The Finales of Soap Net and G4 Are Nearly Here

By Nathan Young on December 30, 2013 • ( 2 Comments )

At the stroke of midnight on Tuesday December 31st. A memorable TV network goes off the air for good. Soap Net launched in 2000 as a way for people to catch up on their favorite soap operas like General Hospital, One Life to Live and others. Soap Net did try their hand at original programming but by 2010 Soap Net was on its last legs because of DVR’s and better video streaming technology. Today, it is so easy to watch the latest soap operas online or via a DVR recording.

Disney announced the launch of the Disney Junior Channel in 2010. Some cable providers operated both Disney Junior and Soap Net while other providers took off Soap Net and replaced it with Disney Junior. Soap Net went to an automated schedule and laid off most of its staff. And when 2014 comes ringing in, someone will record the end of Soap Net to be put on YouTube. Too bad Soap Net could not become a good network, this decision is angering many soap opera fans. And since the cancellation of One Life To Live and All My Children from ABC. Several fans are boycotting anything from ABC and Disney. Keep in mind these shows had a brief comeback online but did not last.

Soap Operas are slowly fading away from our society. We will continue to see soap operas, but there will be fewer and fewer soap opera shows on TV. The Young and the Restless repeats have moved to TVGN (TV Guide Channel), and now there is a petition to allow General Hospital and Days Of Our Lives repeats to air on TVGN. To sign the petition, go to: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/tvgn-please-re-air-general-hospital-days-of-our

Now I really wanted to talk about the death of G4. Before the G4 merger, there was Tech TV, which featured news and shows about computers, technology, and the Internet. I loved Tech TV, and I would watch it quite a bit! I really loved The Screen Savers and Call For Help, too bad Comcast had to come in and ruin things. In 2004, Comcast bought Tech TV and laid off most of their staff. Then they merged Tech TV with G4, which focused on video games. The channel became G4TechTV, less than a year later, it became G4 again.

I always wondered what would have happened if Tech TV was never bought out. Would Tech TV still be around on TV today. Or would they have moved everything online. Today, I still get my Tech TV fix by watching the Twit Network and Revision 3. NBC Universal had plans to turn G4 into the Esquire Network, but instead converted Style Network. Now, G4 is slowly dying away like Soap Net is. Now, I have no problems seeing G4 dying. Many geeks/nerds will not miss G4 since Comcast took away their Tech TV programming. Many geeks/nerds were angered when Tech TV was bought out. Today, at least we can enjoy our programming online!

I wonder what new networks will come to satisfy us. If it’s anything like we see on TV now, we might as well continue to watch our favorite shows online. Farewell Soap Net and G4!