Last week, a new, 24/7, gaming-only, cable/satellite channel was announced for the UK, to be called for reasons beyond me, Ginx. Possibly HD at launch, possibly 3D at some point, definitely chockfull of repeats (fair enough if they are going to broadcast 24 hours a day), it will launch in November 2010. The channel is chaired, according to its website, by a former president of MTV Europe, Peter Epstein and MTV's success is what the CEO Michiel Bakker said is Ginx's aim, when announcing its launch at the Edinburgh Interactive conference 2010.
The range of programming will be, Ginx says, more casual in the daytime hours and then get "edgier" (I dread to think) after 10pm. Its website states it will be aiming at the 8-35-year old market (so, not me!). Ginx already provides game programming on Bravo, with GameFace. I've seen GameFace before and it is very (very) poor. A whole channel behind the makers of that? Hmm, I'm not sure.
Gamers have, historically, been poorly served by mainstream TV. I know that many people extol the virtues of Gamesmaster but that was years ago and I truly do not believe that that style of programme would work in the Internet age. As humorous as seeing a digitally-enhanced Sir Patrick Moore giving out game advice was, the simple fact is that if you're stuck on a game these days, you'll look on the 'Net, not write to a stargazing knight of the realm. Similarly, watching gamers play games is a pretty dull spectacle - any viewers of Sky One's Gamesville from a few years ago can vouch for that - and that's something else that wouldn't work (to give credit to Bakker, he did say that if that didn't work, Ginx wouldn't do it).
What would work, I think, is talking about games in a sensible adult fashion and I hope that Ginx could find half an hour in its schedule for that (I'm not sure it will though). Review programmes on mainstream TV cover books, films and the theatre - why not a games version? The superb Games Night (like The Late Show/Late Review but for games) on little-lamented satellite channel (and Ginx precursor) x-league.tv, was just that - four industry professionals, seated on a static set, talking about games, with one (vaguely professional) host in the Mark Lawson role leading the discussion. I'm surprised that no other channel has picked up on this concept as it would be cheap and sure to be supported by games companies. I doubt it would want for guests either - I'm sure gaming professionals would love to break out of only being on internet-only video, as that would then prove to their collective mothers that they do, in fact, have a 'proper' job!
Although instinctively wary of Ginx (I'm not a fan of MTV), I am quietly looking forward to it and will definitely be tuning in (and then blogging about it) when it starts broadcasting in a couple of months.
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