Five Former TV Channels I Hated Seeing Being Changed

By Nathan Young on October 21, 2014

Last week, one of my favorite TV channels, and Geek Alabama media partner, Hub Network, transformed into Discovery Family. So far after the re-brand, me and many other people are not liking the new look and programming. And I find it weird that Discovery created new social media channels for Discovery Family, only promoting programs during the Discovery block, while the older Hub Network social media channels are promoting things during the Hasbro block.

So, with Hub Network gone, I thought about other TV networks that I once enjoyed, and are now gone forever. And yes, I enjoyed watching some channels because it catered to what I liked, but now either the network is gone, or the programming has changed for the worse. Here are the five former and current networks that I hated seeing change.

Tech TV

Tech TV was called ZD Net, but I loved watching every minute of that channel. From Call To Help and The Screen Savers, Tech TV was the top channel I watched! Then, Comcast purchased Tech TV, and everything went downhill from there! First, the network got a name change to G4TechTV. I got to see the garbage G4 programming, which was like they were trying, but they gave up. The channel gradually reduced the Tech TV programming until there was nothing left.

Soon, G4TechTV was just called G4 again, they tried to bring in classic Star Trek and the Canadian version of Call For Help, but it was too little too late. Today, G4 is a ghost channel, and all of the programming I used to watch on Tech TV is now online, and on YouTube. The hosts from Tech TV are now doing shows online, like Leo Laporte’s This Week In Tech, that is a good website!

Hub Network

Hub Network started in October 2010 with a partnership with Hasbro and Discovery Communications. It took some time for the channel to find a following, but soon, I liked watching this channel! From the classic cartoons and sitcoms to the pop culture hits like My Little Pony, Hub Network has a great variety of classic and current shows, but the ratings did not get better.

Soon, the announcement was made that Hub Network would become Discovery Family, and the programming took a dramatic turn. The daytime programming was still great, but primetime now consists of shows most people are not liking. Yes, I enjoy shows like How It’s Made, but all of the new episodes are only found on the Science Channel. Oh well, I enjoyed the Hub Network, and it’s not around anymore!

The Old History Channel

History Channel started in 1995, and I loved watching this channel. The early days featured all programming about history, since I am a history buff, I loved watching The History Channel. But soon, the logo was changed, and the programming took a dramatic and bad turn, instead of the great programming about history, we now see programming about pawn dealers, loggers, and truck drivers, basically reality TV junk.

Today, if you want to find the classic history programming you used to find on The History Channel, you mostly find it on H2. Yes, History Channel had some good programming I loved like Modern Marvels, but they are cutting down on that as well. I wish A&E would treat the History Channel like it should be, programming about history, not programming about entertainment.

The Old MTV

I remember the old MTV, which aired music videos 24/7! Plus, I enjoyed the VJ’s talking about the music news. All of this began to change in the early 1990’s, when The Real World premiered, the first in what MTV has become today, reality TV trash! Soon, more music videos disappeared, and trash TV took its place, a sad sad thing! And soon, VH1 joined along the trash TV bandwagon!

Today, MTV, VH1, and even CMT, is airing more reality shows than music based programming. CMT makes an effort to air music videos and music programming, while MTV and VH1 have ended most music programming and only airs music videos in the early morning hours. I wish we saw MTV go back to what it once was, but that won’t happen anytime soon!

Sci Fi Channel

I loved the classic Sci Fi! One of their top shows was Mystery Science Theater 3000. Plus, they even aired anime! And the rest of their programming was stuff people like me enjoyed, plenty of science fiction programming! Soon, Sci Fi was changed to Syfy, and people began to complain about the program changes! For starters, reality shows began to pop up, and less shows about science fiction was airing.

Today, the channel features more reality shows and has edged further from strictly science fiction, fantasy, and horror programming. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy some shows on Syfy like Face Off, but some other reality shows just plain try to do something and get boring. I wish Syfy would ax the reality stuff and move towards more science fiction programming, but I don’t see that happening! At least they are ordering more scripted programming!

So, those are five TV channels I miss watching. Do you have an old TV network that you miss watching, leave a comment below!