Pay television , also known as subscription television , premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel , refers to subscription -based television services, usually provided by multichannel television providers, but also increasingly via digital terrestrial and streaming television . In the United States, subscription television began in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the form of encrypted analog over-the-air broadcast television which could be decrypted with special equipment. The concept rapidly expanded through the multi-channel transition and into the post-network era . Other parts of the world beyond the United States, such as France and Latin America have also offered encrypted analog terrestrial signals available for subscription.
84-527: G4 (also known as G4TV ) was an American pay television and digital network owned by NBCUniversal and later Comcast Spectacor that primarily focused on video games . The network was originally owned by G4 Media , a joint venture between the NBCUniversal Cable division of NBCUniversal and Dish Network by the time of the channel's initial closure, and first launched on April 24, 2002. In late 2012, G4's studio programming ceased in preparation for
168-469: A trial period , often one to three months, though there have been rare instances of free trials for pay services that last up to one year for newer subscribers to that provider's television service. Pay television has become popular with cable and satellite television . Pay television services often, at least two to three times per year, provide free previews of their services, in order to court potential subscribers by allowing this wider audience to sample
252-565: A "best of" show running in the Friday time-slot. Attack of the Show! aired its 1,000th episode in July 2009, which included a skit in which guest of the episode Alan Thicke kissed Olivia Munn. Attack of the Show! upgraded to high-definition on April 5, 2010, to coincide with its first-ever "Epic April" event of new premieres and stunts. Along with the addition of Candace Bailey , on January 1, 2011, Attack of
336-486: A "game over". On July 24, 2020, the Twitter accounts of G4, Attack of the Show! and X-Play were reactivated to post a teaser video announcing a revival of the network slated for 2021. The teaser was released during "Comic-Con@Home", the first virtual streaming edition of San Diego Comic-Con . G4's website was reopened with a playable game of Pong which, if won, redirected to a mailing list to sign up for updates and
420-484: A campaign on Twitter to become a G4 personality in August 2020. On the same day of the special's premiere, G4 launched Gravython , a charity drive that would be raising funds for a variety of community partners. On January 28, 2021, G4 announced that both Attack of the Show! and X-Play would be revived due to high demand from fans. They also gave a tentative date of Summer 2021 for the network's relaunch. The following day,
504-427: A correspondent for The Feed , a daily news segment. At this time, the hosts of AOTS were Pereira, Munn, Selwyn, and Kayleigh. Kayleigh left AOTS in 2009. At Comic-Con 2010, Munn said that she would not be leaving AOTS , though she only occasionally appeared on the show for the rest of that year. She was still featured in the opening credits and other AOTS set pieces and transitions until December 6, 2010. After
588-406: A crude decrypting of the over-the-air television signal and a decoding box, but never caught on for use at that time. It took another four decades when cable broadcasters started using pay-per-view on a widespread basis. "Free" variants are free-to-air (FTA) and free-to-view (FTV); however, FTV services are normally encrypted and decryption cards either come as part of an initial subscription to
672-534: A filing with the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (that state's utility service regulator) a month prior, that NBCUniversal had plans to discontinue G4's operations as of the October 10 date, though only the discontinuation of carriage by Cablevision occurred. Late in October 2013, Charter Communications , which was one of the charter carriers of TechTV when it was a sister of that network under
756-794: A final new opening credit, with no reference to permanent or guest hosts. Kevin Pereira would host the game show Let's Ask America , which premiered on September 17, 2012. The final regular hosts of the first run of AOTS were Candace Bailey and Sara Underwood. Pereira was announced to be returning to host the second run of Attack of the Show! on February 12, 2021. Kassem G, Fiona Nova, Gina Darling, and Will Neff were announced as co-hosts on November 11, 2021. They are regularly joined by Austin Creed , with other network hosts like Ovilee May, Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez, Jirard "The Completionist" Khalil, and AustinShow occasionally making appearances. As Attack of
840-627: A focus on their parent companies' libraries, with HBO Now replaced by HBO Max (now Max) in 2020 (which adds content from other Warner Bros. properties and third-parties, and would also be included with existing HBO subscriptions via television providers), and Showtime formally merging with Paramount+ in 2023. Canadian premium service The Movie Network similarly merged with the CraveTV service owned by parent company Bell Media in 2018. Pay-per-view (PPV) services are similar to subscription-based pay television services in that customers must pay to have
924-411: A free shirt promo code. The campaign was in-reference to the network's original launch in 2002 and their shutdown in 2014. Comcast would transfer operations of G4 from NBCUniversal to its Spectacor division (former owners of the now-defunct PRISM regional premium cable television channel). On August 12, 2020, Olivia Munn , the former co-host of Attack of the Show! , was reportedly in final talks for
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#17329054474631008-488: A livestream that cosplayer Jefferson "Jeffersawrus" Carvey was the network's first #G4NeedsTalent hire. Its final "Epic April" announcement was made on the 30th, where Virtual YouTuber and livestreamer character CodeMiko , along with her creator known only as "The Technician", would be joining as a new host. On May 5, 2021, G4 was announced to be the official broadcaster of Dungeons & Dragons Live , airing on July 16 and 17. On May 14, YouTuber and podcaster Gina Darling
1092-513: A lower subscription fee. These are called "mini-pay" channels (a term also used for smaller scale commercial-free pay television services) and are often sold as a part of a package with numerous similarly priced channels. Usually, however, the regular pricing for premium channels ranges from just under $ 10 to near $ 25 per month per suite, with lower prices available via bundling options with cable or satellite providers, or special limited offers which are available during free preview periods or before
1176-417: A main flagship channel is accompanied by secondary services with distinct schedules focusing on specific genres and audiences (such as multiplexes focusing more on "classic" films, or family-oriented programming), time shifting , or brand licensing deals (such as channels focusing specifically on Disney films , or content from U.S. pay television brands if they do not specifically run their own network in
1260-524: A male-oriented channel, stating that "guys like to play games, but not necessarily watch a bunch of shows with games on the screen". Comcast announced on October 12, 2006, that it would consolidate its west coast entertainment operations, including G4, E! and Style Network into a new group headed by Ted Harbert , who had formerly run E!. It was announced that the upper management of the G4 channel would relocate to E!'s Los Angeles office. Harbert gave his opinion at
1344-448: A marathon of Xplay , with segments from other G4 programs added during commercial breaks or between episodes. Similar to how the original network ended in 2014 with the first episode of Xplay from 2003, the final full episode to air was the first episode from the Xplay relaunch in 2021. This was followed by a zoomed-out photo of former Attack of the Show host Gina Darling's forehead, with
1428-561: A marathon of the original Ninja Warrior , occasionally featuring reruns of the Very Special G4 Holiday Reunion Special from the previous year. The Catastrophic Launch Special was broadcast on the network's Twitch and YouTube channels that same evening, before airing on the cable network on the next day. On March 7, 2022, G4 launched a FAST channel on Pluto TV called G4 Select, which carries most of G4's regular programming. As part of an exclusive partnership,
1512-535: A mix of original series, films, and specials. The shift towards SVOD has resulted in increasing competition within the sector, with media conglomerates having launched their own services (such as Disney+ , Paramount+ , Peacock , and Disney's acquisition of the majority of Hulu ) to compete, and existing premium networks such as HBO ( HBO Now ) and Showtime launching direct-to-consumer versions of their existing services to appeal to cord cutters . HBO and Showtime later absorbed their DTC offerings into wider services with
1596-420: A multi-year deal with G4. On September 4, 2020, the official G4 YouTube channel uploaded a video featuring former X-Play host Adam Sessler as one of his fictional characters, Crazy Adam, asking for fans to submit applications to become a G4 host or simply nominate their favorite personalities with the hashtag , #G4NeedsTalent. On November 16, 2020, G4 announced A Very Special G4 Holiday Reunion Special ,
1680-675: A pay television bouquet – in other words, an offer of pay-TV channels – or can be purchased for a one-time cost. FTA and FTV systems may still have selective access. ABC Australia is one example, as much of its programming content is free-to-air except for National Rugby League (NRL) games, which are encrypted. Attack of the Show! Attack of the Show! ( AOTS ) is an American live television program that aired on G4 . AOTS features segments on pop culture , video games , and movies . After an initial run from 2005 to 2013 (which originally aired from 2005 until 2013, weeknights on G4 , G4 Canada , Fuel TV , HOW TO Channel , and Maxxx ),
1764-525: A planned relaunch as Esquire Network , as part of a licensing deal with Hearst Corporation , owner of Esquire magazine. Esquire Network would ultimately replace Style Network instead, on September 23, 2013. G4 announced in November 2014 that it would end all operations. The network was originally shut down on December 31 , 2014. By August 2013, it was reported that approximately 61,217,000 American households (53.61% of households with television) were receiving
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#17329054474631848-416: A promotion for Sprint Nextel 's next generation wireless internet service. On November 1, 2010, DirecTV announced that it had removed G4 from its channel lineup, citing low interest among their subscriber base and low Nielsen ratings as the primary reason for dropping of the channel. DirecTV commented that it was "...unable to reach an agreement to continue carrying the G4 channel and it has been removed from
1932-689: A restriction as a few providers optionally sell that service without requiring a Showtime subscription. Unlike other cable networks, premium services are almost always subscribed to a la carte , meaning that one can, for example, subscribe to HBO without subscribing to Showtime (in Canada, there are slight modifications, as most providers include U.S. superstations – such as WAPA-TV – with their main premium package by default). However, subscribing to an "individual" service automatically includes access to all of that service's available multiplex channels and, in some cases, access to content via video-on-demand (in
2016-469: A scripted special hosted by Ron Funches featuring interviews with Kevin Pereira , Olivia Munn, Adam Sessler, Morgan Webb , Kristin Adams , and Blair Herter . The special premiered on November 24 on Twitch and YouTube ; Syfy would also air the special on November 27. At the special's end, wrestler Xavier "King" Woods / Austin Creed would be the first newly announced host for G4's relaunch, after beginning
2100-518: A search for a new host among the show's audience to replace Rose, and for several months various candidates auditioned on the air. In the end none of the candidates were actually selected, although this was never actually announced on the air. Sarah Lane, who had previously been a co-host and segment contributor, gradually took the role previously held by Rose alongside Pereira. She continued in this capacity until April 6, 2006, when she and Moran announced their engagement and stated that they would be leaving
2184-425: A seasonal package. They are typically the most expensive type of pay services, generally running in the range of $ 35 to $ 50 per month. Some pay services also offer pornographic films ; Cinemax was well known for carrying a late-night block of softcore films and series known as "Max After Dark"—a reputation that led to the network often being nicknamed "Skinemax" by viewers. Cinemax phased out this programming in
2268-540: A short time during the 1980s, and unlike other general-interest pay services accepted outside advertising for broadcast during its sports telecasts), Preview , SelecTV and ON TV in the late 1970s, but those services disappeared as competition from cable television expanded during the 1980s. In Australia , Foxtel , Optus Television and TransACT are the major pay television distributors, all of which provide cable services in some metropolitan areas , with Foxtel providing satellite service for all other areas where cable
2352-501: A small dot, followed by the sound of San Diego Comic-Con attendee Ramses to Kevin Pereira shouting " I'’M AT COMIC CON!! ", (possibly alluding to G4 dying and going to Comic-Con, occasionally nicknamed "nerd heaven"), as the dot shut off like an analog TV alongside the Atari 2600 version of Donkey Kong 's death sounds and the Game Boy start-up chime, thus symbolically ending the network with
2436-401: A specific market). Typically, these services are bundled together with the main channel at no additional charge, and cannot be purchased separately. Depending on local regulations, pay television services generally have more lenient content standards because of their relatively narrower distribution, and not being subject to pressure from sponsors to tone down content. As a result, programming
2520-674: A still game of Pong etched onto it and text reading, "G4" and "Thanks 4 watching!," along with Kassem G's deadpan voice saying "I'm at Comic-Con." referencing the first time the network stopped transmitting. A screen reading "THANK YOU FOR WATCHING!" was set to appear after midnight, however Fios cut their signal just seconds prior to midnight, ending in the middle of the sign-off. In addition to video game culture , G4's programming encompassed geek , fandom , genre , and general audience shows aimed at young adults. The network primarily livestreams its original programming on their Twitch and YouTube channels. These livestreams are edited to air on
2604-416: A video on their YouTube channel revealing the return of "Epic April", a month dedicated to new announcements. On April 5, G4 revealed the development of a new competitive series hosted by Xavier "King" Woods / Austin Creed in partnership with WWE to air in the fall. On April 11, Esports shoutcaster, The Titan Games commentator and former AEW commentator Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez was announced to be joining
G4 (American TV network) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-500: A week. Consequently, a number of the staff and production crew involved in the shows would be laid off. Layla Kayleigh also left G4 in April 2009 after Neal Tiles announced that her contract would not be renewed. It was announced during Comic-Con 2010 that G4 would be the exclusive North American broadcaster of Marvel Anime , which made its television debut in 2011. During the week of July 26-August 1, 2010, G4 changed its logo to 4G as
2772-481: Is Canal+ and its scrambled services, which operated in France from 1984 to the 2011 closedown of analogue television, Spain from 1990 to 2005 and Poland from 1995 to 2001. Some U.S. television stations launched pay services (known simply as "subscription television" services) such as SuperTV , Wometco Home Theater , PRISM (which principally operated as a cable service, only being simultaneously carried over-the-air for
2856-701: Is not available. Austar formerly operated as a satellite pay service, until it merged with Foxtel and SelecTV . The major distributors of pay television in New Zealand are Sky Network Television on satellite and Vodafone on cable. In the 2010s, over-the-top subscription video on demand (SVOD) services distributed via internet video emerged as a major competitor to traditional pay television, with services such as Amazon Video , Hulu , and Netflix gaining prominence. Similarly to pay television services, their libraries include acquired content (which can not only include films, but acquired television series as well), and
2940-717: Is typically aired with limited to no edits for time or, where applicable, mature content such as graphic violence , profanity , nudity , and sexual activity . As premium television services are commonly devoid of traditional commercial advertising, breaks between programming typically include promotions for upcoming programs , and interstitial segments (such as behind-the-scenes content, interviews, and other feature segments). Some sports-based pay services, however, may feature some commercial advertising, particularly if they simulcast sporting events that are broadcast by advertiser-supported television networks. In addition, most general interest or movie-based pay services do not adhere to
3024-591: The Wimbledon tennis tournament. Specialty pay sports channels also exist—often focusing on international sports considered niche to domestic audiences (such as, in the United States, cricket ), and are typically sold at a higher expense than traditional premium services. Out-of-market sports packages in North America are multi-channel pay services carrying professional or collegiate sporting events which are sold in
3108-555: The business cycle , some broadcasters try to balance them with more stable income from subscriptions. Some providers offer services owned by the same company in a single package. For example, American satellite provider DirecTV offers the Encore channels along with the Starz multiplex (both owned by Lionsgate 's Starz Inc. ) in its "Starz Super Pack"; and The Movie Channel , Flix and SundanceTV (the latter of which continues to be sold in
3192-586: The 2010s, citing that it did not align with its current focus on action programming, and that internet porn and the amount of sexual content in other mainstream premium series (such as Game of Thrones ) made a specific block for such content redundant. Specialized channels dedicated to pornographic films also exist, that carry either softcore adult programs (such as Playboy TV ), or more hardcore content (such as The Erotic Network and Hustler TV ). Pay television channels come in different price ranges. Many channels carrying advertising combine this income with
3276-503: The April launch. Stotsky confirmed that a new season of American Ninja Warrior would air on the network in the summer. In May 2013, the launch date was pushed to September 23, 2013, with its first program being an 80th anniversary special for Esquire . On September 9, 2013, news broke that NBCUniversal would instead replace the Style Network with Esquire Network, leaving G4 "as is for the foreseeable future, though it's highly unlikely
3360-502: The DirecTV channel lineup." It was reported that the UFC and WWE were in separate talks to buy G4 in 2011. The UFC eventually partnered with Fox , while WWE launched its own network on February 24, 2014. On January 5, 2012, Neal Tiles stepped down as CEO. He was replaced by former NBCUniversal marketing chief Adam Stotsky. Long-time employees Adam Sessler and Kevin Pereira both departed
3444-417: The DirecTV package despite Showtime Networks no longer owning Sundance, that channel is now owned by AMC Networks ) along with Showtime in its "Showtime Unlimited" package; Cinemax and its multiplex networks, in turn, are almost always packaged with HBO (both owned by Warner Bros. Discovery ). Though selling premium services that are related by ownership as a package is common, that may not always be
G4 (American TV network) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-516: The Internet, thanks for seven kick-ass years. TTYL, Attack of the Show," with the Attack of the Show! theme playing at the end. On February 8, 2013, the first run of Attack of the Show! aired for the final time as a scheduled program on G4, with the final original episode being re-aired. On December 29, 2019, NBC 's San Francisco -owned station KNTV aired a 30-minute special titled Best of Attack of
3612-415: The Show "respawned" with new graphics and a new set. On October 26, 2012, G4 canceled Attack of the Show! due to low ratings, five months after Kevin Pereira canceled his contract. The series taped its final scenes on December 21, 2012. On January 23, 2013, the final episode from the original run of Attack of the Show! aired. After a brief montage of clips from AOTS history and final goodbyes from
3696-414: The Show ), though eventually those duties were taken over by the editorial staff of X-Play . G4's website previously featured game trailers and reviews, select video clips of its original shows, and web original programming. The website continued providing entertainment-related news articles until May 31, 2013, with the last article posted on G4's website as a replacement for the site's schedule section,
3780-400: The Show at 2:00am. While a slate at the top of the special said "This program originally aired on May 31, 2012," the special itself did not air on G4 that day, and it contained various clips from episodes past this date. NBC.com later put this special online, incorrectly citing that the special first aired on December 26, 2019. On January 28, 2021, a relaunching G4 announced that Attack of
3864-533: The Show! would be returning as well. Kevin Pereira was announced to be returning as host in February. The new incarnation of Attack of the Show! premiered on the network on November 18, 2021. A long-form-interview-only version called Attack of the Show: The Loop premiered on November 17, 2021, featuring Adam Savage as guest. This version of the show was streamed on Wednesdays. Another version called Attack of
3948-633: The Show: Vibe Check premiered on November 23, 2021, which featured a rotating selection of hosts sitting at a table discussing various topics and answering viewer questions; this edition was streamed live on Tuesdays. The revival was canceled with G4's closure less than a year later. The original hosts of Attack of the Show! were Kevin Pereira, Kevin Rose, Sarah Lane, and Brendan Moran, who were carried over from their roles on The Screen Savers . Kevin Rose left G4 and AOTS on May 27, 2005. The show announced
4032-426: The Show: Vibe Check , the network fully sunsetting operations on October 21, ending two minutes into Smosh ; G4 Select would later cease on Vizio. G4 in itself left Philo , YouTube TV , Xfinity , and Cox prior to the shutdown, with Fios being the last to carry the network until the true discontinuation date, November 18, 2022, two days after the first anniversary of the re-launch. The final programs aired were
4116-468: The addition of acquired and archive NBCU content such as Party Down , Parks and Recreation , and week-delayed episodes of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon . The rebranding was scheduled to take place on April 22, 2013, but was moved to an unspecified date in the summer on April 15, 2013. Network general manager Adam Stotsky stated the rebranding was pushed back in order to have a broader original series slate to launch with than would have been available for
4200-733: The aforementioned leniency in content standards, they too can contain content that is more mature than those of other cable channels or television networks . These series also tend to be high-budget and aim for critical success in order to attract subscribers: notable premium series, such as HBO 's Curb Your Enthusiasm , Game of Thrones , Sex and the City , and The Sopranos , and Showtime 's Dexter , Homeland , and Weeds , have achieved critical acclaim and have won various television awards. Some premium channels also broadcast television specials , which most commonly consist of concerts and concert films , documentaries , stand-up comedy , and in
4284-419: The broadcast decrypted for viewing, but usually only entail a one-time payment for a single or time-limited viewing. Programs offered via pay-per-view are most often movies or sporting events, but may also include other events, such as concerts and even softcore adult programs. In the U.S., the initial concept and technology for pay-per-view for broadcast television was first developed in the early 1950s, including
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#17329054474634368-644: The channel would also feature new content catered to free, linear streaming audiences. The channel was later added to Vizio 's WatchFree platform on June 16, 2022. On October 16, 2022, it was announced that G4 would be ceasing operations after relaunching the previous year. Several factors that led to G4's discontinuation ranged from low viewership, a lack of audience strategy, ever-changing and absent leadership, competition with streaming content creators on YouTube and Twitch , cord-cutting , underpromotion, and high expenditures. G4 Select would be removed from Pluto TV on October 19, 2022, during an episode of Attack of
4452-428: The common top and bottom of the hour scheduling of other cable channels and terrestrial broadcasters. As such, programs often air using either conventional scheduling or have airtimes in five-minute increments (for example, 7:05 a.m. or 4:40 p.m.); since such channels broadcast content without in-program break interruptions, this sometimes leads to extended or abbreviated breaks between programs, depending on when
4536-602: The company launched the B4G4 brand, featuring short-form experimental content on YouTube and Twitter created to gain feedback from audiences that would help determine the shows for G4's relaunch. On February 12, 2021, the B4G4 iterations of Attack of the Show! and X-Play began, with Kevin Pereira and Adam Sessler returning to host their respective series; these involved humorous sketches for AOTS and Let's Plays with other gaming-based streamers and YouTubers alongside Sessler for X-Play . On
4620-412: The company will invest in more original programming". On September 23, 2013, G4 was dropped by Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks (Bright House carriage contracts were negotiated by Time Warner Cable), citing the network's low viewership as "(not a) good value for our customers". Verizon FiOS discontinued the channel on October 1, 2013, and Cablevision did so on October 10, 2013, pursuant to
4704-413: The departure of Munn, AOTS featured several guest co-hosts including: Candace Bailey, Jessica Chobot , Alison Haislip , Carrie Keagan , Alessandra Torresani , Sara Underwood , Milynn Sarley, and Morgan Webb . Bailey became the new co-host with Pereira on January 11, 2011. AOTS has also featured Chris Hardwick , Chris Gore , and Blair Herter in the occasional absence of Pereira. In addition to
4788-416: The footsteps of MTV, which provided music video producers with a venue for non-traditional television programming. Hirschhorn intended G4 to become a vehicle for unconventional advertising. In 2002, G4 offered advertisers wide latitude to place their products on G4's programs, and even allowed their commercials to appear as if they were a part of the program . G4 offered what was called a "2 minute unit", which
4872-644: The form of a conventional VOD television service, and in some cases, a companion on-demand streaming service as well). Most pay television providers also offer a selection of premium services (for example, the HBO, Showtime and Starz packages) in one bundle at a greatly reduced price than it would cost to purchase each service separately, as an inducement for subscribers to remain with their service provider or for others to induce subscribers into using their service. Similarly, many television providers offer general interest or movie-based premium channels at no additional charge for
4956-403: The interim cohosts, Grace Helbig has also filled in for Bailey. On May 9, 2012, Pereira announced on-air that he was officially leaving AOTS to pursue work in television production. He stated, "I plan to turn my attention to full-time with my production company Super Creative and live touring nerd-carnival leetUP." His last day on AOTS was May 31. Beginning August 28, 2012, the show debuted
5040-454: The launch of a network's prestige series. However, some other channels, such as sports and adult networks may ask for monthly pricing that may go as high as near $ 50 a month. There are also premium television services which are priced significantly higher than the mini-pay channels, but they compensate for their higher price by carrying little or no advertising and also providing a higher quality program output. As advertising sales are sensitive to
5124-459: The linear television channel and video on demand platforms the next day. The television channel's programming currently features reruns of past G4 shows, as well as other acquired programs. Pulse was a prerecorded weekly news show that focused on the gaming industry that aired on G4. In November 2004, along with other G4techTV programs, the show was cancelled. News segments were merged with revamped version of The Screen Savers (later Attack of
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#17329054474635208-467: The majority of pay television services rely almost solely on monthly subscription fees paid by individual customers. As a result, pay television outlets are most concerned with offering content that can justify the cost of the service, which helps to attract new subscribers, and retain existing subscribers. Many pay television services consist of multiple individual channels, referred to as " multiplex " services (in reference to multiplex cinemas ), where
5292-451: The merger, the "TechTV" brand was dropped from the channel's name. A Canadian version of TechTV, originally launched on September 7, 2001, would also be relaunched under the "G4techTV" branding and would retain the brand until 2009. In September 2005, Neal Tiles replaced Hirschhorn as the channel's president. Tiles had previously been a senior marketing executive at DirecTV , Fox Sports and ESPN . He announced that G4 would be retooled as
5376-503: The network as a new host. On April 14, 2021, G4 announced that Ninja Warrior , an English-dubbed version of the Japanese show SASUKE (itself the original Japanese version of American Ninja Warrior ), would be returning to the network with 3 new tournaments and a total of 167 episodes. On April 19, comedian and YouTuber Kassem G was announced to be joining the network as a new host. On April 28, Adam Sessler and Kassem G revealed during
5460-450: The network continued to be carried on other cable systems. Certain cable operators reported that the network would end all on-air operations on November 30, 2014, and the aforementioned providers continued airing the network until the alleged cutoff date (or when their contracts with G4 were fully exhausted), ending all carriage of the network from cable providers and cable television services. The final day of G4 in its previous iteration
5544-562: The network during the first half of 2012. On October 26, 2012, it was announced that X-Play and Attack of the Show! would be cancelled by the end of the year, ending G4's studio programming. In December 2012, NBCUniversal signed a brand licensing deal with the Hearst Corporation , owner of Esquire magazine, to relaunch G4 into Esquire Network which would air shows aimed at a metrosexual audience about travel, cooking, fashion and non-sports related male programming, including
5628-473: The network. On July 24, 2020, a revival of the G4 brand was announced; the network relaunched on November 16, 2021. On October 16, 2022, it was announced that Comcast would soon be shutting down the network. Its final day of operation was November 18, 2022. G4 was launched on April 24, 2002, under the ownership of Comcast . The initial concept was to create a service similar to rival TechTV but targeted at 12-to-34-year-olds, an elusive demographic. The channel
5712-494: The original term of license agreements with a distributor may also be broadcast as "sub-runs", in which a service holds rights to film long after the conclusion of a distribution agreement (under this arrangement, the pay service that originally licensed the rights to a particular film title, or one other than that which had held rights, may hold the broadcast rights through a library content deal). Many general interest premium channels also produce original television series . Due to
5796-467: The ownership of Vulcan Ventures, announced its intention to drop G4 on December 17; sister network Cloo replaced G4 on its systems. On November 1, 2013, Dish Network removed it from the lineup with Esquire Network replacing G4, ending all carriage of the network from direct broadcast satellite services. Cox ceased carriage of G4 in all markets on December 31, 2013. Comcast removed G4 from all its cable and satellite systems nationwide on January 6, 2014;
5880-587: The past, theatrical plays . Sports programming is also featured on some premium services; HBO was historically known for its broadcasts of boxing , while Showtime and Epix also carry mixed martial arts events. Some general interest premium channels have aired other professional sporting events in the past: HBO for example, carried games from the National Hockey League (NHL), National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (ABA) in its early years, and from 1975 to 1999 aired
5964-521: The previous program concludes and when the start time of the next program is. The only universal variation to this is prime time , where the main channel in each pay service's suite usually schedules films to start on the hour. Films comprise much of the content seen on most pay television services, particularly those with a general entertainment format and those that focus exclusively on films . Services often obtain rights to films through exclusive agreements with film distributors . Films acquired during
6048-431: The same day, it was announced that Esports shoutcasters Indiana "Froskurinn" Black and Ovilee May would be the network's new hosts, helming the series The Bleep Esports Show - a satirical program focusing on current gaming-related news. In March, the network also began livestreaming on both Twitch and YouTube, where its hosts interact with the audience and do watch-alongs to new B4G4 videos. On April 2, 2021, G4 uploaded
6132-578: The service for a period of days or weeks; these are typically scheduled to showcase major special event programming, such as the pay cable premiere of a blockbuster feature film, the premiere (either a series or season premiere ) of a widely anticipated or critically acclaimed original series or occasionally, a high-profile special (such as a concert). Subscription services transmitted via analogue terrestrial television have also existed, to varying degrees of success. The most known example of such service in Europe
6216-402: The show was revived in 2021 and canceled again when the network closed in 2022. The second incarnation of the program featured an ensemble cast, including returning original host Kevin Pereira , Kassem G , Fiona Nova, Gina Darling, Will Neff , and Austin Creed . The show premiered on March 28, 2005, as a replacement for The Screen Savers . The show originally aired live five days a week;
6300-441: The show's hosts and staff, the series ended with former Screen Savers hosts Patrick Norton and Leo Laporte in a coffee shop, acting as if the entire run of AOTS had been a dream. They then don "rocket packs" and fly off to work in a skyscraper adorned with the old TechTV logo, as the theme song of The Screen Savers plays. Afterwards, text came up on the screen against a gray background that read, "To our fans, our haters, and
6384-400: The show. Lane and Moran appeared on the show, via satellite, on July 13, 2006, to talk about their adventures. Olivia Munn was hired to replace Lane and began hosting with Pereira on April 10, 2006. Zach Selwyn , the runner up on ESPN 's Dream Job , was hired to replace Moran and started his hosting duties a week later on April 17, 2006. In 2006, Layla Kayleigh also joined the show as
6468-465: The situation: for example, in the United States, Cinemax and Encore are optionally sold separately from or in a single package with their respective parent networks HBO and Starz, depending on the service provider. The Movie Channel and Flix meanwhile, are usually sold together with Showtime (all three channels are owned by Paramount Global ); though subscribers are required to purchase Showtime in order to receive Flix, The Movie Channel does not have such
6552-413: The time that the focus of the channel on "gaming has been demonstrated as being too narrow." In April 2007, G4, in association with Earth911, launched an electronic-waste -recycling campaign called Gcycle. On February 17, 2009, it was reported that G4 intended to cut back its original programming. X-Play would be reduced to three nights a week while Attack of the Show! would be cut to four nights
6636-455: The week of January 2, 2006, the show was truncated to air for only four days a week. Fridays featured a "Mash Up" that compiled segments from the week's four live shows. These segments often include skits, reviews, and general discussions. The show returned to live shows five days a week in September 2008, but G4 announced as of March 2, 2009, Attack of the Show! would go to four days a week with
6720-447: Was a marathon of the Top 100 Video Games of All Time, followed by the last program being the debut episode of X-Play . A note on the G4 website's program schedule was added to that particular episode saying "Thanks for watching G4." The network would cease broadcasting with a game of Pong on the screen, referencing the network's launch, gradually getting smaller and smaller before becoming just
6804-694: Was a notice stating that "NBCUniversal has discontinued all operations for G4" seven days after the network left the air. The website was relaunched on July 24, 2020, coinciding with the announcement of the network's revival. Pay television The term is most synonymous with premium entertainment services focused on films or general entertainment programming such as, in the United States, Cinemax , HBO , MGM+ , Showtime , and Starz , but such services can also include those devoted to sports , as well as adult entertainment . In contrast to most other multichannel television broadcasters, which depend on advertising and carriage fees as their sources of revenue,
6888-399: Was an advertising package played as if it were part of a G4 program that was long enough to run an entire movie trailer. G4 offered to sell the right to have a game showcased on the show Pulse . On March 25, 2004, Vulcan Inc. announced that G4 Media would acquire TechTV and merge the two networks. The combined network was rebranded as G4techTV . On February 15, 2005, less than a year after
6972-683: Was revealed during a livestream with Adam Sessler and Kassem G to be joining as a new host. On October 12, 2021, it was announced that G4's cable network would officially return on November 16, 2021. In November 2021, it was announced that airings of select episodes of the web series Scott the Woz would air on G4 in one-hour blocks. The show was scheduled to debut on December 7, 2021, at 6:30 pm EST but due to technical difficulties involving Amazon Web Services , it did not air in that timeslot. The show would officially debut at 10:30 pm EST . The network officially relaunched on November 16 at 6 a.m. EST, with
7056-430: Was soft launched with a week-long series of Pong matches. It was initially available to three million Comcast subscribers, and offered 13 half-hour programs. G4 was created and originally led by Charles Hirschhorn , a former president of Walt Disney Television and Television Animation . He expected video game creators themselves to eventually produce programming for the channel. He envisioned that G4 could follow in
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