G4TV TO REBRAND AS ESQUIRE CHANNEL ON ARPIL 22

Many have been wondering what is going on over at G4TV since the cancellation of Attack Of The Show. Well The Hollywood Reporter has the answer:

Beginning April 22, the former gaming network G4 will be rebranded the Esquire Network.

The news comes two months after The Hollywood Reporter reported that NBCUniversal, which owns the cable network, and Esquire parent Hearst Magazines had inked a deal to create a network catering to the modern man.

What does that mean you ask? Well read on:

Described in The New York Times as a male iteration of Bravo – a cable network that this channel’s corporate leader Bonnie Hammer gained ownership of during a corporate restructuring last week — the network is designed to fill a void left open by a TV landscape that caters instead to the tough-minded, beer-guzzling man’s man with networks ranging from Spike to History. Looking to capture the tastes of the modern male –- and the deep-pocketed advertisers looking to court him — Esquire will look to expand on G4’s foundation of games, gear and gadgets to include food, fashion, women, humor, travel, danger, competition and entertainment. Rather than mimic what lines the pages of Esquire magazine, the channel will look to translate the publication’s ethos.

"Creating smart, entertaining programming for the high-normal American man fills a void in the cable universe," said Granger. "We at Esquire work hard to challenge and inspire and entertain our audience across all our print and digital expressions, and the new Esquire Network is finding new and ambitious ways to take that mission to television.”

Much like Bravo’s plans going forward, the Esquire Network will feature a mix of unscripted and scripted fare as well as movies and specials. Included in the current development slate is Knife Fight, an underground, after-hours cooking competition where talented chefs go head to head in front of a rowdy crowd of celebrities, critics and die-hard foodies. Drew Barrymore and her Flower Films along with Honey Boo Boo’s Authentic Entertainment will serve as executive producers on the effort, which will be hosted by Top Chef winner Ilan Hall.

The article does not say anything about anime programming that G4TV has carried in the past. So it is unknown if such programming will be part of the rebranding strategy.

For viewers of the G4 network, the change will mean a sharp shift from the gaming-centered programming that attracted some men to shows that will draw an audience that NBC executives are persuaded Esquire stands for: “The modern man, what being a man today is all about,” as Adam Stotsky, the general manager of the new network, said.

Specifically, NBC is hoping to capture a more educated, affluent, sophisticated male viewer, who is not being served, as its research concluded, by the male-oriented, nonsports programming on cable channels like Discovery and Spike.

Let's wish the new team the best of luck in their new endeavor. 




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