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U With most of the remaining G4 original shows having been severely altered, many see this as G4's ongoing attempt to be a competitor to other male-oriented networks such as Spike,[17][18] thus losing any unique identity. Spike (formerly called Spike TV) a division of MTV Networks, is an American cable network designed for an audience described [19] G4 and Spike no longer share the cable/satellite syndication rights to Star Trek: The Next Generation. In Broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast Radio shows and Television shows to multiple individual stations without going through Star Trek The Next Generation ( STTNG or TNG) is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning science fiction television program created by Gene Roddenberry The merger and the new male-oriented appeal[20] has caused negative reaction on the fanbase's end. Fandom (from the noun fan and the affix -dom, as in kingdom, dukedom, etc There have been and still are "Anti-G4" websites, message boards, and petitions across the internet to try and repeal the changes. [21]

A more recent source of criticism G4 has received is its hiring of KnuxSonic as the "host" of the G4 Rewind block. IN an "Open Source" post on G4tv. com, G4 president Neal Tiles responded to this by saying, "I’ve said many times in the past… the best thing about being at G4 is the passion that the viewers exhibit for the network (past and present) and the various genres we cover (gaming, tech, comics, web, etc). We view Brian (aka Knuxsonic) as a passionate fan. We may not always agree (or like) what he says… but he’s entitled to his opinion. His dedication to the G4 fan community and gaming in general at G4rewind. com is what caught our attention. Based on all this, we felt he was the best person to help us shape a block dedicated to past G4 shows. " In addition, certain syndicated programming shown on G4 have been controversial to some degree. Banzai, when it initially aired on FOX in 2003, sparked protests from Asian-American groups for depictions of stereotypes. Banzai was a Comedy Gambling Gameshow spoofing the Japanese gameshow and general Television style Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry. They include sub-ethnic groups such as Chinese Americans Filipino Americans Indian [22] In addition, the Parents Television Council has criticized other shows now in syndication on G4, including Arrested Development,[23] Cheaters,[24] COPS,[25][26] and The Man Show. The Parents Television Council (PTC is a US -based nonprofit organization founded by conservative activist L Arrested Development is a character-driven American television Sitcom about a formerly wealthy habitually Dysfunctional family. Cheaters is a weekly syndicated reality TV show that documents people who are suspected of cheating on their partners COPS is an American Documentary television series that follows Police officers and Sheriff 's deputies during patrols and other police The Man Show was a half hour American Comedy Television show on Comedy Central. [27][28]

G4 Hosts

The list of current G4 personalities also includes the two remaining employees from TechTV that are highlighted in bold. They are currently the hosts of the only remaining show that was originally produced by TechTV, X-Play. X-Play (previously GameSpot TV and Extended Play) is a TV program about Video games known for its reviews and

G4techTV Canada

Main article: G4techTV Canada

G4techTV Canada is co-owned by G4 Media and Rogers Media. Kevin Pereira (born December 28, 1982) is co-host of G4 's Attack of the Show! (formerly The Screen Savers) with Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U Olivia Munn (born July 2, 1982) is an American actress, model and Television personality She began her career being Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U Adam Donovan Sessler (born August 29 1973 is co-host and senior segment producer of the show X-Play on G4 (formerly TechTV) with Morgan X-Play (previously GameSpot TV and Extended Play) is a TV program about Video games known for its reviews and Morgan Ailis Webb (born October 5, 1978) is host of the podcast WebbAlert, a co-host and senior segment producer of the G4 show X-Play (previously GameSpot TV and Extended Play) is a TV program about Video games known for its reviews and Kristin Holt (born August 17, 1981 in Plano TX) is a Television personality and Entertainment news Correspondent. Cheat! is a TV show on G4 (formerly G4techTV) and Jack TV that provides Cheat codes strategies and other hidden features X-Play (previously GameSpot TV and Extended Play) is a TV program about Video games known for its reviews and Zachariah "Zach" Selwyn (born on April 23, 1975) also known as simply Zachariah, is an American Singer-songwriter, Actor Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U Layla Kayleigh (born January 26, 1984) is a British TV personality who hosts The Feed segment of G4 's Attack of the Show! Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U X-Play (previously GameSpot TV and Extended Play) is a TV program about Video games known for its reviews and Christian "Chris" Gore is a speaker and Writer on the topic of Independent film. Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U Blair Butler (born June 28, 1978 in Fairway Kansas) is a dedicated comic book aficionado a stand-up comic and a host for a segment called Fresh A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U Christopher Hardwick (born November 23 1971) is an American actor television personality and comedian Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U Anna David may refer to Anna David (singer, Danish pop and soul music singer Anna David (journalist, American journalist Attack of the Show! (commonly referred to as AOTS) is a Stony Awards winning U G4techTV Canada is a Canadian English language category 1 Digital cable Specialty channel co-owned by Rogers Media and G4techTV Canada is a Canadian English language category 1 Digital cable Specialty channel co-owned by Rogers Media and Rogers Media Inc is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc Because of the co-ownership between G4 and Rogers, and the network's licensing with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) as a technology channel, the rename of February 15, 2005 did not take effect in Canada. CRTC may also stand for Cathode Ray Tube Controller. Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ( CRTC, in French Conseil Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Also, because of CRTC programming regulations, some programs that air on G4 in the U. S. do not air on G4techTV Canada; those shows are instead replaced by Canadian-produced technology programming. G4techTV Canada is very different from its American counterpart because of these CRTC regulations. While G4techTV focuses on technology programming and related lifestyle programming that TechTV originally had, G4 has been heading into a male orientated programming direction with less of an emphasis on gaming and more on male general interests. TechTV ( May 11, 1998 &ndash May 28, 2004) was a 24-hour cable and satellite channel based in San


Logos

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ G4 Aims Originals at Video Game Fans - 4/15/2002 - Multichannel News
  2. ^ G4 Aims Originals at Video Game Fans - 4/15/2002 - Multichannel News
  3. ^ G4 - About
  4. ^ G4 Aims Originals at Video Game Fans - 4/15/2002 - Multichannel News
  5. ^ Richey, Joshua. March 2007 is the third month of the year It began on a Thursday, and ended 31 days later on a Saturday. TechTV ( May 11, 1998 &ndash May 28, 2004) was a 24-hour cable and satellite channel based in San G4techTV ( May 28, 2004 &ndash February 15, 2005) was a cable and satellite channel resulting from a G4techTV Canada is a Canadian English language category 1 Digital cable Specialty channel co-owned by Rogers Media and This is a list of shows that are airing or have aired on G4. Current shows (currently in production with a regularly scheduled time slot Allgamescom (previously known as the All Games Network) is an online website notable for being the precursor to G4tv Launching along the same timeframe as IGN The Rise and Fall of G4 (Part 1). 411mania. com: October 17, 2006.
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ [2]
  8. ^ TVWeek - Special Reports - Print Edition
  9. ^ G4 - About - Management - Neal Tiles - President
  10. ^ Cablers make play for gamer demos - Entertainment News, The Games Issue, Media - Variety
  11. ^ Earth Day Roundup: Not Lame, We Promise
  12. ^ E! pwns G4 - Boing Boing
  13. ^ News - TVWeek
  14. ^ G4 Not Getting Axed - Voodoo Extreme
  15. ^ Design Studios Onesize and yU+Co Team Up To Rebrand G4 Network, Broadcast Newsroom, June 20, 2007
  16. ^ [3]
  17. ^ McDuffee, Keith (2005-09-27). Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Coming to G4: The Man Show? Update June 1,2008. G4 Tv will be re showing classic G4 shows such as Portal and other on their scedule starting June 2,2008.. TV Squad. Retrieved on 2007-08-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula.
  18. ^ Richey, Joshua. The Rise and Fall of G4 (Part 3). 411mania. com. November 2, 2006.
  19. ^ Richey, Joshua. The Rise and Fall of G4 (Part 4). 411mania. com. November 8, 2006.
  20. ^ G4 network tries a new game plan to get more guys
  21. ^ The End of Gamer TV. PTD Magazine. August 20, 2007.
  22. ^ Wilkes, Neil. 'Banzai' sparks protests in US. Digital Spy: June 18, 2003.
  23. ^ PTC evaluation of "Arrested Development"
  24. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (2001-10-09). Leo Brent Bozell III (born July 14, 1955 in Washington DC) is the founder and president of the Media Research Center, the Conservative Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Events 768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks. Missing Lucy More Than Ever. Parents Television Council. The Parents Television Council (PTC is a US -based nonprofit organization founded by conservative activist L Retrieved on 2007-08-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1071 - Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Army at Manzikert.
  25. ^ (May 2003). "May Sweeps Round-Up". . Parents Television Council Retrieved on 2007-08-26. The Parents Television Council (PTC is a US -based nonprofit organization founded by conservative activist L Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1071 - Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Army at Manzikert.
  26. ^ PTC evaluation on "COPS"
  27. ^ Lucia Alzaga et al. (2002). "Wired for Raunch: A Content Analysis of expanded basic cable's Original Prime-Time Series". . Parents Television Council Retrieved on 2007-08-26. The Parents Television Council (PTC is a US -based nonprofit organization founded by conservative activist L Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1071 - Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Army at Manzikert.
  28. ^ PTC list of Best and Worst Cable Shows of 2001-2002 season

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