Report: G4 getting 'more sophisticated' look in rebranding

G4 is one of the only cable networks that offers any coverage of video games. And apparently, it will be getting a "brand refresh" early next year.

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G4 is one of the only cable networks that offers any coverage of video games. And apparently, it will be getting a "brand refresh" early next year.

According to a report by Variety, parent company NBC Universal is aiming to make the network "more sophisticated" by going for a direction "reminiscent of GQ." While the report claims the network will be "less geek, more chic," it also states that the network will somehow remain true to its tech and video gaming roots.

The network's staple offerings include Attack of the Show and X-Play--both tech-oriented shows. Oddly, the network also plays home to Ninja Warrior.

Repositioning G4 will help NBC Universal better compete with other male-oriented cable networks, including Velocity, History, Discovery, A&E, and Spike. The latter also offers video game programming with GameTrailers TV and the annual Spike TV Video Game Awards. A more "upscale" aesthetic could help G4 distinguish itself, Variety reports.

NBC Universal recently rebranded its sci-fi network, changing it from Sci-Fi to Syfy.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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  • reply
    September 7, 2012 3:00 PM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Report: G4 getting 'more sophisticated' look in rebranding.

    G4 is one of the only cable networks that offers any coverage of video games. And apparently, it will be getting a "brand refresh" early next year.

    • reply
      September 7, 2012 3:20 PM

      I picture hipsters, guys with hats with flat bills, and people saying "bro" a lot.

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        September 7, 2012 5:26 PM

        I thought 'bra' was the new, hip way to say 'bro' now.

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          September 7, 2012 6:38 PM

          I thought 'brah' was 1999. About the time of Office Space. I thought it came over from Hawaii.

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      September 7, 2012 3:23 PM

      And we all know how well received the change from Sci-Fi to Syfy was. Granted the network was already in the crapper to a lot of fans, kind of like G4 is now. I just check X-Play's site for reviews every now and then but other haven't watched anything on the network proper for about ten-ish years (whenever they were showing anime late at night).

      Please don't get me started on how far History (Channel) and A&E have fallen :(

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        September 7, 2012 4:15 PM

        Ah, good ol' A&E. My mornings before school were Murder She Wrote, Magnum, P.I., Nothern Exposure, News Radio, Law & Order... and many others. Good times.

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        September 7, 2012 4:32 PM

        Each "rebranding" or new owners the channel has gone progressively worse and even arguably dumber. The channel started with great shows on technology and helping people with technology when it was ZDTV and to extent TechTV. They really gutted the essence of what it was over the years.

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          September 7, 2012 5:14 PM

          my biggest memory of the old tech tv was when that Cat girl posted some pictures and someone online figured out they were really nudes and somehow unmasked them and put them out there. i dont remember if that was the end of her career on the network but she wasnt around much longer IIRC.

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          September 8, 2012 8:51 AM

          Word. ZDTV was the shit. Haven't seen programming like that in years. :(

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        September 7, 2012 5:31 PM

        History - Hillbilly Redneck Coon Hunters, UFO Investigations.

        Cartoon Network - Network premiere of 'Forrest Gump', special midnight programming geared towards stoned college students.

        SyFy - Ghost Hunters, Smackdown Wrestling.


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          September 7, 2012 5:41 PM

          Pretty much the reason I stopped watching TV mostly.

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        September 7, 2012 5:49 PM

        how does programming drift happen anyway? How do networks ostensibly about one thing become about something totally different? It is fucking wacky, not to mention nearly inevitable.

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          September 7, 2012 7:44 PM

          the trash shows bring in more money and they cant resist the temptation

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        September 7, 2012 8:25 PM

        or TLC?

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      September 7, 2012 4:10 PM

      So, with a rebranding they'll go from poor man's Spike to poor man's...?

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      September 7, 2012 6:50 PM

      GQ is pretty much the exact opposite of G4

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        September 9, 2012 10:22 PM

        G4 has pretty much been crap to me since they did the whole change up and got rid of most of their game and tech shows. Ninja warrior is at least better than the Star Trek and Cheaters reruns. I often laughed at that commercial where the guy jumps on that chick and they fly into the night sky because the way it describes the network is not even close to what it's been these past several years. G4 needs to go away already.

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      September 7, 2012 8:57 PM

      G4..........

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      September 7, 2012 9:19 PM

      Ut oh, prepare for the competitive response when Geoff Keighley starts doing segments on how to trim your arm pit hair!

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      September 7, 2012 9:31 PM

      I can't imagine a big overlap in gaming enthusiasts and television enthusiasts.

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      September 8, 2012 8:43 AM

      The main problem for a videogame channel will always be that gamers would rather be playing videogames instead of sitting in front of the tv watching hours of it. This channel should never be competing with those other named channels for ratings. I definitely think this channel should just cater to the video gamers / tech savy and bring in more game / tech shows, but the problem of course shows cost money to produce.

      Easy / low cost ideas need to be thought up, for instance you only need 1 video editor to really make a show that shows just previews (this show doesn't need some annoying host to get in the way either), and of course G4 doesn't actually have a show that just shows previews. I think they should also cater to the game publishers better, why not let publishers send video content to them in a way more like radio play. What ever they send gets on the air, plane and simple. Just think of some things that might come there way some developers might send in stuff that was made as bonus content for games such as making of games (I remember paying an extra $10 for Resident Evil 4 to have a bonus disc that had the making of that game, I wouldn't even mind seeing that video come there way, I'm sure there are a lot of RE fans that might not have seen it, it doesn't just have to be new game stuff, rare finds would be appreciated too!!). Think easy / low cost ways to get video content.

      There was a rival game channel out a few years ago that had some good ideas but of course they went under, they actually would show games being played from beginning to end, this would get me to tune in more to G4. Right now all you have to do is set your dvr to tape xplay and thats it, I was watching Attack of the Show at one point but I kind of stopped.

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      September 8, 2012 4:21 PM

      more sophisticated than this?

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kPT7vME6qs

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