# Comcast mows down TechTV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999 "2004-05-07T13:45:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/1 "2004-05-07T13:45:00Z")
> [@Leo Laporte's Weblog](#): > > I’ve just learned that G4 has fired the entire staff of TechTV. > > Per the WARN Act (governing plant closings) all the employees of TechTV have been given 60 days notice. The San Francisco operation will be shuttered by July. 100 of the existing jobs will be posted for those willing to relocate to LA. > > Outgoing COO, Joe Gillespie will say good-bye to the troops tomorrow. Incoming CEO Charles Hirschorn will say hello (and good-bye) on Monday. > > No word on which shows G4 will keep or which hosts will be kept on. Comcast is gutting TechTV, and I think it’s a damn shame. Shows like Call for Help and The Screensavers certainly do give solutions to common computer problems that, honestly, some people just wouldn’t realize on their own (and sometimes at the same time are relatively so simplistic that they’re not worth paying a technician to fix). A number of shows give the skinny on the newest magic gadgets. There’s the occasional interesting tech documentaries, and just all in all a great idea for a channel that, sadly, probably is not much longer for the airwaves. The entire thing may not die, and Comcast might keep some of the flagship TechTV shows for their new TechTV/G4 hybrid channel (I’m guessing Screensavers, Call For Help, possibly Tech Live, and maybe X-Play - if for no other reason than fanboys crying out over the firing of Morgan Webb), but by and large, it won’t have that same computer geek party-feel of the channel that I love so much right now. Even if the on-air personalities remain, the support staff is gone. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/2 "2004-05-07T14:17:10Z")
Damn. Damn. Damn. That sucks. I watched TechTV way back when it was ZDTV. Damn shame. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/3 "2004-05-07T14:33:26Z")
I too watched back when it was ZDTV, and one of the great loves of my life in the ZDNet chat room. I learned so much from The Screensavers, and Call For Help. I can’t believe it’s going away, even if only partially. You’re right - it would lose a lot of its geeky edge (if there is such a thing). ☹ OK, we need a “Save TechTV” petition! Although, not watching Fresh Gear might have saved me some money… That stuff is bad for my budget! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/4 "2004-05-07T14:44:09Z")
I will miss _Thunderbirds_. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/5 "2004-05-07T14:59:09Z")
My take on it is that they want to close the San Fran TechTV studios. So they lay everyone off and then rehire the ones willing to relocated to LA. The hosts probably will be rehired, but I bet they won’t rehire any of the crew. Plenty of gaffers and cameramen in LA already. It is sad though. Can’t help but think it will be corrupted in LA. SF is the only proper place for a techie network. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/6 "2004-05-07T15:01:29Z")
Well, that stinks. From the [G4 - TechTV Merger](http://www.g4tv.com/techtvmerger/) webpage: > [@](#): > > Q: What will a typical programming day look like? > A: The merged network will be the nation’s premier 24/7 television network all about video games, technology and the gamer lifestyle. The G4 programming day will showcase many existing G4 and TechTV series such as G4’s ICONS; PULSE; JUDGMENT DAY; PLAYERS, and CHEAT! as well as TechTV’s ANIME UNLEASHED; X-PLAY; SCREEN SAVERS; FRESH GEAR; and ROBOT WARS. G4 will also premiere new original programming which will be announced at a later date. “The gamer lifestyle” WTF? I like hearing about new games and regularly enjoy X-PLAY - but what is “the gamer lifestyle”? ---
**Author:** ![robgruver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@robgruver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robgruver)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/7 "2004-05-07T15:09:18Z")
> [@Papermache Prince](#): > > “The gamer lifestyle” WTF? I like hearing about new games and regularly enjoy X-PLAY - but what is “the gamer lifestyle”? 1. Thou shalt not shower. 2. Thou shalt not associate with girls. 3. Thou shalt drink lots of caffine. 4. Thou shalt not shower. 5. Thou shalt stay up all night playing Unreal Tournament. 6. Thou shalt build callouses on thy thumbs. 7. Thou shalt not shower. 8. Thou shalt squint at the TV. 9. Thou shalt not see the sun. 10. Thou shalt not shower. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/8 "2004-05-07T15:14:47Z")
Oh and as a perfect example of just how sad I am… I was watching Love Actually for the first time last night, and there’s a scene where Liam says “We need Kate and Leo, and we need them now!” I thought… “They’re going to watch TechTV??” ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/9 "2004-05-07T17:09:59Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > Oh and as a perfect example of just how sad I am… > > I was watching Love Actually for the first time last night, and there’s a scene where Liam says “We need Kate and Leo, and we need them now!” I thought… “They’re going to watch TechTV??” Haha! I can’t remember what I thought when I first watched it, but I’m pretty sure I just stared blankly for a second trying to figure out who they were talking about. But you can be sure when I watch it this weekend with the STBMOMD (soon to be Mrs Only Mostly Dead), that will pop into my head. Thanks a whole lot. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/10 "2004-05-07T17:26:42Z")
If they try and take my daily Sara Lane fix away from me, there’s going to be trouble… ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/11 "2004-05-07T18:35:42Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > I will miss _Thunderbirds_. ☹ As will I, my friend. As will I. ---
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/12 "2004-05-07T18:40:46Z")
> [@](#): > > X-Play - if for no other reason than fanboys crying out over the firing of Morgan Webb This is understandable. How often do you find a girl with a rack like that who loves video games? A friend of mine once hooked up with a girl who dug the video games. She started unzipping his pants while he was playing, so he put down the controller. The girl told him to keep playing. So he did. Then she started to give him a blow job and he put down the controller again. This time she looked up angrily and said DON’T STOP PLAYING. Damn. It tell you what, if I ever find a girl like that I’m getting married. There is nothing worse than listening to a grilfriend bitch about how you give the PS2 more attention than her. Situations like my friend described are far from my reality. It’s more like: But . . . but . . . I’m saving the . . . universe . . . from . . . Fine. I’ll turn it off. But you still can’t watch Designing Women. DaLovin’ Dj ---
**Author:** ![PucksRaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecd19e/32.png) [@PucksRaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PucksRaven)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/13 "2004-05-07T18:52:04Z")
This is really funny. . . I was going to start a pit thread about this today. My brother works for Tech-TV, on X-Play actually. They got the letters yesterday at the end of the day (No, really, letters) They will be closing July 6th. Everyone is welcome to re-apply to G4 Here’s the thing. They were courting the X-Play group heavily. They were one of the main reasons they bought the station. Only thing is they wanted to move the show to LA. My brother and the gang didn’t want to go but would have been willing. They were expecting to hear on May 10th wether they would be moving or not. Instead, they got this. They are going - as a group - to pitch the show to G4, on the condition they keep their current pay and EVERYONE goes (They’re incredibly close knit and friends with each other) If they refuse they’ll pitch it to Fox or some of the local stations in SF. What really pisses me off and why I was going to start a pit thread is that I know that is exactly what Comcast wants them to do. They get the show they wanted in the city they wanted it without having to pay relocation costs on over 20 people. I told him to pitch it up here first and screw them, but a lot of them would like to get into movies and more TV anyway so it that respect it is a good thing. It’s just a really s\*\*\*\*y thing to do to them. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/14 "2004-05-13T20:19:05Z")
The message boards that Leo Laporte has at [Leoville.com](http://www.leoville.com) are trying to keep one thread focused on factual updates of the situation [For those just joining us… TechTV / G4 Merger Thread](http://leovilletownsquare.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=570256&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1). According to the first post there – Staying on the air: **The Screen Savers** , **Fresh Gear** , **X-Play** , and **Unscrewed** ; Cancelled: **Call for Help** and **Tech Live**. No information seems to be available how those uncancelled shows may change. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/15 "2004-05-13T20:36:22Z")
I first heard about this _right after_ I signed up for sattelite (can never spell that word correctly) instead of cable. I mean, literally immediately after. And TechTV/ZDTV was the main thing that made me want a dish. It’s just as well, I guess – the channel hasn’t been the same in a while. Ever since they lost Kate Botello (that Patrick guy on The Screen Savers just gives me the creeps) and especially after they cancelled Internet Tonight. You can keep your Morgan Webb; Michaela Pererra has it all going on. No offense to **PucksRaven** ’s family, but “X-Play” just plain sucks. Awful, awful; I really don’t see any redeeming value to it. I work in videogames, so I was really looking forward to seeing a show about games, done with the tone of “The Screen Savers.” Instead you get a half hour of reviews that are shallow even for videogame “journalism,” and incessant lame lame bits from the hosts which I can only assume are supposed to pass for “comedy.” There are genuinely funny people who work for that network; how come they couldn’t have gotten any of them to work on “X-Play?” If that’s the direction the channel is taking, no thanks. I happened to see a couple of the new shows they’re airing yesterday. One was an E3 preview that somehow managed to be shallow, annoying, _and_ teeth-shatteringly dull. I wouldn’t have thought that were possible. Next was a show called “Cheat!” that had an X-TREME host who delivered all his lines like a TV Guide-channel host on an overdose of crank, giving cheat codes for games like “Dragonball Z”. Dark days. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/16 "2004-05-14T00:32:08Z")
This sucks. Cause I know exactly what they’re going to do to The Screen Savers. Make it more slick & MTV-ish. All shows that start out low key & informal, where the crew laughs more than the audience (if there is one) always, eventually, get this makeover. The Daily Show, Later with Bob Costas etc. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/17 "2004-05-14T00:44:38Z")
I really miss the old ZDTV days, when in my area they shared a channel with NASA and the local high school’s announcements. When Kate and Leo reigned supreme over geekdom, even if I did find Kate slightly annoying. I wish I could say how much I learned from watching early Screensavers… I have to confess to not having watched it in eons - do they still have call ins? I called once, way back in the very early days, about a question and they never got to me on air, but one of the guys who answered the phones back then - I want to say Dave, but I can’t quite remember - was nice enough to keep me around even after the show had ended and gave me over to Leo. It was very cool of him. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/18 "2004-05-14T02:19:48Z")
> [@robgruver](#): > > 1. Thou shalt not associate with girls. > … > 2. Thou shalt build callouses on thy thumbs. Is #6 due to gameplay, or is it a result of #2? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/19 "2004-05-14T02:50:04Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > I will miss _Thunderbirds_. ☹ I just saw it when cruising the C Band stuff. Damn. Anyone else see it on a BUD? ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comcast-mows-down-techtv/243999/20 "2004-05-14T03:18:05Z")
The entire Merger is pretty much old news by now. Im glad Im getting G4 with out putting up extra money (I have Dish Network). By now, those who read this thread have nodoubt seen the commercials that all but state point blank that Xplay, Unscrewed, and The Screen Savers are surviving. It seems Anime Unleashed and Invent This will also carry over. As I posted to Techtv’s forums, Screensavers will adopt the entire Call for Help audience. The questions asked on both seem to be more and more similar (TSS used to be CFH’s bigger brother). Techlive will ““split”” and influence both Unscrewed and TSS (Sarah’s News Items). Most of the other shows where BBC repeats anyway. Even when you could see a new episode of a show, you would get to see it like 3 times within the next 24 hours… To cut the crap that that the BBC gave up on, Yeah, I will take more Gaming over vaugely “tech”-related. The Network will have time to evolve in the early stages, but the Meat from both Networks will beat the “Fat” anyday. Isnt Chris Leary gone? ((“And there was much rejoycing”)) The Network(s) needed to be pruned, and the best network will soon emerge.