Comcast to shaft TechTV

[Jonbo298]

TechTV on Thursday told 285 of its San Francisco-based employees that they have 60 days to finish their work and move on. The move comes after cable-TV company Comcast announced plans to buy the struggling technology news outlet in March and merged it with its own G4 gaming network, based in Los Angeles.

Comcast said it plans to create 80 new positions after the acquisition closes, which is expected to receive regulatory approval early next week. TechTV employees will be given the opportunity to apply for those positions on the condition that they relocate to the Los Angeles office. Comcast will retain the San Francisco office as a "limited" G4 production facility for an indefinite period, according to G4 spokesman David Shane.

"There are 205 people impacted in total because of the 80 new positions created by the merger," Shane said. "We will work with employees to find new jobs in San Francisco or help them with the application process for the new positions."

Comcast will announce more detailed plans for the acquisition next week, said Shane. Those plans are expected to include information about which TechTV and G4 shows will be cancelled and which will remain in production. The company will negotiate contracts with specific on-air talent on a "case-by-case basis" at that time, he said.

Launched as ZDTV in 1998 by Ziff Davis Media, TechTV reaches nearly 44 million cable television subscribers. The organization's shows covered technology news, product reviews and consumer-focused tutorials. The company was purchased by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's Vulcan Ventures in 2000.

Comcast launched G4 in 2002, targeting the 24-hour-a-day channel at young video gamers. Comcast has committed $150 million to G4 over five years, according to Shane.

Financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed, but people close to the companies said in March that Comcast paid close to $300 million.

"The purchase is a strong vote of confidence for G4," said Shane. "We're in 15 million cable homes today. With the merger, we will be in 44 million cable and satellite homes. That's massive distribution."

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0...w=wn_tophead_3

I'll keep my pissed off mood short and simple.

F*ck You Comcast

[Null]

THANK you Comcast!

[Rndm_Perfection]

I've had comcast but never Tech TV...



Whaaat the hell? Oh well...

[Null]

Originally Posted by Rndm_Perfection

I've had comcast but never Tech TV...



Whaaat the hell? Oh well...

be thankful. it sucked.

[Rndm_Perfection]

Originally Posted by Null

be thankful. it sucked.

It had late night animé, I hear. Considering I watch about 15 minutes of television per day (when I'm getting ready for school and the news is on), it'd be really nice to triple that time for one good animé a night, y'know?

[Jonbo298]

I watch TechTV quite often. I like the channel. Some of the shows are meh, but I always watch Call for Help and The ScreenSavers. If they dont at least bring those 2 shows over with the same hosts, then I'll just call my cable provider (NOT Comcast thank god) and cancel the Tier that will contain the bastard child of G4 and TechTV and explicitly give them the reason why.

[Null]

channel looked like a low budget channel. shows were stupid boring, cheezy.

i dont like G4 either.


Infact, i shall write to comcast and thank them. hehe

[Jonbo298]

umm....ok? TechTV looking like a low budget channel? I have to disagree

[Jason1]

Thats one channel we've never got around here. I always enjoy watching it while im on vacation though.

[thatmariolover]

I love Tech TV. I mean, if only for Screensavers and Call for Help. Jonbo's right. Great shows.

[Null]

Originally Posted by Jonbo298

umm....ok? TechTV looking like a low budget channel? I have to disagree

always did to me. got the cheapest lowest paid actors they can find. cuz the hosts for some of thoes shows were a bit


I dunno. all i can say is im glad it'll be gone. hopfully that channel will be replaced with something that i wont have to block the channel from the rotation anymore.

honestly tho. 90% of TV sucks anyway.

[GameMaster]

I can't get mad at Comcast, they deliver me blazing fast internet broadband for a fair, simple, low price.

[Vampyr]

Originally Posted by Null

channel looked like a low budget channel. shows were stupid boring, cheezy.

i dont like G4 either.


Infact, i shall write to comcast and thank them. hehe

No comment on that.


This news makes me greatly angry.

I watch TechTV all the time. The Screen Savers, Call for Help, Fresh gear, Tech Live, and Xplay. Nooo! Comcast is evil!

[The Germanator]

Originally Posted by GameMaster

I can't get mad at Comcast, they deliver me blazing fast internet broadband for a fair, simple, low price.

Ditto. Plus Comcast owns stake in pretty much every Philadelphia sports team, and I can't get down on them in that regard. I love Comcast Sportsnet too much to turn on them now. Without Comcast I wouldn't be able to watch Flyers, Sixers, and Phillies games, and what kind of person would I be without that luxury?

I Comcast.

[Null]

Originally Posted by GameMaster

I can't get mad at Comcast, they deliver me blazing fast internet broadband for a fair, simple, low price.

damn straight. i was gettting hella fast before with near 2mb/sec. Now they doubled the speed im getting well over 3, sometimes near 4mb/sec for same price.

i LOVE comcast