Editing TechTV (section)

===ZDTV===
[[File:ZDTVlogo.svg|thumb|145px|ZDTV logo]]
ZDTV was initially set to launch at the end of 1998's first quarter but was delayed by Ziff-Davis's [[initial public offering]], which was announced on February 18.<ref name=Customized/> ZDTV was separated from Ziff-Davis's publishing operations so as to prevent the former's start-up losses from impacting the latter's balance sheet.<ref name="BC980420">{{Cite news|work=Broadcasting & Cable|first=John|last=Higgins|date=April 20, 1998|pages=70–71|id={{pq|225359677}}|title=Ziff-Davis insulates its ZDTV }}</ref> The network launched on May 11, 1998, on cable systems in Las Vegas, Detroit, parts of Georgia near Atlanta, and parts of [[Maine]]. Inaugural programs included the computer help show ''Call for Help'', the [[Round table (discussion)|round table]] [[Public affairs (broadcasting)|public affairs]] talk show ''Silicon Spin'', the financial advisory show ''The Money Machine'', the website review show ''[[Internet Tonight]]'' and the technological product review show ''[[Fresh Gear]]''.<ref name=ZDTVLaunch>{{Cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/zdtv-launches-monday/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711004004/https://www.zdnet.com/article/zdtv-launches-monday/ |title=ZDTV launches Monday |first=Martha |last=Stone |website=ZDNet |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |date=May 8, 1998 |archive-date=July 11, 2015 |access-date=March 12, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-211074.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510085804/http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-211074.html |title=ZDTV starts broadcasting |last=Krigel |first=Beth Lipton |website=[[CNET News]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |date=May 11, 1998 |archive-date=May 10, 2011 |access-date=March 12, 2025 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The channel had six hours of original programming a day, which at the outset were looped to provide a 24-hour schedule.<ref>{{Cite news|work=Broadcasting & Cable|first=Donna|last=Petrozzello|title=ZDTV logs on|date=May 18, 1998|page=52|id={{pq|225336258}} }}</ref> A program by video gaming website ''[[GameSpot]]'' was projected for a mid-summer release<ref name=ZDTVLaunch/> and premiered as ''GameSpot TV'' on July 4.<ref name=interviewKotaku>{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/5991439/internet-killed-the-video-star-the-extraordinary-journey-of-adam-sessler |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130320175525/https://kotaku.com/5991439/internet-killed-the-video-star-the-extraordinary-journey-of-adam-sessler |title=Internet Killed The Video Star: The Extraordinary Journey Of Adam Sessler |last=Schreier |first=Jason |website=[[Kotaku]] |publisher=[[Gawker Media]] |date=March 20, 2013 |archive-date=March 20, 2013 |access-date=September 23, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> On August 1, ZDTV became available nationally on [[DirecTV]] as channel 273.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Foreign-Temp-Workers-Run-Into-Jam-on-Road-to-3000022.php |title=Foreign 'Temp' Workers Run Into Jam on Road to Green Card / While ZDTV looks to attract viewers from Bay Area |first=Tom |last=Abate |date=August 1, 1998 |website=[[SFGate]] |publisher=[[Hearst Communications]]}}</ref> In November, Microsoft co-founder [[Paul Allen]]'s holding company [[Vulcan Ventures]] invested $54&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|54|1998|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}) in ZDTV, granting it a 33-percent stake in the network.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-vulcan-ventur/144311778/ |title=Vulcan Ventures invests in tech TV |newspaper=[[The San Francisco Examiner]]|agency=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=November 18, 1998 |page=B-1}}</ref>

Although ZDTV was critically acclaimed, it struggled to gain a foothold on certain cable lineups, in part because Ziff-Davis eschewed the types of launch fees to cable operators—ranging from $100 to $150 million—that other new channels were providing.{{r|BC980420}}<ref name=Purchase2>{{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-allens-vc-fi/144314783/ |title=Allen's VC firm buys ZDTV in S.F. |last=Saracevic |first=Alan T. |newspaper=[[The San Francisco Examiner]]|date=November 19, 1999 |pages=B-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-paul-allen-bu/144314899/ B-2]}}</ref> It strained to achieve carriage from [[AT&T Broadband|AT&T]]/[[Tele-Communications Inc.|TCI]] cable lineups and was deemed unprofitable.<ref name=Purchase2/><ref name=SellStake>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-ziff-davis-to-sell/144317237/ |title=Ziff-Davis to Sell Stake in ZDTV |newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]] |agency=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=November 20, 1999 |page=C2}}</ref> In an effort to sell company assets to reduce debt and boost its share price, Ziff-Davis put ZDTV up for sale on July 16, 1999.<ref name=Purchase2/><ref name=SellStake/> In November 1999, Vulcan purchased the remaining two-thirds in a transaction that was completed on January 21, 2000. The deal (which permitted the network to retain its name) was worth $204.8&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|204.8|1999|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}).<ref name=Purchase2/>
[[File:ZDTV crew at QuakeCon 2000.jpg|thumb|alt=Television crews and filming equipment on a platform above tables with rows of CRT monitors in a convention hall|A ZDTV crew covering [[QuakeCon]] 2000]]