DirecTV drops G4 due to low ratings

G4 — once a TV channel dedicated to gaming, now a TV channel dedicated to some things — has been dropped by the DirecTV service after Nielsen data suggested it was one of the lowest rated networks in town. 

“We are constantly evaluating our lineup in a new world where programming costs continue to rise at significant rates,†says a spokesman for DirecTV. “Since G4 is among the lowest rated networks based on the latest Nielsen data, we decided that it made sense to focus on preserving programming that is more relevant to our larger customer base.â€

G4 seems pretty pissed, explaining that it offered DirecTV the same deal it had done for the past three years but that DirecTV plans to “deny G4 fans the only network that focuses on the popular gaming lifestyle.”

It’s a sad fact that any kind of specialty network is nearly always doomed to lose its identity or die. There’s a reason why Dairy Queen sells burgers, and it’s not because you need to wash down ice cream with a slab of beef. It’s sad that every channel needs to eventually become the same thing in order to succeed, but that’s the distinct impression I get when I look at most major networks these days. 

DirecTV drops G4 [Entertainment Weekly]

G4 — once a TV channel dedicated to gaming, now a TV channel dedicated to some things — has been dropped by the DirecTV service after Nielsen data suggested it was one of the lowest rated networks in town. 

“We are constantly evaluating our lineup in a new world where programming costs continue to rise at significant rates,” says a spokesman for DirecTV. “Since G4 is among the lowest rated networks based on the latest Nielsen data, we decided that it made sense to focus on preserving programming that is more relevant to our larger customer base.”

G4 seems pretty pissed, explaining that it offered DirecTV the same deal it had done for the past three years but that DirecTV plans to “deny G4 fans the only network that focuses on the popular gaming lifestyle.”

It’s a sad fact that any kind of specialty network is nearly always doomed to lose its identity or die. There’s a reason why Dairy Queen sells burgers, and it’s not because you need to wash down ice cream with a slab of beef. It’s sad that every channel needs to eventually become the same thing in order to succeed, but that’s the distinct impression I get when I look at most major networks these days. 

DirecTV drops G4 [Entertainment Weekly]