TechTV

TechTV is a 24-hour technology cable and satellite television channel based in San Francisco, California, featuring news and shows about computers, technology and the Internet. It was originally called ZDTV by its founder, Ziff-Davis, when it debuted on May 11, 1998. It is currently owned by Paul Allen's Vulcan Ventures.

Vulcan Ventures first invested in ZDTV in November 1998, acquiring a one-third interest in ZDTV from Ziff-Davis. In November 1999, Vulcan purchased the remaining two-thirds in a transaction that was completed on January 21, 2000. The deal was worth approximately $204.8 million. On August 21, 2000, ZDTV was renamed TechTV, and a new programming strategy was announced along with a slew of new shows.

TechTV boasts that it is currently available in more than 40 million households in the United States and Canada, as well as distributing content to more than 70 countries.

TechTV Canada launched on September 7, 2001, a joint venture of TechTV, Rogers Media Inc., and Shaw Communications Inc.

A few examples of its shows are the following:

• The Screen Savers
• Call For Help
• Fresh Gear
• Wired For Sex
• X-Play which replaced Extended Play

TechTV has also recently added some new TV shows, such as Unscrewed and Spy School. A few of its personalities and hosts include John Dvorak, Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, Jessica Corbin and Catherine Schwartz.

Since 1999, TechTV has had repeated layoffs. In 2002, Silicon Spin, which launched in May 1998, and AudioFile, launched in August 2000, were both cancelled.

External links

• TechTV website
• TechTV Canada websie
• ZDTV starts broadcasting - News.com, May 11, 1998