TechTV and G4 may merge

[Speedy G]

Obgameshow: I was always waiting for techTV to create some kind of game show where folks had to hack into something (1st to do it wins), or that kind of thing.

ObObGameShow (does that even make sense?): The closest thing to a game show on the network is the "Search Sperts" segment on Unscrewed.  Basically, Martin Sargent picks a number of Google hits, and the two "contestants" have to quickly come up with a word or phrase that they think will come up with that many hits in Google.  Closest person wins.  Besides the network's semi-regular contests, I'm not aware of anything else that's been even remotely close to a game show on the network in the last couple of years (no, I don't think Robot Wars counts.  =P  ).

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Dec 8 2003, 01:48 PM\'] [quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Dec 8 2003, 01:38 PM\']Well, as long as they keep Game Sauce....[/quote]
"Game Sauce" is now on GSN.  It's the first acquired half of the video game block that everyone loves.   [/quote]
 If this merging does mean Starcade reruns are bye-bye on G4, maybe GSN could pump some life back into its fledgling Video Game block by picking up Starcade.

[chuckwooleryfan]

[quote name=\'Speedy G\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 11:04 AM\']

Obgameshow: I was always waiting for techTV to create some kind of game show where folks had to hack into something (1st to do it wins), or that kind of thing.

ObObGameShow (does that even make sense?): The closest thing to a game show on the network is the "Search Sperts" segment on Unscrewed.  Basically, Martin Sargent picks a number of Google hits, and the two "contestants" have to quickly come up with a word or phrase that they think will come up with that many hits in Google.  Closest person wins.  Besides the network's semi-regular contests, I'm not aware of anything else that's been even remotely close to a game show on the network in the last couple of years (no, I don't think Robot Wars counts.  =P  ). [/quote]
 On Call for Help (every day at 3 PM EST), they air a segment near the end of the show called the "Wired World Challenge." A contestant is asked a question over the phone (after they select one of four categories). If he/she is right, they get a choose one of 25 prizes on the prize board. Prizes can range from total "duds" like Leo Laporte's book to actual computer software like Photoshop.

Sometimes though they'll go as far as offer a Tivo or an entirely new custom-built PC as grand prizes.

[TraderRob]

Official word from Jim Caruso of JM Productions, the producers of "Starcade":

We are afraid that you are out of luck for seeing Starcade on G4. They have elected not to pick up the 3rd year of their license agreement. They felt that everyone had seen it and their audience was tired of Starcade. We don't think the merge was a factor. We are sure that G4/TechTV will create a show just as well produced and as exciting as Starcade. Yes, we can comment and say that Starcade will be broadcast on another channel. After all it has lasted 20 plus years. In the meantime we are releasing it on DVD. See the store on www.starcade.tv.
Jim and Mavis
JM Production Company
Producers of Starcade, TV's First Video Arcade Game Show

So it appears that it'll be popping up somewhere else in the near future.  My two thoughts would be either GSN or Trio with my gut leaning towards Trio since they air this kind of niche programming.   I'll look forward to the announcement since I will be getting G4 when I move next month just in time for them to take the show off the air!

[itiparanoid13]

i personally found Starcade boring.  They have a quazi-revival of it on G4, anyway.  Its called Arena and it specializes in first person shooting games.  This season I think they give away a trip somewhere for the winners even.  Its not an arcade based game like Starcade.  Its more confrontational taking players into games like Unreal Tournament 2004.  

If TechTV wanted to get into the game show world, if I were them I would think about maybe seeing if they could get something like Tech Jeopardy.  It was on station.sony.com when they use to carry game shows to play.  I use to play it a lot to; it was very entertaining.  I would see this as the best way for them to dive into the game show world, if they got everything sorted out.

[PeterMarshallFan]

We are afraid that you are out of luck for seeing Starcade on G4. They have elected not to pick up the 3rd year of their license agreement. They felt that everyone had seen it and their audience was tired of Starcade. We don't think the merge was a factor. We are sure that G4/TechTV will create a show just as well produced and as exciting as Starcade. Yes, we can comment and say that Starcade will be broadcast on another channel. After all it has lasted 20 plus years. In the meantime we are releasing it on DVD. See the store on www.starcade.tv.
Jim and Mavis
JM Production Company
Producers of Starcade, TV's First Video Arcade Game Show

That's too bad. Hopefully Jim saw my suggestion of talking to GSN which I posted at the G4 Starcade board.

I really hope Starcade shows up on GSN.....

[opimus]

Leo has left Tech TV.

[tyshaun1]

[quote name=\'TraderRob\' date=\'Apr 6 2004, 12:10 PM\'] Official word from Jim Caruso of JM Productions, the producers of "Starcade":

We are afraid that you are out of luck for seeing Starcade on G4. They have elected not to pick up the 3rd year of their license agreement. They felt that everyone had seen it and their audience was tired of Starcade. We don't think the merge was a factor. We are sure that G4/TechTV will create a show just as well produced and as exciting as Starcade. Yes, we can comment and say that Starcade will be broadcast on another channel. After all it has lasted 20 plus years. In the meantime we are releasing it on DVD. See the store on www.starcade.tv.
Jim and Mavis
JM Production Company
Producers of Starcade, TV's First Video Arcade Game Show

So it appears that it'll be popping up somewhere else in the near future.  My two thoughts would be either GSN or Trio with my gut leaning towards Trio since they air this kind of niche programming.   I'll look forward to the announcement since I will be getting G4 when I move next month just in time for them to take the show off the air! [/quote]
 I must say, I'm a little surprised at this development. G4 had recently moved the show to a more prominent timeslot (4:30 PM, right where it used to air on WTBS) right after repeats of one of their more popular shows, G4TV.com, a weekly call-in show (a little like The Screen Savers, but no audience and strictly video games). I guess the show DOES stick out like a sore thumb, though, considering its the only non-in house and classic show on the network. C'est la vie.........

Tyshaun

[inturnaround]

[quote name=\'opimus\' date=\'Apr 6 2004, 07:44 PM\'] Leo has left Tech TV. [/quote]
 To clarify, Leo Laporte's contract was not picked up after a dispute over stock options he owned. This doesn't preclude him from working with the new G4/TechTV channel and he has let G4's management know that he is available.

Hopefully G4 is smart enough to grab him.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'inturnaround\' date=\'Apr 6 2004, 06:08 PM\'] [quote name=\'opimus\' date=\'Apr 6 2004, 07:44 PM\'] Leo has left Tech TV. [/quote]
To clarify, Leo Laporte's contract was not picked up after a dispute over stock options he owned. This doesn't preclude him from working with the new G4/TechTV channel and he has let G4's management know that he is available.

Hopefully G4 is smart enough to grab him. [/quote]
 This reminds me of the situation two years ago where hockey season was about to start and Ron MacLean was NOT under contract to CBC yet to host Hockey Night In Canada. ESPN would have snapped his ass up in a New York minute.

If Comcast is smart, they sit Leo down, stick a check in front of him, and start drawing in zeros until he smiles. Having Leo involved in the new hybrid channel would be THE BEST way to make it legit from the get-go....

...if it's still a computer channel. If they make it more G4 and less Tech, they're wasting Leo.

This just popped into my head: When I was little, afternoon cartoons were on TV from 3-5, and then on Saturdays. So if I'm a kid, I probably care more about the video games and less about the high-tech hardcore PC stuff. Comcast would be wise to program the hybrid channel accordingly...run videogame stuff in the afternoons when the kids are home from school to watch (and maybe in the early mornings, too, say 7a-9a?), give 'em all morning Saturday, maybe into the afternoon, and run TechTV-oriented programming the other hours.

[tyshaun1]

For anyone who has G4 (or who cares), they will air their last repeat of Starcade tomorrow night at 4 AM EST. So get those VCR's or TiVo's rolling..........

[Winkfan]

For anyone who has G4 (or who cares), they will air their last repeat of Starcade tomorrow night at 4 AM EST. So get those VCR's or TiVo's rolling..........

Starcade was the only reason I had G4 on my 'favorite channels' list that my cable box enables my to use when I feel like 'channel surfing.' But when I heard that G4 was dropping the repeats, I had that channel removed from my list.

Another thing, if GSN does get Starcade, then that show, too, will fall victim to GSN's new policy of running credit-crunches to the very end. Anybody ever stopped to think about that?

Sayonara, Starcade. It was quite a ride while it lasted.....again.

Cordially,
Tammy Warner--the 'Elaine Stewart of the Big Board!'