Line #1 Creator/TechTV


1	[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stone_576361_1280.png]]
2	[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blood_4591064_1920_58.png]]
3	[[caption-width-right:200:as ZDTV prior to the rebrand]]
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5	[[{{Networks}} Cable television network]] [=TechTV=], originally named [=ZDTV=] after original parent company Ziff-Davis, launched in 1998 to capitalize on the rapidly-increasing technology boom and devoted itself entirely to timely, topical, and ''good'' programming about technology and the internet. The channel soon became a popular source for news and commentary about the tech world for those who received it. During the channel's entire 6-year-run, it was located in San Francisco, California.
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7	The [[NetworkDeath network]] [[{{Retool}} rebranded itself]] as [=TechTV=] in 2000 after [=CNet=] purchased [=ZDNet=] and sold the network's assets to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. It soon launched a major push into live programming with ''[=TechLive=]'', an unprecedented nine-hour block of live programming every weekday, which eventually mutated into several live or semi-live shows such as ''Series/TheScreenSavers'', ''Unscrewed With Martin Sargent'', and ''Call For Help''. The network also ran a handful of taped shows, including video game review show ''Gamespot TV'', which later became ''Extended Play'' and ''Series/XPlay''. Late into its run, it also broadcast a handful of {{anime}} series, including ''Literature/CrestOfTheStars'' and ''Anime/TheSoulTaker'', as something of an answer to Creator/AdultSwim, as well as cult TV series like ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' and ''Series/MaxHeadroom''.
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9	[=TechTV=] always had money issues, which manifested as layoffs throughout the early part of its life. Its major cable carriage came from sister company Charter Communications, which has long held a reputation within the cable industry as a struggling company. The attacks of September 11th, 2001 doomed the long-form tech news format (which had been more aimed at day-traders and office workers rather than the network's core audience), and the rise of RSS newsfeeds made it easy to track a certain company or subject through online sources instead of waiting for a linear news format to report on them.
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11	The network rebounded in 2003 thanks to good ratings for a number of its new shows, primarily ''Unscrewed''. This rebound happened shortly ''after'' Comcast dropped [=TechTV=] from its lineups nationwide in favor of Creator/G4TV, Comcast's own network that focused on video games. In the end, Comcast bought [=TechTV=] and [[NetworkDeath merged it]] into "[=G4TechTV=]" in 2004.
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13	[=TechTV=] gave rise to a number of individuals who still offer tech-oriented websites and/or podcasts on the internet. Several of the names below had already become known in the tech world prior to [=TechTV=], while others first came to prominence thanks to the network:
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15	* Adam Sessler (The original host of ''Gamespot TV''/''Extended Play''; co-hosted ''Series/XPlay'' until he was fired in 2012; would go on to lead [=Revision3=]'s gaming division until 2014 when he left, wanting to pursue a career outside of gaming, but in 2021 returned to co-host the revived ''[=Xplay=]'' on the also-revived [=G4=])
16	* Alex Albrecht (Host of ''The Screen Savers'' post-merger; now part of [=Revision3=])
17	* Chris Pirillo (Host of ''Call For Help'' with Leo Laporte as co-host; went back to focusing on Lockergnome full-time and later became a vlogger on Facebook; eventually founded the Galaxaar Pop Culture Marketplace events. Currently employed at Intel as a product manager).
18	* Kevin Rose (Host of ''Series/AttackOfTheShow''; co-created {{Digg}}, now runs [=Revision3=], and works for Google -- who acquired his startup for a good amount of money)
19	* Leo Laporte (Co-host of ''The Screen Savers'' and ''Call For Help''; now runs the [[http://twit.tv TWiT Network]])
20	* Martin Sargent (Host of ''Unscrewed'' who also started out as on-screen talent for ''The Screen Savers''; now out of the business and working in advertising)
21	* Morgan Webb (Co-host of ''X-Play'' who started out as on-screen talent for ''The Screen Savers''; co-hosted ''Series/XPlay'' until it ended in 2012; later worked with [[Creator/{{Activision}} Activision Blizzard]], currently works for Bonfire Studios)
22	* Patrick Norton (Co-host of ''The Screen Savers''; now part of [[http://revision3.com Revision3]])
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25	!!Original programming produced by, and aired on, [=TechTV=] include:
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27	[[index]]
28	* ''Call for Help''
29	* ''Series/TheScreenSavers''
30	* ''Unscrewed With Martin Sargent''
31	* ''[[Series/XPlay Extended Play]]''
32	[[/index]]

Context Creator / TechTV