Recently I've been establishing a complex plutonic relationship with an entity known as 'Ginx TV' this may mean nothing to some of you, but those whom it doesn't - these are the people responsible for Gameface and Ginx Files that was recently airing on Challenge TV, on a Saturday night, shortly before 'the witching hour'.  Currently these two 30 minute shows have been replaced by an hour long episode of  'The Blurb' a more humor orientated show with guest challenges, industry interviews and whacky little quasi-gaming related sections just to break things up a bit. 
 
There've been attempts to bring video games into the mainstream media before.  Most notably 'GamesMaster' of the nineties - which I for one enjoyed... Not sure Sir Patrick Moore will look back on it so fondly though - I don't think it' a genre he intends to associate himself with anymore... If he ever did...  The thing is though, really - it's people like Sir Patrick Moore who we DO want promoting video games culture as a normal socially acceptable inoffensive pastime.  Gaming as a hobby is under constant attack, the attacks often come from the main-stream media and currently we as a community have little in the way of defence against the juggernauts that are known as 'The BBC', 'ITV'. 'Channel 4' and 'Five'... To which end we are somewhat at their mercy.  You may argue that here in Britain we have a long and glorious history of freedom of speech and expression or whatever, but that's something that is under attack as well.  The laws which govern our country are constantly changing and there is a risk that we will fall down the black-hole of censorship, like the poor Germans or Australians, who in several occasions have been denied access to certain games or forced to play a dumbed down, artistically incorrect version which didn't represent the developers vision. 
 
I always muse at the controversy over the 'Hot Coffee' mod for GTA3: San Andreas, here we have a game where the protagonist can burgle, mug, car-jack, murder, vandalize... And at many times is actively encouraged to - even forced to if you want to see all the content.  No controversy.  But wait, here comes a patch that allows said protagonist to start dating a girl and have sexual relationships with her!  Woah!   Thats taking things a little far - BAN! BAN! BAN!  Our children are being corrupted! 
 
I mean it was ridiculous - the mini-game was stupid, it was hassle to unlock and the only one I could ever get a successful date out of was the weird chick who was into BDSM and you had to take her over your knee and spank her silly instead of having sex... I mean, on the scale of things, sex between two consenting adults seems a less sinister thing to portray than all the blowing up, robbing and killing... Having tried it - I actually think they left it out because it was rubbish and a bit cheesy rather than because they thought it would cause some controversy. 
 
The way we play games has changed since the days of the Gamesmaster TV show, the games we play have changed, the people who play the games have changed.  Current demographics suggest that adolescents and children are vastly outnumbered by the 22 + demographic of young adults, in fact the average last time I read through the statistics, the average gamer is a 37 year old male.  Gaming needs a voice, a voice that can stand up and express an opinion on game related controversy, a spokesperson who can speak on behalf of the gaming community debunking these arguments that games should be banned. 
 
I don't know if anyone has seen the Ginx programs, if you have you might not have been that impressed.  Personally I like them, even if I think they recycle some footage a bit more than I'd like.  I still like them, and I'd still watch them if I didn't like them.  Ginx's goal is launch a UK gaming based TV channel, an entire schedule of programmes related to games.  If people don't watch their shows, this is less likely to happen - and that would be a bad thing for gaming.  Some people criticize 'The Blurb' for it's 'whacky'ness' and silly bits... But this is one show, I personally can see what they are trying to do - intentionally or not they are following the Top Gear model, when Top Gear stopped just reviewing cars and started having fun - it broadened their audience, it got non-petrolheads watching, and that's what Ginx is aiming for I think - which would be a good thing for gaming.  I don't think it's quite right yet, but it's a work in progress and the producers and presenters of the show are very willing to engage with the gaming community. 
 
If you visit the Ginx Television Facebook Page you can see how they are engaging with the community, questions, extra content, user submitted content, competitions.  They do air the views of their fanbase.  The crew are gamers, and care about gaming culture.  When Games Master first aired we were all sitting in our bedrooms, probably playing on Megadrives or Commadore Amiga's.  Gaming has moved from the bedroom into the living room, it's becoming more social, it's catering to casual gamers.  I think now is the time for gaming to break into the mainstream media and to answer it's critics. 
 
As for the channel, I think it can work - it's been tried 'sort of' before with G4 TV from the US.  I also think it's incredibly difficult to get right, in programming about gaming you are trying to draw people away from the hobby they are interested in to watch and listen about it.  It's not like Golf, Fishing or Martial Arts - the time to sit down and game  is probably about the same time to sit down and watch some gaming TV.  It's also got to get enough fresh, innovative ideas to fill a schedule, it's got to cater to the hardcore, the casual and the retro gamer at least. 
 
Looking at the planned schedule of programmes, the biggest gap I can see is also the most important one, and that is for a show which talks about gaming culture seriously, without the jokes and silliness, with a more academic, and financial business model perspective view of the gaming industry.  It warrants it, Video Games and parts (Art and Code) are huge exports from the UK, at a time when we need all the exports we can muster. 
 
No Ginx TV isn't perfect, but it wants to be, and it's trying to be and it's improving all the time.  So if you finish Duke Nukem Forvever on before Saturday night, or your internet connection dies preventing your planned World of Warcraft 'Raid' tune in... Even if you don't like what you see - you are serving gaming culture and helping to promote video games culture as a serious, socially acceptable hobby.   
 
Am I worried that over commercialisation of the video games industry can damage it?  No, modern blockbuster games have bigger budgets than hollywood blockbusters and make a better return, and the independant games sector is thriving, it's at an all time high.  As a matter of fact, I'm quite addicted to Minecraft at the moment.. In fact, I think I'll go play it now...