G4, the Fox News of Gaming
Remember being young, young and terribly naïve? Think back to when you were around ten years old, hanging out on a Friday night with your friends, throwing back some Cokes, stuffing your face with Pizza Hut, and playing Goldeneye. Remember playing “What if?” Saying such things as “Gee wiz fellas, wouldn’t it be cool if there was a channel devoted to VIDEO GAMES?”
Whenever they finally invent time machines, I’m going to use it to go back to 1999, visit ten year old me, smack him with a rubber glove, and explain to him that he should be careful what he wishes for. That, and to remind him to wear deodorant.
Dear 12 year old me. This.
G4, the only channel devoted to VIDEO GAMES, launched in August 2002. This was the sort of channel we fantasized about. Arena, was like a Sportscenter for VIDEO GAMES. Filter was like Casey Casems Top 10, except, for VIDEO GAMES. Cinematech was nothing but a showcase of digital (usually VIDEO GAME related art). Judgment Day was “At the Movies” for gamers, where harsh critics reviewed VIDEO GAMES games. And my favorite show, Icons, was better than the BIO channel, focusing on the lives of important VIDEO GAME personalities. See a pattern? VIDEO GAMES. Nothing but VIDEO GAMES.
Another "Lifestyle" network
By 2006, G4 decided that they would change a few things, no longer calling itself a video game channel, but a “lifestyle” channel. When the word “lifestyle” comes to mind, VIDEO GAMES isn’t a thought that usually follows. In fact, it’s just about the last thing that comes to mind when talking about VIDEO GAMES (right after “Hot Girls” and “Welding”) Not surprising, G4 now is less about VIDEO GAMES and more about everything else.
G4’s executives must all be old and senile. “What could we possibly give the 18-25 demographic that loves VIDEO GAMES?” Cops. All the reruns of Cops you could ever want. More Cops than anyone could ever want. If Cops was edible, we’d be able to feed every destitute African country with the amount of Cops that G4 dishes out. And when Cops isn’t on, don’t worry. You can get your fill of Cheaters! You know what would have been a more sensible show than Cheaters?
Gee guys, this sure is VIDEO GAMES
List of Shows More About Video Games
than Cheaters and Cops
- The Golden Girls (Bea Arthur is a sucker for Galaga)
- Molto Mario (Mario Batali, or Batali Mario?)
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (Wii Fit. Everywhere)
- Martha Live (I remember once on an episode, she pronounced Pokemon wrong, when interviewing some 4 year old)
- Maury (Episode “I Gave Birth to Seven Koopalings, and My Baby’s Daddy is a Tyranical Turtle King)
Even their programming that is actually VIDEO GAME related usually leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I used to love watching X-Play, back in the Tech TV days, but I can’t bring myself to listen to Adam Sessler talk for more than five minutes, if only because of the new Troll persona he’s taken on. And then there’s Morgan Webb.
Morgan Web gets her own paragraph. I <3 Morgan Webb. She’s the channels saving grace. I’ve rarely rolled my eyes to any of her insight. Her voice is welcoming, yet snarky, like a cross between a Siren and Zooey Deschanel. She’s hot, and unapologetically so; and not that generic run-of-the-mill Meghan Fox hot. And probably most importantly, she’s not Olivia Munn. Olivia Munn doesn’t get her own paragraph. She gets to ride Webb’s coat tails. I don’t like Olivia Munn. I can’t say I hate her, because I don’t want to invest that much energy in someone who doesn’t deserve it. Olivia Munn is probably more unlike VIDEO GAMES than even the word “lifestyle.” She only serves as a sidekick, and a rather lousy one. She’s like Vince McMahon, if all he said were asinine non-sequiturs, after he’d lace them with estrogen and enough “cheeky” that would make Rachel Ray look like Bill O’Reilly.
Suprisingly enough, also not VIDEO GAMES
Speaking of Bill O’Reilly, Fox News and G4 have very many parallels. Both channels are not about what they intend to be (News and VIDEO GAMES, respectively), and both channels are regarded almost universally terrible, unless, you’re part of their senile, confused, and lets face it, probably white audience. I think it’s safe to say, that more than any other media outlet, G4 is the Fox News of gaming
There’s nothing wrong with liking either channel; just know what you’re supporting. With Fox News, you’re supporting upper class demigods spewing hate down your throat until you’re filled with the impious amounts of vitriol that they seem to have. With G4, you’d be supporting the worst thing to happen to VIDEO GAMES since E.T. What is that? Well, it would be no VIDEO GAMES at all.
No VIDEO GAMES? Bobby Kotick is intrigued.
I agree with the cops and cheaters part but as far as your rantings about the channels TV personalities I disagree. Gaming is a lifestyle channel just like the cooking network and HSN. G4 viewers only watch 2 maybe 3 hrs of the network tops the rest of the time is spent gaming. Sure they should bring back Cinamatch and Cheat (not Cheaters)
2-3 hours of actual video games is pathetic if you want to be “Television for Gamers.” It’s like if ESPN only aired 2-3 hours of sports, then for the other nineteen hours of airtime, they put in Full House Reruns.
i completely agree, G4 has lost it. they had it a few years ago but then “Big C” came in with his stupid car show and that was the beginning of the end. G4 literally only has 2 shows related to gaming. Attack of the Show and X-Play. everything else is Cops, Cheaters, and stupid shows you’ll find on Fox. it’s ridiculous. it’s only a matter of time till AOTS and X-Play are cancelled.
To make way for more Cops and Cheaters I hope. BTW, I like your name ;)
i definitely agree about some of your points like the fact that they basically only have AOTS and X-Play as their tech/gaming shows and that i have slowly been losing respect for olivia munn…
The irony of the ranting in this article combined with saying adam has taken on a troll persona makes me laugh too, so i guess you get points for that one.
Also the espn/g4 analogy was much better than the fox/g4 comparison… cmon now we all now fox news is absolutely terrible, g4 at least has some good points….
I liken G4 (and Cartoon Network for that matter)to MTV – the whole MUSIC television thing, without the MUSIC!!
G4tv has one show relating to video games (XPlay) and they cut back their budget and schedule.
Go figure.
Trainwreck, you’re absolutely right. MTV, Cartoon Network and other channels like like are great examples of just how backwards T.V. is. And Joesomeone, I’m not trying to troll haha. Obviously, I’m speaking for many people, as you guys seem to agree.
I remember going to E3 2002 and I got the G4TV preview dvd and I got excited. Pulse,Cheat,Arena,and Icons…wow that was Video Game TV. Screen savers and all that was all good as well. But now there is AOTS and X Play and that is all. It is not a VIDEO GAME CHANNEL. It is Sci Fi channel lite.
Don’t you mean they are more like MSNBC?
While I admit that MSNBC has a bias, it is nowhere near as loud and effective as Fox News. MSNBC wishes it could be Fox News. Conservative Bias is loud, angry and effective. Liberal Bias is delivered by frightened goblins.
In your love letter to TechTV, you were able to cite 6 shows as the hallowed “glory” days of video game programming. Among them was Cinematech, which was little more than a collection of video game fmvs under a themed banner, and Arena which was just terrible IMO. The problem I see is that you don’t really recall what TechTV really was. Go ahead and do a little research and you’ll find that TechTV was all over the place hosting everything from Tech Support-esque shows to anime to shows documenting cyber crimes to robots fighting each other and even old episodes of the Thunderbirds (puppets aren’t videogames either).
In fact, the title “television for gamers” wasn’t even used until it became G4.
Fact is, G4 or TechTv or whatever you want to call it has always tried to be all things to all people. That’s why it’s called broadcasting after all.
I remember back when it was called ZDTV and it was a pretty good channel, the original Screensavers with Leo Laporte and Kate Botello, Martin Sargent, Patrick Norton ect.
Now, it is just filled with what tv executives think people want. bad actors rather than tech geeks and tech reporters. flash, neon and that pathetic Olivia Munn dressed up like a street walker.
The channel is no longer real, even SpikeTV is more creditable. blah…
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