When it was announced earlier this year that G4 would be scrapping its old video game-focused programming and re-branding itself to become the GQ of television, it looks like they actually meant a completely different magazine altogether, Esquire. Early next year, G4 will become Esquire. No, I'm serious.
I think I've made it pretty clear in the past how ridiculous I think this sounds. IGN is reporting that the purpose of the reboot is to draw in the “untapped metrosexual viewership” with programming that ranges from dude-oriented cooking and travel shows to fashion and, yes, a bit of gaming. I still say that their “new demographic” falls directly in line with the typical gaming crowd, and wonder why they can't just tack these new new shows, onto the existing lineup. Fine-tune the current line-up to align with your new image, sure, but it seems like G4/Esquire will be cutting loose quite a bit of talent and well known personalities.
Then again, I'm not in the television business and have no idea what the true value of an Esquire channel might be. I wish NBCUniversal all of the luck in the world convincing the spikey-haired, silk shirt-wearing, Red Bull and vodka-sipping, dude-clubber masses to subscribe to a premium tier to enjoy their new programming.
NBCUniversal and Esquire's Hearst Corporation plan to create content that's “more in line with the modern male,” according to the report from IGN. I guess that means I can look forward to all of my guy friends inviting me over for freshly prepared dinners to discuss a possible trip to wine country and how my bluejeans and t-shirts just aren't cutting it anymore.
