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Comcast Fires TechTV Staff
Bocaj writes "Looks like it's curtains for TechTV staff. A Leo Laporte article says that Comcast has let the entire staff go. '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.' No word on what will happen to all the shows or the channel."
... so what will become of Playboy's proposed "Women of TechTV" photo shoot? I'm still waiting for Morgan b00bies.
Direct from Bangalore!
"Let's buy a great channel and fire everybody!"
I'd hate to see them fire everyone and relocate it.
The Screen Savers was one of the few informational shows that didn't cater to the lowest common denominator or sponsors. The hosts seemed honest with their opinions and they gave good tips. They also had good coverage of OSX and Linux, as well as interviews with people from the FCC and RIAA and other organizations of interest to slashdotters.
Dammit, now where are all the clueless newbies going to learn about the all the cool hacker tricks covered in Kevin Rose's Dark Tips?
Looks like The Man has won yet again!
Direct from the G4 press release, it looks like the only TechTV originals surviving are Anime Unleashed, X-Play, The Screen Savers, Fresh Gear, and Robot Wars. It doesn't say specifically if those are the only TechTV shows to continue or if any of the old staff will keep their position.
As long as Adam Sessler doesn't come back I won't complain too much.
That they fire the employees, and not cancel the show. The show has potential, and could be better spent than running tech support for beginner users. Think of a tv show, that was somewhat equivalent to slashdot, a discussion of new ideas, and even some conflict. The show could even be hosted by a F/OSS and a MS person.
je suis parce que j'aime
At least it's only being moved to LA, and not, like.. India.
For taking my favorite channel off the air.
I'm sure it will be replaced with something highly mediocre. Weren't they thinking of combining G4 and TechTV? Now its just going to be G4? I've personally tried to watch G4 and couldn't do it.
I don't understand why they would can the entire network.
Well, now that TechTV is gone, I've got no reason to keep the digital cable around, everything else I want is on basic cable.
Not Cat Schwartz!
Oh well, she will live on Photoshop.
The coolest voice ever.
From the FAQ:
Q: How does the merger expand G4's subscriber growth?
A: The merged network will be available to 44 million cable and satellite customers, representing every major MSO and satellite provider (28 million cable and 16 million satellite). G4, launched in April, 2002, is currently available in 15 million homes in 47 of the nation's top 50 television markets.
Q: What MSO's and satellite companies will carry the combined network?
A: Comcast; Time Warner; Mediacom; Insight; Cablevision; Charter; Adelphia; Cox; Cable One; Dish; and DirecTV.
Q: Who will be the network's chief executive?
A: Charles Hirschhorn, currently founder and CEO of G4, will oversee the merged network as CEO.
Q: Will the two services run independently of each other or be immediately combined?
A: The two channels will merge into one network. In the meantime, both G4 and TechTV will continue to air as independent channels, pending customary regulatory approvals underway.
Q: Where will the network be headquartered?
A: The merged network will be headquartered in Los Angeles.
Programming:
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.
Q: How many hours of original programming will the merged network produce?
A: After the networks merge, G4 will air more than 20 series and 800 episodes per year. New programs continue to be in development.
It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
- E. Debs
Just thinking out loud here... A Slashdot Channel would actually be pretty informative, covering lots of different aspects. Maybe even have guest Slashdoters invited to cover stories not covered already on the front page.
Then again, with TechTV's fate, maybe it wouldn't be such a success afterall.
Trolls lurk everywhere. Mod them down.
Comcast drone #1: Geeks already don't like us, right?
Comcast drone #2: Right.
Comcast drone #1: Something to do with the DMCA, no?
Comcast drone #2: Most likely.
Comcast drone #1: But they all like this TechTV show, right?
Comcast drone #2: Seems like it, yes.
Comcast drone #1: I have an idea....let's let the entire cast go and relocate to LA!
Comcast drone #2: Brilliant!
But, indeed, the merged network's headquarters will be in LA, where G4 has been headquartered. No surprise there.
Still, does anyone think that Comcast is so stupid as to spend all this money on a network, and then get rid of everything that makes people watch it?
- i was on TechTV a couple years ago... the publisher flew me out to SF and i got to take a cab to the studio... - the TechTV folks were very friendly, and Leo, et al. had a great crew... fast-paced, lots of good content, and an on-line chatter available in the studio to ask and respond to questions... - but of course, i'd expect nothing less from Comcast, one of the worst and most expensive cable companies in existence...
Since I watch the Screensavers I usually go to the Screensavers website and look up stuff in the show notes. Sometimes months later... There's alot of good info in there.
I like microcars
Just for the record, (as a wikipedia admin) the TechTV people vandalized our article on monkeypox live on the air, and it has been a vandalism-magnet ever since. But it is a shame that they are cancelled - although I don't get them where I live, from what I hear, they did some good stuff.
To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.
--E.C. Stanton
...on all fours, on my bed!
:-)
Come on, Morgan, I'll throw in comprehensive healthcare! Whaddaya say?
I'm wondering how many of the Slashdot crowd actually watched Tech TV?
:( I still think there is room for a technology-oriented television channel but not yet. I don't know about USA but here in Canada, Tech TV was a digital channel so until digital boxes are almost standard, I don't expect these digital channels to take off...
I never subscribed to it, over here in Canada, but watched the free promotional period. It was certainly different from the typical stuff on mainstream tech shows. I wasn't a big fan of the channel since I am not into tech as much as the rest of you here.
I guess this is the last remnant of the dot-com boom
Sivaram Velauthapillai
Sivaram Velauthapillai
Seeking the meaning of life... @slashdot of all places
SCO on the other hand seems to be making meritless accusations in court, is sueing its best clientel, and is betting everything on getting money from IP that they really don't own. This is not common buisness practices. Among the suits who approve of the comcast-style layoffs, the types of things SCO is doing would classify them as scum. No, comcast hasn't gone lower than SCO, they haven't come close.
Little Brother, watching the watchers
Finally! More broadcast bandwidth for the World's Scariest Reality Midget High School Survival Makeover Elimidate Police Fear Mini-series.
Now if we could only wipe out those damn persistant channels of informative crap like PBS, Discovery, and that other "high-brow" crap. Maybe we'll finally get a whole channel dedicated to quality shows like "The View" and "American Idol".
This one gang kept wanting me to join cause I'm pretty good with a bo staff.
How about Slashdot getting the funding to create a Slashdot TV channel and hire the fired Tech TV staff. ;)
*It's not what you can do for the Dark Side but what the Dark Side can do for you!*
That's Los Angeles, but they do stream (Realplayer, naturally.)
As far as I'm concerned, the flagship show on TechTV was The Screen Savers. When the show had Leo, Martin, and Morgan still, it was the best show on television.
I understand the desire to move successful people to their own shows, but after Leo moved off of TSS and they were left with Patrick (who is so-so), and then Kevin Rose with his elitist attitude and his little girlfriend (can't even remember her name since she is so annoying) that knows jack nothing about computers, well, I can barely stand to watch the show.
Frankly, I don't really watch it more than once a week. I used to watch it daily. That is impressive simply because I don't watch TV. Last year I didn't watch television at all for six months, after that I only watched it to see international perspective of the War in Iraq.
As such, the only reason I have for cable is TechTV. If they kill it (which they already pretty much have) then I will get rid of my cable TV in a heartbeat. Comcast is insane.
Then again, I can hope that someone else will see the potential it had, and do a TSS style show the way it was meant to be done.
Leo, Martin, and Morgan all act like people I hang out with (I'm more in Morgan/Martin's age group, but I know people in Leo's age group that I talk with about technology all the time). Kevin Rose acts like someone I'd never speak with about anything in person. I don't know the guy personally or anything, but I really feel that TSS is ruined without Leo there, and that it was even better than that before they broke up the staff.
The question is: did Comcast kill TechTV, or with it's flagship show in tatters, was it already dead?
Makes you wonder why they bought it, if they were just going to fold the channel, fire most of the employees and dump almost all of the content. I could understand if G4 and Tech were competitors-- but neither draws much of an audience and a combined channel will still be largely ignored.
Hmm, I think we can see why at least one employee would be "let go"... Reading your coworkers' AIM conversations and talking about it on TV would probably do it (watch the video clip). Stumbling their Wifi access points might have something to do with it, too...
News.com Article
I tell you the truth. If Stargate gets canceled, I'm giving up on TV.
Next someone will be telling me that Slashdot doesn't really run news, or that they got bought by OSDN. I'd be downhill from there, for sure. Oh, wait...
Drop me a line at:
Key ID: 0x54D1D809
A lot of comments here seem to be bashing Comcast for getting rid of TechTV with various sinister reasons behind the show's demise, but I also a significant number of "haven't watched it in 5 months, if ever" type of comments too. Could it be that TechTV had really low ratings and wasn't cost-effective to keep going? Naa...
"Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
CNET story is here: TechTV lays off San Francisco staff
Adam and X-Play are the only reason I really watch much anymore... I do like tech live from time to time.
If the channel quality degrades much, it might be the opportunity I needed to move to Voom - as the lack of TechTV was holding me back.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I had G4 when it first came out. Hell, I got a cable box to watch it I was so excited. I can't even describe how many problems they had, from lack of programming, to robot hosts who obviously could give less than 2 shits about gaming, to just insanely pointless programming (That MMORPG show with the HAL9000 voice over). I mean, 8 hours of programming cycled a week. How many times can you watch the same bad show a week? Technically 21. Pathetic.
Want to merge G4 and TechTV? Fine. Kill G4 and take the maybe 2 hours of programming, fix it, and bring it to TechTV, the better channel.
Instead, they do the opposite. They kill the wrong channel and basically put the staff that makes TechTV in a position to not want to migrate.
Comcast should be brown-nosing Morgan Webb and Leo LaPorte like they have gold stuck up their asses. Leo is a pretty smart tech guy that is very personable, easy to understand, and loves his job (none of which are very common in the tech field lately).
Morgan has a rabid army of unsexed fanboys that would pay an extra 10 bucks a month just to see her for 10 minutes a week. Sad, but true.
Are we over-reacting? No.
Because the deal hasn't even went through and Comcast already did the exact opposite of what they SHOULD have done.
I agree with your general point. However, I think you're a little off on this particular part. Comcast hadn't been running TechTV. Comcast bought TechTV and then announced layoffs shortly after. Whether TechTV was doing well or not may not be the issue (although they did take quite a hit during the dot-bomb).
But otherwise... right now. This is no SCO-ism.
Everybody got notices today that says at face value that 60 days from now their jobs won't exist. However, that doesn't promise that everybody's a goner...
See, the WARN act requires that when a downsizing of this scale is going to happen, the employer must give 60 days notice to everybody they're letting go. However, imagine the moral at an office where 2/3 of the people get the notice and the other 1/3 don't... fighting is sure to ensue during the two months before the cutback.
So, in reality... today's news doesn't really tell us what Comcast is planning. They very well could keep the shows alive, but send the jobs who don't affect the content (PR people, master control techs, salespeople, etc.) to LA.
The real answer will come exactly 60 days from now...
Not that I think they'll listen, but some folks went to the trouble of setting these up (they are posted on Leo's board). Hey it worked for Star Trek and Family Guy right? =)
Petition 1
Petition 2
Petition 3
Also a direct link to the Comcast complaint bucket...
Comcast Feedback
Good point, someone DOES need to mirror their content before their site is possibly killed off. There's a plethora of information that should never die off. I've still gone back to look for things on their Internet Tonight links.
Internet Tonight... wow... I miss ZDTV. =(
Yah so what? I was told once, that there are two kinds of women in this world... There's the kind of woman you'd do, and then there is the kind of woman you'd do when you're drunk.
Right now I'm drunk, and I'd definitely do her, but that doesn't answer the question which category she fits in to.
Comcast didn't quite get 100% of the network... Echostar still holds a stake in the network so we're sure that the resulting station will still be on Dish Network. The post-merger network will also inherit TechTV's contract with DirecTV that should keep it there for at least a few years.
FCC rules require that any cable-company owned network that is not exclusively delivered by landlines must be made available to other signal providers without discrimination. So, it's not likely they can play keep-away like they do so with some of their regional news and sports channels.
I work (still) at TechTV, in the IT department. AFAIK, next to nothing from the website is being kept. I know that G4 posted a job for an Oracle DBA to transition our DB to their MS SQL. We contacted them on it and they took the job down (google cache: http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:E3Q1eTpUtU0J:ww w.entertainmentcareers.net/jobid.asp%3Fjcode%3D229 34+G4+DBA&hl=en )
A PHB at G4 has his blog at http://hardwarewhore.com/ Classy, no? Not hard to see that they are going to leave a big, flaming divot in the ground.
I used to watch this show fanatically when it was just Kate and Leo, but as soon as Kate left it just wasn't the same. It seems like since then they've just paraded in a whole slew of different people and none of them ever really stuck with me. Sure, a lot of the new girls are cute, but few of them seem to have Kate's personality.
:)
As far as G4 goes, I don't see why so many people knock it. To me it has the same feeling TechTV used to have (when it was still ZDTV or whatever). For the most part, the hosts aren't just pretty puppets, but actual gamers and in some cases game industry insiders (the guys on Judgement Day). Also, it's nice to see what some games look like on an actual TV screen in motion instead of just as screen shots on the web. Lastly, Icons is a really great show. It's nice hearing about video game history from the people who lived it. Anyway, enough ranting, these rays aren't going to trace themselves
Actually, Family Guy's revival was largely attributable to phenomenal DVD sales.
"Where were you, when they fired the TechTV staff? Did it make you wanna cry, or did you think it was kinda gay?"
*****
Dear Mary,
I yearn for you tragically,
A.T. Tappman, Chaplain, U.S. Army.
It isn't just G4 has an even smaller niche audience, it's that G4 has an even smaller niche audience which hates it. I spend time looking at video game news/discussion sites, and G4 seems to be universally reviled as pointless, artificial and just plain stupid among the exact people who appear to be their target audience.
Obviously what I've seen isn't fully representative of the video game "fan" audience, but the thing is that G4 viewers aren't just a minority of the people I've seen-- they've been totally nonexistent. The most positive thing I've seen said about G4 ever is one person on a message board once who said they liked G4 because it made good "background noise". This as opposed to TechTV, which seems to have a relatively large, diverse, and visible favorable following.
As a non-cable subscriber, I cannot comment myself on the quality of either channel, since instead of watching television I just play video games and read Slashdot.
Irritable, left-wing and possibly humorous bumper stickers and t-shirts
The funny thing is that she's better than you are going to get in your entire pathetic life.
I found a picture of the new TechTV staff
I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it.