G4TechTV Is Born

Now that Comcast Corp.'s purchase of TechTV is official, the cable channel is being merged with Comcast's video-game lifestyle network, G4 to create G4TechTV.

The combined channel will reach 44 million subscribers and offer a mix of video game and technology-themed fare. The merged channel will debut May 28. In the process, about 200 Tech TV staffers are being laid off. Another 80 will be relocated to G4's Los Angeles headquarters.

Comcast ponied up about $300 million to buy Tech TV from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's Vulcan Programming.