November 15, 2004 - So long and thanks for all the tech.

Migrated from Archive

I could have written this entry a while ago, but for two things. One: I've not been doing a good job keeping the site up to date. Two: I needed to let my anger subside a little before going off. As many of you may know, G4 has bought TechTV and in its continuing efforts to destroy higher cognitive processes, has continued on its "revamping" process and fired the majority of the cast and crew of The Screen Savers.

For those of you who don't know, The Screen Savers was one of the shows that, in many people's opinions set a standard for technical journalism. While I fully admit I did not have TechTV, so I didn't not have the opportunity to appreciate the show to it's full extent I have seen enough of the reruns to get an idea for just how good the show was. I genuinely found myself learning new and interesting information from the show. A feat which I must say I find exceedingly rare. By the time most information gets to TV, I normally see it on a hundred websites first.
Recently, G4 bought TechTV, likely in an effort to increase its market share. While I never liked G4, I was happy to finally be able to see some of my favorite TechTV shows that I had only sparsely got a chance to watch before. Back then it had a true air of journalism about it.
Then when G4 closed up the Frisco shop and moved to L.A. they "revamped" the show. Patrick, the elder co-host, chose to leave citing family priorities, which I commend him for. Although, sometimes I wonder if he just said that because he saw where this was heading, and didn't want to be part of it.
Either way, many of us saw that G4 would likely start trying to drop the tech in the format and continue on with G4 being a gamer-jock channel. Now this prediction has come to fruition. I don't know what the newest incarnation of The Screen Savers will be like, but I know since they moved to LA it has gotten rather stagnant and boring. While I love Alex, he's a nice and funny guy, I just don't feel like I could honestly take advice from him. That in itself, countered the show's effectiveness. Now, I hate to imagine where they are going, but I feel the show has lost what little journalistic integrity it had left.