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SimplyRavishing
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- Posted: October 30, 2010 3:17:23 am
- Was watching AOTS on Thursday when Kevin made the special announcement about the failed negotiations between Directv and Comcast and that Directv was planning on removing G4 from their channel lineup starting on Monday, Nov. 1. I looked it up and, sure enough, it looks like this is for real and that this is going to happen. Kinda bummed me out. I mean, sure, G4 has only two shows I really watch and most of it's just reruns of shows the network picked up cheap and shows half the time, but still it's nice to know that it's there whenever the shows you like are on. I always like watching AOTS while eating dinner, kinda relaxes me and gets me ready for the evening.
Was wondering what all of you thought about this. Also, if this really does happen Monday, this'll be my first experience of a channel that I actually watch being taken off the lineup during a contract dispute with satellite companies. I can already tell, it sucks. Just wondering if anybody out there can help me shed a little light on the subject if it's happened with a channel they like. How long do these contract disputes typically last? I read that Directv took off Versus for nine months, and now it's back on like nothing happened. Is that what's likely to happen with G4? It'll be off for a period of time, someone caves, and then everything'll be back to normal? Has there ever been a case where a channel's been permanently removed from a lineup because of a dispute? I kinda doubt it. I even hear that in a lot of cases a deal gets done last minute and nothing happens. Both sides try to make the other the villain to the public, but I'm guessing both really want to be in business with the other and that it's all a waiting game to see who blinks first and then everything'll be back to normal. I know I've got a lot of questions but, like I said, this is the first time this has happened with a channel that I actually watch. So, if anybody could comment and fill me in on what I should expect in the future I'd really appreciate it. Or if you'd like to comment on this in general, that'd be cool too. Thanks!
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Spa-fon
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raz68
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- Posted: November 1, 2010 11:08:43 am
- I dont know if you all heard but here in NY about 3 million Cabelvision customers (the company that owns the Knicks, the Rangers and Madison Square Garden) were without Fox for about 2 weeks because of the same type of dispute/scare tactics. So we missed all of the NLCS and 2 weeks of Football along with other shows like the Simpsons, Family Guy, House, etc.
Its just insane. I am paying about $150 a month for Cable, Phone and Internet and do not even have the luxury of channels like G4, the NFL Network and the MLB Network. Thats another more expensive package!
When does the insanity end?
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SimplyRavishing
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- Posted: November 1, 2010 3:42:46 pm
- Well, Day 1, and sure enough G4 was pulled from Directv's lineup. I find myself of conflicting emotions about this. On one hand, I'm with everyone on the whole "G4 only has two shows worth watching", you know the whole "Cops/Cheaters" argument. But still, I'll miss the two shows I did watch, at least for the time being. However long it takes for Directv and Comcast to stop playing their little game. I mean, the shows they have on there:
Ninja Warrior: Was cool the first few seasons you watched it, but then they did the same thing over and over and got kinda old.
International Sexy Ladies Show/That's Tough/shows like that: Whenever G4 had a show like this on, all I kept thinking was how they should be on Spike.
X-Play: Used to watch it all the time when it was strictly a review show, reviewing five games a show. They'd goof around all the time and make fun of the games. Then they switched the format and tried to be serious journalists about games, with interviews and cut the reviews to only two a show. As soon as they did that I stopped watching.
Web Soup: I liked this show. Just harmless fun.
Attack of the Show: Man, last week gave us a double whammy. First you heard about Olivia and Timberlake and that just cemented the feeling that she was just using AOTS as a stepping stone for her Hollywood career and she's turned herself into a human casting couch. Then, Kevin's announcement on Thursday. Still, watching AOTS was a daily thing for me and I'll miss it for the time being.
Like the channel or not, I keep hearing about how G4 has been growing so much in the last few years in the coveted young male demo. Trust me, Directv doesn't really want to lose that. And, growing or not, G4's still a fledgling network in the young stages of being in existance. Why do you think they keep killing all that time with Cops and Cheaters and other shows the network picked up cheap? Because they can't afford to make hardly any original programs of their own, only a scarce handful. They've already had to scale back on AOTS being on four times a week instead of five and making new X-Plays only a couple times a week. They don't want the ratings hit that not being on Directv would give them. That'd be a huge dent in their ratings. Both sides want the other in this and, no doubt, they'll come to some sort of an agreement. Only question is when. Anybody who says they're going to switch satellite carriers in protest over this is an idiot. Any thoughts?
Last edited November 1, 2010 7:47:34 pm
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glh08
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- Posted: November 2, 2010 12:47:31 am
- No switching would be involved, G4 is already being caried by other providers. I have Dish Network and have had G4 available since before I signed up.
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SimplyRavishing
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- Posted: November 3, 2010 12:45:39 am
- I was reading an article about how one of the reasons Directv pulled G4 was that they were one of their lowest rated networks, even though G4 keeps talking about all the growth they've had over the years. The article went on to say that out of the 77 networks that the Nielsen ratings follows G4 ranked 60th, and in the coveted young male demographic, G4 ranked 47th. Not too impressive. They keep saying that G4 is the #1 podcasted network, and that's part of the problem. Some of their tech-savy viewers prefer to watch the two shows they care about on their computers or whatever instead of TV. In other words, they watch where Nielsen ratings can't be counted. That'll put a dent in your ratings everytime. And, about all this "network growth" they keep talking about, that their number of viewers keeps growing every year, those numbers can be deceiving. If you start with next to nothing, and only a handful of people start watching, percentage-wise it's going to show as a big increase in ratings.
A part of me, the TechTV part, wants to see this as the first step to the demise of G4. Like a bug struggling to get out of the toilet bowl. You get sick pleasure watching it for awhile, but you inevidably flush. Keeping with that same train of thought, does anybody out there know where you can look up G4's ratings on a consistent basis and keep track of them? I'd like to be able to see how this Directv thing impacts their ratings. Basically, I want a site where I can keep checking in to see this bug struggle in the bowl. Any help?
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Spa-fon
Wise Beyond the Years
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SimplyRavishing
Collector in Training
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- Posted: December 4, 2010 3:50:00 pm
- Well, it's been over a month now and, although at first I went through some AOTS withdrawls for the first week, I don't even think about G4 not being on my Directv anymore. And, the more I think about it, Directv might never bring it back. With every other dispute they've ever had, it's been over carrying networks that actually draw an audience. Why would they lose sleep over a network that, on their best days, draws in a 0.1 cable rating? If down the line they bring it back, great, but if not I don't think I'll be missing out on too much. Just curious, do they still have Olivia in the opening and in the background features of AOTS like she's actually coming back one day? They should really change all that.
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SimplyRavishing
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- Posted: May 6, 2012 2:51:53 pm
- Just keeping tabs on a failing network I haven't seen in a year and a half because I've got Direct. Now I hear that Adam Sessler is leaving X-Play and G4 because of contract negotiations. I guess G4 could only afford to offer him half his usual salary of shiny rocks and twigs. So, they got rid of Layla Kayleigh, Olivia Munn left as soon as AOTS lifted her career just enough to catch the first train outta there, Chris Hardwick's doing the Nerdist show on BBCAmerica and the Talking Dead on AMC (channels people actually watch) and G4 cancelled Web Soup so I'm guessing he's gone for essentially the same reasons, now Sessler's off G4. Sessler's particularly interesting because he's been there since the beginning, and I mean the real beginning, before G4 swooped in and ruined everything. I'm wondering who's next, or a better question might be who's left? Slowly but surely G4 is alienating the few fans they have left and the circles that network is going down the toilet are getting tighter and tighter. I think Kevin Periera signed a lifetime contract when he was 12 years old, either that or G4 has incriminating pictures of him, that's the only reason I can guess why he's still there. He seems to be G4's head cheerleader, but surely he could find another gig somewhere else. Anybody wanna chime in on who they think's next to jump the sinking ship, or how much longer you think G4's got left?
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SilentAssassin
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- Posted: May 6, 2012 10:53:20 pm
- This is why I have an antenna its free and most of those shows are usually on their respective web sites for viewing.
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