During today's big reveal of the Xbox One Microsoft showed off how seamlessly television works on the system. Our initial concern was "how do consumers get TV onto the Xbox" if Microsoft doesn't have some sort of agreement with them to allow it. Anyone who has a cable operator that doesn't support HBO GO on various platforms will know exactly what I'm talking about.

Microsoft announced that it plans to sell its ITPV business called Mediaroom to Ericsson. Microsoft said that the divesture of this company will put "100 percent of the company's focus on its TV consumer strategy for Xbox. The sale is still subject to regulatory approval, but it is likely to be finalized during the second half of 2013.

A few days ago, we reported that NBC Universal would be re-launching the G4 Network as the Esquire Network and that it would focus on men's culture.  New content will include cooking competition Knife Fight, American Ninja Warrior, Parks and Recreation, Party Down, and travel show The Getaway.

So, my question to you, dear GamePolitics readers: are you going to watch it when it launches on April 22?

Well eventually it had to happen, and today G4 Network's fate was finally revealed. The network that used to be dedicated to geek culture and video games will now be focused on men's culture. The network owned by NBC Universal will be re-branded and relaunched as the Esquire Network on April 22nd. While the announcement promises that the network will expand on the technology, geek culture, and gaming content that G4 was known for, it's hard to imagine that happening with the end of such popular shows as X-Play and Attack of the Show being cancelled.

The director of such films as The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile has been forced to rename his new television show to Lost Angels. Screenwriter and director Frank Darabont had originally named the show L.A. Noir, but Rockstar Games sent him a letter warning him that they would sue him if he used the name. While the show may have some minor similarities to Rockstar Games' film noir style video game, it is actually based on writer John Buntin's 2009 nonfiction title of the same name.

In a recent interview Darabont explained the name change:

On CNN's State of the Union with host Candy Crowley, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TENN.) sat in on a panel discussion about gun control and the likelihood of legislation being passed by the current Congress. But instead of discussing gun control, Blackburn decided to take a few shots at Activision's Call of Duty series. Blackburn said that in preparation to appear on the show she watched some video of the game and was shocked at the violence she saw... she also called the game "Call to Duty."

In a segment that aired during Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto's show this week, Daniel Greenberg joined in to discuss Senator Jay Rockefeller's (D-WV) bill to study the effects of violent video games on children. Greenberg is the IGDA Anti-Censorship Committee Chairman and game developer at Washington D.C.-based Media Rez.

Hispanic television network Univision and Swiss online games site Miniclip.com have entered into a partnership to launch a co-branded online gaming property designed specifically for the U.S. Hispanic audience. Launching in December, Univision Juegos will make Miniclip's library of "more than 800 games" available to Univision.com's online user base.

Valve Software has launched Steam Big Picture today, bringing its popular digital distribution platform to HD television sets everywhere. The new version of Steam allows gamers to bring their games in Steam to the big screen with higher resolution - and with some games - full gamepad support. Out of the gate, Steam Big Picture offers about 30 games that can be played on a gamepad.

The creative team behind Adult Swim's Robot Chicken animated show detail a special episode of the show on the PlayStation Blog. The special episode, airing tonight at 10 PM ET during the Adult Swim mature cartoon block on Cartoon Network - features an imaginative PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale skit. Apparently Sony approached the Robot Chicken folks to create this special episode:

While Hulu Plus didn't make the content cut on Wii U's entertainment channel on launch day, it appears that the app for the popular movie and TV streaming service is available for use today, according to this Destructoid report. In case you didn't know, the Wii U Gamepad offers some enhancements to the service above other platforms - it serves as a second screen. It's hard to deny that these types of features are cool...

LG and OnLive announced this morning that the cloud-based gaming service will be pre-loaded on all LG Smart TVs in its Google TV (G2) lines, with current set owners receiving the app over the air today. The app allows players to stream games on their TV and access save files on PC, Mac or Android devices. It also allows them to play online with other LG TV and compatible device owners.

Wondering where former G4 Editor in Chief of games content and X-Play host Adam Sessler went after leaving G4 last April?

If you somehow managed to avoid the title of this story, he's found a new home at video network, Revision3.  You can watch his "I got a new job!" video to your left.

Earlier this year it was rumored that gaming and geek culture network G4 would be changing its format to support the "GQ" demographic, and that much of its most popular programming would either be reformatted or discontinued. Today we learn that it looks like its most popular programs will face the latter and not the former. Polygon is reporting that the network's two most popular shows have been cancelled.

An editorial in the UK edition of Huffington Post penned by Andrew Cole-Bulgin, Joint-CEO of Komixx claims that video games are "stunting children's imagination and inhibiting their ability to play together." The head of the children's television company says that he comes to this conclusion based on research the company conducted related to Toby's Travelling Circus, a new television program for children under the age of five.

There's been a slow slog towards bringing gaming to Smart TVs but Samsung is trying to lead the way with a new games portal designed for its Cinema 3D Smart TVs called Game World. Game World will offer both free and premium games to set owners and many of them will be playable in both 2D and 3D, according to Joystiq. Users will have to use either the Magic Remote that comes with the set or a supported third-party controller.

Adam Sessler officially exited stage right at G4TV, according to a Kotaku report, and while the split seems to be less than amicable, Sessler's representatives are playing down any tensions that might possibly exist between the long-time network host and the network. The last episode of X-Play featuring Sessler aired on April 25. Sessler had been the face of X-Play since its launch and a regular lead anchor on the network's coverage of various events from Comic-Con and GDC to DICE and E3.

If you weren't at PAX EAST in Boston then you missed out on some great panels. One of the wildest was The Escapist's Blankety-Blank panel, which recreated the classic TV game show Match game using a PAX East audience and a clever group of panelist to create a game-related version of the show.

UK games industry trade group UKIE last night praised the "high-profile success" of the Young Apprentice finale last night on British television (BBC One). The final for the show charged the two finalists with creating an online game and viral ad campaign to go along with it. If you haven't seen the episode yet and plan to catch it later this week, you might want to stop reading right now because we're going to reveal who won.

New data from Pew Research Center finds that young adults are using the Internet as a distraction - a distinction television use to have among that particular age group. A majority of young American adults are using the Internet for "fun" and to "kill time," according to a new report by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. But television isn't the only victim according to the data - video game console time is also being affected by Internet use, according to the data.

According to the Guardian, the independent UK broadcasting watchdog OfCom is examining ITV's use of footage from the Bohemia's ARMA 2 videogame in a documentary special that was presented as an IRA film from 1988. The video was shown during the show Exposure and was presented to viewers as real footage showing the IRA using weapons provided by Muammar Gaddafi.

A new research report from Knowledge Networks claims that Netflix has transformed the viewing habits of millions of U.S. consumers. The research, which the firm says was conducted a little bit before Netflix's much-discussed changes in its pricing policies, shows that 35 percent of U.S. consumers (ages 13 to 54) use Netflix for streaming or DVD or Blu-ray rentals at least once a month. The research also found that the average Netflix user watches 5 TV shows and 4 movies per week via the streaming or DVD-rental aspects of the service.

SyFy President David Howe sat down with The Hollywood Reporter for an exclusive interview to discuss the cable television network's big move into the video game space. Over the last few years Howe has been instrumental in establishing relationships with such game publishers as THQ and Trion Worlds to create partnerships that extend games into the entertainment world.

Starting today, Nintendo 3DS owners in the United States and Canada can download a free application that allows Netflix members to use their unlimited streaming plans. In announcing the news, Nintendo said that the "service adds a huge value to the Nintendo 3DS portable system, and again demonstrates how Nintendo 3DS continues to present new and different experiences for owners almost every day." We'll take them at their word on that.

Naturally, Netflix is delighted as well. Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings said that "Nintendo is a terrific partner with Netflix," and that the company is "excited to extend the partnership to include streaming on Nintendo 3DS."

Netflix will be making its way to Latin America and the Caribbean later this year. All told the popular streaming movie and television service will be available in 43 countries by year's end. The news follows rumors and hints from Netflix about its future expansion plans. While many predicted that Netflix would break into the European market, the company decided to stay on this side of the planet and expand southward.

Netflix said its streaming entertainment services would launch in Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Netflix did not give specifics on which countries in the Caribbean it would launch in first. Netflix in these regions will be available in English, Spanish and Portuguese languages. Much like its launch in Canada last year, Netflix will only offer streaming video in these new markets.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart takes a few jabs at the Supreme Court's ruling on Brown v. EMA. At first glance it seems like Stewart goes hard after videogames, using several admittedly gratuitous video clips from the new Mortal Kombat game. As the first scene unfolds on the monitor Stewart feigns holding back on vomiting and screams, during the second scene he makes a joke about the female character having a wardrobe malfunction. In between he throws a joke in about Super Mario Boners (a Photoshop of a Super Mario Galaxy cover with a huge fleshy erection).

Stewart's point is one that many are making this week; that sex is even taboo at the Supreme Court and that sexual imagery continues not to be treated on the same footing as depictions of gratuitous violence.

Point taken and noted.

While it is probably only a short-term problem, Sony Pictures and Netflix are in negotiations to continue their relationship related to various movies and television shows. Unfortunately, while they sort out their "temporary contract issue" Netflix subscribers won't be able to stream any of the company's content. Subscribers that have Sony Pictures DVD-based content in their queues will not be affected. The content was pulled last Friday and affects much of the Starz content on Netflix.

Netflix said the situation is a "temporary contract issue" between Sony and Liberty Media Corp.'s pay-TV distributor Starz. Starz has been negotiating with Netflix over a renewal of its digital distribution deal with Sony, which runs through early 2012. Starz said in a statement that "all parties are working diligently to resolve the issue."

G4TV announced last night that it has put its new show "Proving Ground" on hold after hearing the news that one of the show's co-hosts, Ryan Dunn had died in a car crash in Pennsylvania. The network also issued a statement offering its condolences to the friends and family of the former Jackass star.

"All of us at G4 are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic news that Ryan Dunn has passed away," read a G4 statement. "Ryan's comedic wit and signature no-holds-barred approach made him an incredible talent and his work on G4's Proving Ground was flawless."

The UKIE's IP crime unit is the focus of BBC 1's Fake Britain, though you can't watch it in America (it's unavailable in my region, at least - according to the web site). UKIE’s intellectual property crime unit was featured in episode 7 of the show. It focused on illegal copies of games out in the wild, the people that make those copies, and what the UKIE does to fight against it. The show also features interviews with UKIE staff and Miles Jacobson, MD of games developer Sports Interactive.

If you live in the UK and Europe, you can check out the show on the BBC. Here's what UKIE's CEO had to say about the program:

Hulu Plus is coming to Xbox Live tomorrow, and Xbox Live Gold and Silver members will get it for free until May 6, Microsoft confirmed today. Hulu Plus will be free until May 6 thanks to a sponsorship deal with Jack Link's Beef Jerky.  As a fan of both beef jerky and free stuff, I approve of this partnership.

After the free week is over, users that want to continue to use Hulu Plus can sign up for a membership- which will cost you $7.99 a month.

Xbox 360 joins other devices that support the popular service including iOS devices (iPad, iPhones, iPod Touch), Android devices, various internet-enabled TV's and Blu-Ray devices (Samsung, Vizio, etc.), PlayStation 3, and Roku boxes (which are awesome).

Source: Joystiq