GTV is a Robloxian television channel, owned by rTV Networks. GTV is a basic premium channel airing IRL game shows and similar content, positioned as a direct competitor to the Robloxian-content BBGN.
The channel was initially launched by Gavent Networks as their main flagship, a general entertainment channel; however, the company closed on March 31, 2017, and most of the company's assets were acquired by rTV Networks, and were held by its subsidiary rTV Networks Gavent. until the channel was repositioned on May 26, 2017.
History
Beginnings and AGtv
GTV started as Walt Bloxxy TV, with only a handful of shows. The company closed on August 2, 2011, and in 2012, the channel was relaunched under the name AGtv. In March 2013, AwesomeGavent entered an agreement with BenzBot to make AGTV an rTV Networks channel. On April 2, 2013, AwesomeGavent decided that due to complaints from WarMonk3y and undertaker12234, and losing out on a partnership deal with Ren97 because rTV Networks owned AGTV, that AGTV would no longer be an rTV Networks channel. AGtv was officially separated from the rTV Networks on July 1, 2013.
In 2013, coinciding with the launch of a number of sister channels, AGtv was rebranded as AGtv Channel, and the parent company, AGtv Networks, as it was named at the time, introduced AGtv Channel 2, Flickz (FlickZ at the time), and WOWZA! Studios. On July 31, 2013, the AGtv Networks were officially released to the public, and three new sister services were added: AGtv Jr., AGtv Parents, and AGtv OD.
In the early hours of August 5, 2013, AGtv Networks and rTV Networks created Blox as a co-owned channel. On September 9, 2013, AGTV Channel and AGTV Channel 2 were rebranded as AGtv and AGtv2. The channels got a logo rebrand on October 20, 2013, along with the rest of the AGTV Networks.
As Gavent Network
Logo as Gavent Network; effectively the logo for parent company Gavent Networks with the S removed.
On January 21, 2014, AGtv rebranded to Gavent Network, and AGtv Jr. and AGtv Parents closed. On January 24, 2014, GN added What's That Word?, a show from REN, to it's programming lineup, due to the fact that Gavent Network's show distributor, WOWZA! Studios (later Gavent Network Studios), co-produced the show. On January 26, 2014, GN also added Jonathan Extra from RPN for the same reason. Jonathan Extra was then removed from GN's lineup on March 27, 2014 due to disputes between GNS and ROX Pictures.
On March 29, 2014, AGavent announced a Friday night lineup for Gavent Network which consisted of Gavent, The Best Game, What The Show?!, The Hunted, The Returned, I.FUTURE, and Wonderland (a series produced by Roblox Networks Television).
On April 3, 2014, GN announced that it was to create a joint venture with TRN. TRN gained a 19% share in Gavent Network. After TRN's closure in August 2014, AGavent took the share back.
On November 9, 2014, Gavent Television Group was acquired by rTV Networks and became the subsidiary rTV Networks Gavent. As part of the deal, some of GTG's networks were merged with their rTVN counterparts, such as GN2, GN3, and Gavent Network News. However, Gavent Network was not merged with rTV and Rnetwork, the channel's rTVN analogues (GN is generalist but skews younger), due to AGavent asking that were such a merger to occur that GN programming would air on rTV, and that he could co-operate the network. BenzBot declined the offer, thus forcing Gavent Network to stay separate from any rTVN channel. On January 26, 2015, the majority of GN's lineup was cancelled in favor of the upcoming 2015 lineup (which is planned to have Gavent and Movietime).
As GTV
GTV's final logo as a general entertainment channel, unveiled on January 18, 2016 and made by SuperLemonade.
On October 1, 2015, Gavent Network (along with its parent company, Gavent Networks) revealed new logos. In January 2016, Gavent Networks renamed Gavent Network GTV, along with a new logo designed by Roblox Networks owner SuperLemonade. On January 29, 2016, GTV, along with sister channel Roblox Music Television, were added to the 3view platform, followed by Hexahedron Direct the next day. GTV and RMT were later removed from the latter platform, due to DragonDipperBlossom's decision to leave the Robloxian television industry. The two networks were once again added to Hexahedron after Dragon returned.
On April 29, 2016 (exactly three months after the last public announcement), GTV removed RN shows Newcastlefan and #Lemon from the lineup. According to AGavent, the decision was made to cut back on how much the network imported from other networks, as well as the beginning of a reorganization of Gavent Networks. Along with the cutbacks, AGavent also publicly announced that BUSTER: The Show would be reformatted into Late Night with Busterowen2, as well as the announcement that Gavent would attempt to begin airing episodes by the end of 2016, as well as a new series under consideration. On May 2, 2016, AGavent announced a second new series named Bruce Wayne, based on the Batman series, as an original continuation of the original comics. The new series was set to be produced by ROBLOXiwood directors Routess and Coollegodude1, along with channel owner AGavent. Following the series' conclusion, the story was planned to continue with two additional ROBLOXiwood films.
Prior to Gavent Networks' closure, planned programming on the channel included Gavent and Movietime. Original programming on the channel was to be produced by an eponymous production company, GTV Studios.
Under rTV Networks ownership
On March 31, 2017, AGavent announced that he was closing Gavent Networks, and additionally announced that the company's assets would be split up and given to various other companies. rTV Networks, a frequent collaborator with Gavent Networks and its predecessors throughout its history, acquired GTV, as well as sister channels RMT, RMTEDM, Flickz, and Knowledge and production studio JERK through the closure, and relaunched rTV Networks Gavent as an interim management subsidary for the newly acquired properties. Besides GTV, the other former Gavent Networks channels eventually relaunched as Viva Roblox, Viva2, Blox Flickz, and rTV Life, respectively.
GTV's general-entertainment format, at the time of the acquisition, conflicted with rTVN's existing general entertainment channel rTV, and due to this, some initially speculated the channel would be closed entirely. However, rTVN opted not to do so, intent on finding a new format for GTV, or at least a new use for its lucrative channel number on premium television platforms (such as on roTV, where the channel had held a position on channel 106 since the launch of the service). Among some of the reuses for its channel slot proposed were a potential timeshift service serving either just rTV or both rTV and Rnetwork (Blox News Channel would not be timeshifted on the channel for obvious reasons owing to its news format). In the end, GTV's lucrative channel space on roTV went to a then-recently-acquired DogeTV on May 18, 2017; rTVN took the opportunity to swap out GTV with DogeTV on roTV, moving GTV to DogeTV's initially-proposed position on channel 145 (it would move to the bottom of the EPG in June 2017 as Lava Lamp Entertainment, the owners of every channel in the preceding several rows of channel spaces, expanded unexpectedly). (DogeTV was replaced in the position with rTV Fun in September 2017.) As the last few rTVN Gavent channels were being integrated into the company in late May 2017, GTV still stood out as the last channel to be repositioned within the rTVN group of channels. On the evening of May 24, 2017, BenzBot had a snap idea as to how to reposition GTV: an IRL-content game show competitor to BBgn, the incumbent Robloxian channel in the genre. Seeing no other options to continue the channel, BenzBot decided to go for it, and the relaunched channel was announced on May 26, 2017, along with the new formats of the other remaining rTVN Gavent channels at the time (what are now Blox Flickz and rTV Life). The new positioning led to the channel discarding its former free-to-air availability, which it had as a general entertainment channel, and becoming a basic premium channel instead.
On January 20, 2018, at rTV Networks' panel event at RTNG MediaCon Winter 2018, company owner BenzBot stated that he currently intends to launch GTV, along with music channels Viva Roblox and Viva2, at some point in the spring of 2018, although no concrete plans have been laid to specify a launch date.
On April 28, 2018, GTV programming began airing as part of rTV HD2, rTV Networks' high-definition development channel. This would constitute an effective soft launch of GTV; it is currently uncertain as to whether GTV's standard-definition channel will launch.
Programming
Under new IRL content format
Under GTV's new IRL content format, rTV Networks has not confirmed any shows which will air on the channel (although on May 26, 2017, AGavent requested the channel air Steve Harvey-era Family Feud, as a legacy choice). However, rTVN has narrowed the content selection down to largely current and recent game shows and similar series, largely from the UK and US.
At the time of acquisition
The following lists GTV's programming slate at the time of Gavent Networks' closure, along with the fates of each show following its acquisition by rTV Networks, if available. As of June 2017, with the exception of a few shows, neither rTV Networks nor AGavent have made any statements concerning GTV's former generalist original series, however, given the channel's new format, it is assumed that most of these shows have been shelved or canceled. Most of GTV's planned acquisitions have also been canceled and either returned to their respective owners or air through separate agreements on other channels owned by rTV Networks, such as rTV2.
Original series
- Gavent: The first show announced for GTV. Talk show hosted by AGavent. Moved to rTV and rTV2 following GTV's acquistion by rTV Networks.
- Movietime: A movie review series, also hosted by AGavent.
- Wonderland: A new drama series, co-produced with Mix Productions (Roblox Networks)
- Late Night with Busterowen2: A new late night comedy series, hosted by Busterowen2. As part of the closure of Gavent Networks, Buster regained the rights to his show. Buster opted to decline a potential new deal for his show with rTV2 (offered by AGavent) and not produce his show through rTVN. It is unknown if Late Night will continue on any channel following the closure of Gavent Networks.
- Bruce Wayne: A new action/drama based on the Batman comics, produced by JERK, Route 66 Productions, The Unknown Productions, and Ultra Studios. It was set to be GTV's first original series produced entirely by a group not directly owned by Gavent Networks.
- "Coming Home": Leaked through a cryptic Gavent Networks tweet in fall 2016. A name was never revealed for the show.
Series from other networks
- The BenzBot Show (from rTV)
- PlaceView (from RN)
- The Lemon Show (from RN; successor to both Newcastlefan and #Lemon, added to the lineup on January 26, 2015)
- Saturday Talk (from RN; added to the lineup on May 1, 2016)
Former Shows
- Newcastlefan (from RN; predecessor to both #Lemon and The Lemon Show, removed from the lineup on April 29, 2016)
- #Lemon (from RN; predecessor to The Lemon Show, removed from the lineup on April 29, 2016)
- Taker (from RBS; removed from the lineup sometime in 2014)