TechTV Merger: Staff Fired & Fans React - G-Day on 28th!

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the merger of TechTV and G4, focusing on the implications for programming, staff changes, and fan reactions. Participants express their views on the future of the network, the firing of staff, and the shift in content focus from technology to gaming.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express sadness over the firing of TechTV staff, questioning the rationale behind such decisions when the network is being purchased.
  • Others mention that a portion of the staff will be rehired, and some shows will continue under the new network.
  • Concerns are raised about the perceived decline in programming quality, with some participants noting that shows like "The Screen Savers" and "Call for Help" are being affected.
  • Some argue that the merger has led to an overemphasis on gaming content, which they feel detracts from the original technology-focused programming.
  • A few participants defend the merger, suggesting that it is a standard business practice to restructure contracts and that some popular shows will remain.
  • There are mixed feelings about the new programming lineup, with some expressing disappointment over the lack of innovative content and others defending the inclusion of gaming as a significant part of the entertainment industry.
  • Participants share nostalgia for past TechTV shows and personalities, lamenting their absence in the new format.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the impact of the merger, with some believing it will lead to a decline in quality and others suggesting it could bring new opportunities. There is no consensus on the future direction of the network or the value of the programming changes.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the specifics of which shows and staff will remain after the merger, indicating a lack of clear communication from the network. Additionally, there are concerns about the redundancy of programming in the new lineup.

Ebe
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I was curious to hear everyones views of G-Day on the 28th?

"You’ll find everything you need to know about our upcoming alliance right here on g4techtv.com."

Also, they are setting up shop in California and recently FIRED ALL TECHTV staff giving them 60 days to clean out their desks!

Why purchase the network if you are just going to fire the whole staff - This merger really hit home for me since I am such a big fan of TechTV as so many ppl are.

Lets hear some views.

Ebe
 
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Yeah it's very sad, but they also said they will be rehiring 80 back. Some of the shows will stay or get transferred to another network.
 
TechTV stuck around for a good 6 years. Leo and Kaku really made for some great Screensavers episodes. Not to mention Big Thinkers & Titans of Tech which I also enjoyed because they portrayed individuals (leaders) in a variety of fields. This past year however, I started to see some programming slide downhill (I won't mention UnScrewed or the Robot Wars at this point).

I am however curious to see what the merger will do to the programming. They are keeping ScreenSavers around and CallforHelp is getting shopped around to different networks at the moment. I just don't see justification in firing the whole staff - maybe the "Your Fired" trend hit a tipping point. But I suppose that business is business isn't it. The new programming is geared towards our generation in most respects -- I just don't want this to be the last of it!

Cheers'

Ebe
 
The reason they fired everyone is to write new contracts. This is standard business practice.

It is a shame they had to dumb down techtv to the point of collapse. I really enjoyed watching Leo when he wasn't being forced to act stupid and try to fit into the hip crowd. O well, and at least G4 will be keeping all the good content like Thunderbirds, Robot Wars, Nerd Nation, Invent This, etc, etc. I just can't have enough 80-90's BBC reruns. I've never watched G4 since it was never availiable in my area but I've heard pretty bad things about it.
 
ive watched a few of the G4 shows and i hate them all...

one of there game rating shows (yes i said one of them - they seem to have about 4 or so...) the guy gave an awesome game a low rating because it was "too hard" and counted off on metal gear solid for it having the little secrets in it such as the mario dolls and such which btw have been a common appearance in all the metal gear solid games...
 
I will miss Leo being fired, because it was probably him that made me want to watch techtv. I couldn't stand any of the gamer shows like X-Play with annoying commentators, they are all just boring. There is no way you can make a show on video games fun, it's impossible.

Leo was great. And if it weren't for him I never would have heard of Michio Kaku, who I thought was great when he was on techtv with Leo. Leo was a great inspiration, but g4 doesn't give a damn. They just want the hip (can you even call these nerds hip) 11-year-old video gamer croud.

Well, it doesn't look like Call for Help will ever come back on, but you can at least sign petitions and e-mail these *vulgure word here*.

ndogg
 
They didn't fire everyone. All the staff for the TechTV shows carrying over to the new network will stay on their respected shows. For example, Morgan Webb and Adam Sessler will still host X-Play. Also, Patrick Norton and Kevin Rose will continue to host The Screen Savers.

Here are the shows from TechTV that will be on the new G4TechTV network:
Anime Unleashed
Body Hits
Eye Drops
Fresh Gear
Future Fighting Machines
Invent This
Nerd Nation
Robot Wars
The Screen Savers
Thunderbirds
Unscrewed
X-Play

The hosts and crew of each show I mentioned above will stay on with the new network. The only people who were fired from TechTV were those members of the shows that are dying along with TechTV (Call For Help, Conspiracies, etc.).

Sorry if I repeated myself, I'm still hung-over after a long night.
 
dduardo said:
The reason they fired everyone is to write new contracts. This is standard business practice.

It is a shame they had to dumb down techtv to the point of collapse. I really enjoyed watching Leo when he wasn't being forced to act stupid and try to fit into the hip crowd. O well, and at least G4 will be keeping all the good content like Thunderbirds, Robot Wars, Nerd Nation, Invent This, etc, etc. I just can't have enough 80-90's BBC reruns. I've never watched G4 since it was never availiable in my area but I've heard pretty bad things about it.

These were the worst possible programming that G4 has agreed to keep. They got rid of the KEY programming which made TechTV great! Such would include BigThinkers and Titans of Tech. What could you possibly learn from watching Thunderbirds or Robot Wars. Not to mention that the inventions that they feature on Invent This are just plain well -- wheel in the shoe, doggie backpacks -- Come on.. They don't even feature anything that is going to innovate our lives in the 21st century. These are average inventors with average inventions. Why not feature some shows that have quality content - such of which they have got rid of.

But I guess G4 is more Thunderbirds and Robot Wars friendly.. so be it. Oh, and not to mention UnScrewed <--- Sad.

Ebe
 
Ever since the merger. There have been way too many games, game reviews and game related programs. Now I'm angry!
 
  • #10
wow techtv is like all gaming **** now...X-play was all i needed...nad wanted, but i have yet to see any G4 show that's any good...and robot wars sint good, but thunderbirds is a good show for entertainment, its what t.v. is for (-_-0)

and unscrewed is useless in every essance...otherwise yeh its bad
 
  • #11
TechTV is now all fish as far as I see. Robot Wars, I think is the only thing worth watching. :( There is a lot more to “tech” than gaming and cheats!

Stupid kids and their games! Grow Up I say!
 
  • #12
I used to watch TechTV devotely. I hope they didn't get rid of Morgan -- I hope they didn't?!? I'd be devastated if they did, even though I don't watch the merged channel. They had so many choice personalities... and whatever happened to Chris Pirillo anyway? I know they wanted to downplay any drama there but it seems like there was tension and some awfully big question marks.

Well, to be fair, gaming is a BIG part of the entertainment industry. It's really profitable and there is a huge demand for it. It's not all fun and games, so to speak, either -- there is work that goes into it and work that comes out. And even educational value in some cases.

But I have to admit, I looked at the G4TechTV lineup and it looks to me like SO MANY of the shows are hugely overlapping or something. Like a lot of redundancy and derivatives... disappointing, to say the least!

I'm reading on...

LEO WAS FIRED?!? Gah, that sickens and angers me. That's like cutting the head off of the Statue of Liberty and mangling the hands. :(
 
  • #13
I was a huge tech tv fan...

I don't know much about g4... i have started to watch it sometimes and it just pisses me off. WHY THE F.uc do you have to mess with quality programing.
They try too hard from what I have seen, and everything is fake
it seems like they hired a bunch of actors off the street to talk about stuff they have no clue about.
 
  • #14
to begin with i absolutely hate the g4 - techtv merger. i believe that techtv was much better without a bunch of shows about gaming, i don't think that the two belong together and i wish they weren't. techtv had so many great shows but now its just a bunch of gamer shows (well i am not too sure about that because hurricane ivan hit my country and i haven't watched cable since sept 7). Anyway g4 sucks.
 
  • #15
I remember from the early days even before it was TechTV, ZDTV. Ever since Kate Botello left Screen Savers, TechTV, well ZDTV, the quality of the programming really dropped.
 
  • #16
Leo was great! He combined just the right amount of humour and facts to make his shows interesting. I used to watch it in Malaysia coz we don't get it here in India. I was even going to write to TechTV to launch their channel here
 
  • #17
Is there any chance to saving the old tech tv
 
  • #18
Torley Wong said:
LEO WAS FIRED?!? Gah, that sickens and angers me. That's like cutting the head off of the Statue of Liberty and mangling the hands. :(

I don't know if fired is the right term. I heard they just didn't renew his contract. The thing now is he's with TechTV Canada which, by the way, has Call For Help 2.0. Why can't they do the same stuff here that they're doing in Canada?
 
  • #19
leo was really good too. the only time i hated what he said on tv was when he said that it was impossible to do the windows to linux switch-over thing on different monitors (to me it seemed like he doubted technology). but he was a good host too (even the call for help program was great).
 
  • #20
cipher said:
leo was really good too. the only time i hated what he said on tv was when he said that it was impossible to do the windows to linux switch-over thing on different monitors (to me it seemed like he doubted technology). but he was a good host too (even the call for help program was great).

Oh, yeah. Leo was the main person that helped get me into computers in the first place.
 
  • #21
WTF that's crap those those jerks warggggggggg man i luv tech tv this just isn't fair
 

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