G4TV's blog strikes back at the Game Rag [update 1]
by Ross Miller 
{ Jul 25th 2006 at 7:55PM }
The post, found on G4TV's blog The Feed, is an attempt at making a parody out of the Game Rag's introductory post. Author Mike D'Alonzo's accusations are a bit whiny, if downright untrue. Let us see how G4TV responds to criticism:
- "I couldn't force myself to spend 12 minutes reading The Game Rag, as it had literally NOTHING to do with gaming." We're not sure where the author was looking at, since the web site's articles are parodies on current gaming events, coverage of gaming events, interviews with industry people, or features criticizing supposedly game-centric channels for being out of touch with their target audience.
- D'Alonzo predicts that one of Piercey's complaint will be "somehow the depth and breadth of our gaming information is somehow less than what they can spend their entire day ferreting out on the internets." Well, isn't that a valid complaint? Shouldn't a channel originally intended to cater to gamers offer in-depth information, so that people will watch their shows as opposed to "ferreting out on the internets" for a great news source?
- D'Alonzo claims Piercey "will clearly stop at nothing to separate himself from" nerds as a collective group. We would love to find an example of where Piercey, who agrees to watch 21 hours of G4TV for lack of anything better to do, tries to distance himself from the title "nerd," but we cannot find one in the piece. D'Alonzo could not either, so he made up a quote.
[update 1: Robert Juster, executive producer of G4 Interactive, offers this explanation as to the disappearing post:
The post itself was actually pulled right after it was posted -- but due to a technical glitch still stayed live on the site (which unfortunately went unnoticed).
One of our bloggers took the Game Rag piece a bit personally and took it upon himself to respond - which we felt was inappropriate (responding in general, not necessarily his response itself). ]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dracula Jones @ Jul 25th 2006 8:09PM
Oh, Leo Laporte, how we miss thee.
G4 is so completely out of touch with their target audience. They're too nerdcentric for the Madden crowd (Star Trek?). And they're too watered down for the hardcore gamers. There's no real information on games... at least not that you can't get in any gaming mag, or that you can't get (WEEKS in advance) on the internet.
Their coverage of conventions (E3 and Comic Con) is great, though (except for those two vapid hosts of Xplay). I will give them that.
I wish they would just pick a niche target and go with it. If they're just going for general M18-34 audience, they're going to fail at attracting any group therein.
Kris @ Jul 25th 2006 8:20PM
They should hire people like Piercey to actually run that channel (or at least host) - The channel just seems like something my grandparents might watch if they all of a sudden peaked an interest in video games.
Don't they know that most people don't enjoy anything about their channel? (most people = people without massive brain damage bordering on vegetable level)
It seems to me that G4 can't take criticism at all; which has been their problem to begin with. Instead of listining to their fan(s) (when they had them) they just assumed that they knew what they were doing - I would like to say that the committed seppuku - but there is no honor left in G4.
JMatt @ Jul 25th 2006 8:32PM
Man, they can dish it out-a-plenty, but can't take a few blog posts, huh? G4 has no clue on what they want to do, what their audience wants, or what they audience is. They flush huge amounts of money down the tube every few years with challel overhauls, with new logos, sets, etc, only to have to tear them down again and start fresh when it becomes as stale as the content, which has a table life of mayo outside in a Florida summer.
Aaron @ Jul 25th 2006 8:33PM
Yeah... I agree. Leo Laporte made that channel. It's flat out horrid without him. I'm a 'gamer' and I can't bare to watch that channel for more than a few minutes. I think they are aiming for the 12 year old who can switch between the crap they play and MTV Cribbs. Any 12 year olds have any input?
The only thing saving it is Cinematech... I sort of dig that show.
bv @ Jul 25th 2006 8:37PM
Piercey seems to be coming from the point of view of a veteran G4 viewer. He know's alot about the network and the history of its different shows. He mentions being really into Xplay before it became crowded with repeat after repeat. Piercey also claims that Cinematech is the greatest show G4 offers, which of course is an understatement when comparing it to the other "wealth" of programming the channel offers. He even goes as far as to reccomend which type of programming would get the best ratings by highlighting the nostalgic 80's cartoon GI Joe, which aired early in the AM of his review. Piercey does make a few cheap shots here and there, but they are valid. It's like blindly agreeing with anyone who denounces a Uwe Bowl film, you just do it. With that said, I feel like D'Alonzo's rebuttal is a bit childish and the wrong approach. D'Alonzo should have admitted shortcomming's in the programming and by not doing so, he indirectly admits that the full 24 hour scheduled programming on G4 is A-OK. He resorts to a poorly written blog post to speak for the entire company, which in my opinion is a very weak attempt at justifying their channel. Everyone knows G4 is appealing to money making demographics and taking advantage of current trends, no matter how short they might be. The addition of badly dubbed anime, race car shows, and talentless "babes" are all shallow attempts at getting more viewers. G4 no longer sticks to the video game genre, they think that a channel purely based on video games cannot survive. They have such a great oppurtunity to unite the avid and casual gamer, but they resort to cheap tactics like Star Trek syndication in order to bait the average tv viewer. Very dissapointing to see where G4 went indeed, and i look forward to the station having a major overhaul in the future as a result of people like Piercey having the balls to complain.
gombard @ Jul 25th 2006 8:48PM
Leo lives! But only in Canada.. Yeah someone in Rogers didnt like what was happening to G4 when they first bought the rights to the canadian version.. Which is still called G4 Tech TV.. Therefore we get new Call for Helps aswell as some other kinda lame tech shows, but it beats the living snot out of any Star Treks.. We still get the other sad shows, AOTS & such.. Bring back Martin Sargent!
sony shill, lol @ Jul 25th 2006 8:49PM
One hell of a professional station, getting defensive over web folk bashing them! What a shit station. I'd rather watch Roseanne re-runs on Oxygen a couple channels onward.
Bearxor @ Jul 25th 2006 8:50PM
From the G4 Blog:
the pithy writer at The Game Rag was going to spend 24 hours watching G4 and then tell the world how all over the map it is.
Let me save him the time. Here is what the list of complaints will include:
1. G4 is no longer about games, which is radically different than the halcyon days of TechTv.
2. Somehow the depth and breadth of our gaming information is somehow less than what they can spend their entire day ferreting out on the internets.
3. How the network is intended for nerds, which the writer will clearly stop at nothing to seperate himself from, but will only succeed in confirming everyone's suspicions. ("While my friends and I were playing Dungeons and Dragons the other day, we laughed about how much these dweebs cared about Marvel Capcom.")
-------------------------------------------------------
It seems like Mike D'Alonzo agrees with TGR to me.
arthur @ Jul 25th 2006 9:22PM
I remember having cable television for the first time in years. It was 2003, and for the first few days of this renewed cable life I left both televisions on in my apartment. Watching TechTV either in the bedroom or den area.
As much as I would complain that Leo Laporte wouldn't let Robert Moog get in a word edgewise, it was still an experience to watch.
I guess things do change as the rebranded show, AOTS, now airs live clipping of pubic hair and silhoetted probings (I wish I was making this up).
Things do change. Bills do need to paid.
But at the end the day, I have to ask, what is this?
Franklin @ Jul 25th 2006 9:27PM
There have been rumors floating around lately in the TV industry biz that G4TV will canned entirely by the end of this year. The speculation has been that ALL original programming will be canceled (including all on-air personalities), the entire network renamed, and the emphasis will be on showing reruns of 1980s-era action movies, TV shows and cartoons (e.g., Lethal Weapon, The A-Team, Knight Rider, Transformers, RoboTech, He-Man, etc.). Something about this rumor feels on-the-ball, I think, and it seems like the kind of thing that Comcast (the owner) would prefer doing.
dan s. @ Jul 25th 2006 9:35PM
Old 80s action cartoons was how cartoon network got so popular, with toonami relying on robotech, thundercats, voltron, etc when they started and look where they are now. Restructuring isn't a bad idea.
ManekiNeko @ Jul 25th 2006 9:36PM
That's already starting to happen, if the morning Action Blast programming block and all those Star Trek re-runs are any indication.
Better start working on that resume, D'Alonzo! You're going to need it by Christmas. And oh yeah, say hi to Kevin Periera for me while you're standing in the middle of that unemployment line.
JR
JRM @ Jul 25th 2006 9:40PM
Attack of the Show is pretty good. It's informative enough (barely), has the right balance of improvisation and entertainment, and the girls are hot.
Kayla Kayleigh is such a cutie!
but it's strictly for entertainment value. Nothing more.
Optimus Rhyme @ Jul 25th 2006 10:28PM
I like G4 Tech TV (the Canadian one) yet only for a few shows a day. I get Xplay at 4 until 5, then Cheat is on which is garbage. 6pm I can watch Call For Help, which is a great show and it's unfortunate you Americans no longer get it. 7pm is Attack of the show which is a good way at catching up with some interesting stuff going on without watching the news.
And that's pretty much all that ever airs. Honestly, some days I look on the guide and it shows Call for Help followed by Attack of the Show like 3 times in a single day. They have quite a few other programs, why don't they just change it up. I might actually watch more.
Draco @ Jul 25th 2006 11:18PM
yeah, I get the Canadian G4, but after I get home from work all thats on is Cheat, which is a completely garbage show. I miss the days when I could get home from work, open a beer watch Xplay, then get on with my life.
I was always confused when I got the channel though why it said coming up next Star Trek, or it would make the damned star trek noise (damn you banner ads in my shows with noise!!!) only to find out its some other show playing I would rather not watch. I guess the ads are hard wired into the shows or something on the US side.
luckily at any given time TNG is playing on 3 channels. lol.. seriously that show is always on!
Spike, Space and ... somewhere else, when I get home. I see it on my guide on almost every page it seems.
Eric @ Jul 26th 2006 12:15AM
I will only watch Cinematech, Gamemakers, and I used to really enjoy X-Play (until they figured out most people watch x-play so they re-run every episode 100 times a day).
Cheat is sort of fun to watch for how a game you don't have plays...but it is useless to actually use the info from the show.
Attack of the show is boring as hell, and they market it as if it's THE show that's ontop of every detail within the industry...rrriiigghht.
I haven't decided yet whether it's a good or bad thing that I won't be getting G4 in my cable once I move next week.
DarkTetsuya @ Jul 26th 2006 12:40AM
13. AOTS? good? I think you're thinking of 'The Screen Savers.' In fact, I'm *sure* of it.
Nightfire @ Jul 26th 2006 12:41AM
@ 10
That would be a good idea to gut it and start fresh because now the Comcast suits know that G4 is one of the lest watched stations they own. And even if people watch it it's largely only for X-Play that's it maybe AOTS & Cinematech for the 2nd largest number of viewers the rest of the time the viewership is dead on G4.
And I think the change of format will happen up here in Canada as well if the roomer is true. One of the three things will happen to G4TTV. The first thing is Rogers the Canada broadcast partner to G4 will scrap the station all together making it for sale. Number 2 is that the G4 part of the name will be dropped to become an all Canada made version of TechTV making the station way more unwatchable then it is now. Because Canada made TV is half-assed made and not very slick to the US product. Or three Rogers will sell their interest to G4TTV to G4 their for the station will be 100% theirs to do what ever the hell they want to do with it.
I have a feeling that Rogers will be aiming to do option No.2 more then anything if the G4 brother station reformats. D'Alonzo seams to be scared because he knows his station is not that good anymore. Great job asshat you made yourself and your network look less professional. Fox gets a lot of criticism everyday and they don't respond to it. Maybe Bill O RLY does but he always complains about every damn little thing so he don't count.
josh @ Jul 26th 2006 1:15AM
All this reminicing about Tech TV is making me cry with sadness. Those were the days...
WedgeTalon @ Jul 26th 2006 2:18AM
What? No love for "Icons"? That used to be (haven't watched for about 2 years) one of their best shows, next to Cinematech.
duscrom @ Jul 26th 2006 3:15AM
Icons is now Game makers, and I have to agree. At least they trashed Arena for another showing of Cinematech. X-Play is still pretty good... I am very entertained by that show.. Game Makers would be the best show on the air if they made some new ones. AOTS... is going down hill every year it's on. It was good, then Zack left the show, but Sarah Lane was good.. then they fired her, and hired Olivia Munn.. who is clearly there for sex appeal, and same with the british asian chick.. (Notice they are both asian looking?) And now it's all about sex and geek stuff, but not in the technology/game way.
It is bad when I'd list Electric Playground as one of the top shows on the network, TOmmy T is a deuche. So basically it goes like this..
Cinematech
X-Play, when it's new.
GameMakers... if it's an episode i haven't seena billion times
Electric Playground.
and finally AOTS.. it's still remotely about ames and tech.
Oh, and cheat isn't THAT bad.. and it's deffinatly NOT the worst show on the network. Bonzai is.
josh r. @ Jul 26th 2006 4:09AM
If G4 is a gaming channel why don't they ever cover the CPL or WCG or any other big gaming tournament? I'd LOVE to see that on TV.
IslandLife @ Jul 26th 2006 8:29AM
@ 19 WedgeTalon
At one point "Icons" was really good, WHEN IT WAS ABOUT VIDEOGAMES! The last time I watched it, it was an episode about Michelle Rodriguez for crying out loud. HOW THE HELL IS MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ AN ICON!! Her best movie was "Girlfight" everything else just sucked!! What are they thinking!! I gotta go 'cause I,,,,am,,,,losing it!!
Oh btw, they changed the original "icons" to "gamemakers". Which is pretty much just reruns of Icons with a new name. Die G4...just die already!
riffgod @ Jul 26th 2006 8:37AM
Well, when someone says something true that could discredit you, it's only natural to try to discredit that individual (or organization). G4tv would have been better offer accepting the criticism and learning from it. Although I'm sure that whomever writes the blog has absolutely no power over what programming airs. And I'm also sure that G4tv doesn't have the capital or resources to reformat their programming to better suit their target audience. Also, their target audience is so small and their channel appears in so few homes that trying to reach them would prove to be their demise.
Coyote @ Jul 26th 2006 8:41AM
Concerning Icons: Yea it was one of the better shows, but like #21 the last one I saw was about Jammie Kennedy.. I mean really who thought that made scence or did he just happen to be in town that day and they figured he'd do it for 5 bucks?
btw revision3 has some of the old cast of TSS and is the new home of Kevin Smith (the dark tipster)-
http://revision3.com/diggnation
http://revision3.com/systm
32_Footsteps @ Jul 26th 2006 9:39AM
I think G4 put up that blog post because if five people read The Game Rag's piece and decide to stop watching G4 because of it, that's half of their audience gone right there.
As for the network changing its focus... it was one thing when Cartoon Network refocused themselves the first time. There, it wasn't a switch in the network's basic function, just which cartoons to throw out there (and as is, that was at least in part because CN got the rights to a whole bunch more cartoons they didn't have rights too previously). Now, the second repositioning (where they started showing live action movies and the lamentable Friday Nights segments) is another painful argument entirely, but at least the first refocus was still within the network's original mission statement.
What's happening to G4 is like an even crappier version of what happened to MTV. Sure, it started being all about the stated focus (games and music videos, respectively), but as time has gone on, more and more of that is being cut for things that have nothing to do with what the letters in the network name stand for. I'm half-expecting a G5 to launch in a year that will be all about games for two years until Distraction Creep hits that too.
Of course, that presumes G4 will even last another couple of years. Should AOL TimeWarner or Viacom decide to make an actual game-based network, I don't see how G4 could survive.
Alex K. @ Jul 26th 2006 9:48AM
G4 can talk when they don't suck.
Steve @ Jul 26th 2006 10:09AM
I used to watch the channel and hoping it would improve with time, but it was still enjoyable. Intead it's taken a downturn and become a sham of a network. There's literally probably only 10 minutes or less of entertaining programming per day. I hope some internet video game channel pops up and shows G4 how they shoulda done it.
ck @ Jul 26th 2006 10:47AM
I'm hoping someone with enough money and game-industry know-how will put together a better channel. What about Mark Cuban - owner of the Mavericks? He already has an HD channel up and running. And I'm sure he knows enough about video games to hire the right people. Seriously. Or even Bill Gates would do a better job than the tools at G4.
But yeah, even though the same thing has happened to MTV, at least MTV has gained popularity with original programming geared towards their target audience. I mean, a lot of influential shows have come from MTV (Real World, Beavis & Butthead, The State, Laguna Beach). Still people complain, but who cares? There's actual music video channels out there now (Fuse, CMT, MTV2). It's sad that G4 doesn't have the marketing geniuses to pull that off.
Todd J @ Jul 26th 2006 10:53AM
Fans of the old Tech Tv channel should check these shows/podcasts out in case you aren't aware of them.
http://blog.pcmag.com/blogs/wnn/
http://dl.tv/blogs/digitallifetv/default.aspx
http://www.twit.tv/
SymetriX @ Jul 26th 2006 11:06AM
It's funny that G4 now offically recognizes the war between gamers and G4TV. Who will win???
Daniel @ Jul 26th 2006 11:28AM
G4 is the perfect example of Big Business running a covert money-making business under the guise of public entertainment. Thier quality of content and viewer satisfaction means absolutely jack squat when it comes to the money that they make at the end of the day.
If it takes desensitizing thier viewership to better fit the categories and demographics ideal to thier advertisers, they'll have no problem whatsoever with doing so.
SuicideNinja @ Jul 26th 2006 11:33AM
"D'Alonzo, who is speaking as a representative of G4TV, reveals himself to be smarmy, out-of-touch, and inflammatory."
Sounds like he should work for Sony...
Nate @ Jul 26th 2006 11:59AM
Wow! All of the posts about why G4 sucks.
G4 totally sucks and is becoming openly hostile to gamers and the gaming community. Before it just started ignoring them now.
I suppose when you turn you back on a community you have to bash the community when the community picks up on it and leaves you. Good job G4! Move from neglect to abuse.
jabbertrack @ Jul 26th 2006 12:21PM
Is G4 seriously that blind? They have to know something is wrong... if they don't then I think a round of firings is in order.
Bring back Wil Wheaton!
Justin @ Jul 26th 2006 12:43PM
Why did psychonauts only sell like 12 copies? Why are there so many reality TV series? If Tech-TV was so great why did they gut it and sell it off for parts?
Do you guys really think you make up G4tv's REAL target audience? Do you think they really care about that article or his opinions? Do you have any clue at all why every week there's a new Britney Spears or Pop-punk band? The people in charge at G4 don't give a crap about the couple thousand hard-core gamers holding their breath right now waiting to play Okami. They want the attention of MILLIONS of people who buy crappy music, watch horrible movies, like dumb girls with big tities, pre-order the new Madden every year and have gobs and gobs of disposable income and very little idea of what to do with it. You should learn that money > integrity, quality != profits and you != the Center of the Universe.
skikkletybibbit @ Jul 26th 2006 12:47PM
TechTV was a good idea and actually discussed tech related issues in an informative and entertaining fashion. G4 has really dumbed down most of their coverage and they seem to try to cater to every whim or taste in their demographic (young males without girlfriends or jobs). And they definitely seem focused on hiring eye candy as opposed to knowledgable hosts. Hence, you get Layla Kayleigh (as nice as she is to look at, I admit) instead of Leo Laporte.
Scazza @ Jul 26th 2006 1:13PM
Guys, I feel your pain. But us canuks are lucky as hell. We only get 1/2 of G4s shit-fest of TV shows, and then we get "Call for Help" and "Torrent" which are canadian made shows by..... guess who!.... Leo LaPorte! and Amber MacArthur (so we got the eye candy too.... and shes a real bloody nerd).
You guys should write in to G4 demanding access to the canadian content, which far and away destroys anything that you see on AOTS or STRIKE or w/e shit they dream up this week.
Frankie23 @ Jul 26th 2006 2:54PM
Hmmm. I'd comment, but the link seems dead. I wonder if it was pulled after someone pointed out that snarky whinging wasn't going to help the channel's image any.
Skandall @ Jul 26th 2006 5:19PM
I think the worst thing about G4 today is that it killed TechTV. Back before the merger G4 really was about games all the time. The shows repeated a lot then too but it was all about the games. TechTV had some great shows about computers and gadgets. I really miss all their shows about gadgets and technology. I miss TSS too. AOTS sucks because, again, it's mostly not about video games and I can't stand Kevin P. G4 died when Kevin Rose left. Sure Morgan Webb is hot, but I'd be happy just to see her in Playboy.
As for G4 today, why watch it? Most of the day their programs have nothing to do with video games. I don't care about drift racing. Tuned cars are cool, but shows about that stuff belong on Speed not a channel about video games. I like Star Trek but I want to see shows about games! Remember Portal? Okay, it was a strange show about MMO games, but at least it was about games.
So sad really. I must have called my cable company a billion times asking them to carry G4. Now they have it and I don't want to be paying for it anymore.
cheeto @ Jul 26th 2006 8:40PM
maybe instead of attacking the complaints and just brushing them off as being untrue with no basis, G4 should actually listen to the people they're trying to f***ing market to.
Rob @ Jul 26th 2006 10:06PM
for all you people lamenting the loss of Leo, Patrick and John C. Dvorak. You can catch them and other TTVers and even a ZDtver or two on This Week In Tech (www.twit.tv). Every sunday a new 60+ minute podcast and a lot of other tech goodness in the other 6 days of the week.
It's like TechTv without pics!
Milosz @ Sep 13th 2006 12:23PM
The problem is that G4 is trying to become SpikeTV while that execrable network is poaching some of the video game "heat" from G4, resulting in two-two-two sad networks with girls in bikinis, fast cars and Star Trek reruns.
Cinematech, X-Play and about 30 seconds of Attack of the Show are all they have anymore. They've BUTCHERED Star Trek - a show I'm not even much of a fan of - with that horrible "Spock Market" garbage.
Here's hoping another network buys the rights to X-Play before G4 goes down in flames, as is their deserved and certain fate. Should've listened to your viewers, guys, instead of treating them like pests and going with the "vision" of your executives.
King Krool @ Jul 27th 2006 4:17AM
Judgement day was quite good, but for some reason they stopped that. Judgement day > xplay and game makers/icons is still good. only things I watch on the channel. CHEAT IS SUCH TRASH ITS UNBEARABLE. I WANNA PIMP SLAP THE HOST. STOP TALKING TO EVERYONE LIKE YOUR RUNNING A DAYCARE.
Tom Kim @ Jul 27th 2006 11:26AM
Oh G4, how we love to hate thee. On one hand, it is nice that advertisers and programming networks acknowledge that gaming is important enough to devote an entire network to it. (Although, now the programming is more targetted toward some media wonk's definition of "the gamer demographic," rather than bona fide gamers, themselves.)
On the other hand, what wretched content! G4 is equivalent to a box of stale crackers to a frat boy with the munchies. There's nothing else in the kitchen, so you might as well eat it. Bah!
YuffietheGreat @ Jul 30th 2006 11:19PM
I have to admit I used to watch G4TV with out missing a step. I spent weekends watching Portal, racing home from work to watch Filter and Icons for the ins and outs of gaming. Not to mention putting the playstation aside to watch Anime Unleashed in the evenings. Then the merger happened and although I loved Call for Help, robot wars and a few other shows. It was such a disappointment when suddenly. The shows I enjoyed watching were pushed back into the late evenings and weekends til all these shows my father watched on Spike TV are now on G4TV. I'm a woman and don't care for shows directed towards guys, this made me feel left out. There are women who play as much videogames as men. I felt like I was just dumped, it was so aggravating. It reminded me of when MTV stopped playing music videos and all these silly talk shows happen. I'm still a member of G4's online forums but not for long. Even the forums have become irritating with trying to talk to other gamers and being flamed by nongamers.
Teethman @ Aug 11th 2006 1:10AM
I am one of those people that gave G4 a chance when they merged with, and ruined tech tv. I was happy about a game channel. Thats when they had about the lowest ratings on cable. I havent turned on that channel in about a year.
I bet there are alot of people like me who stopped watching, and I bet their ratings are even lower then they were. Unless their cunning attemps to get veiwers by airing reruns of shitty shows actually works.
They should rename it to the "look at us we want to emulate mtv/spike tv so much because they have good ratings, but we do it so shittily, and at the same time lose our original target demographic" network.
Even the fucking food network shits all over G4.