Current Television Network

When Al Gore unveiled his youth-oriented cable TV network, he said his ambition was to connect "the Internet generation with television" by creating a channel that would be made up mostly of short-form content supplied by its audience. After more than four years trying to establish itself as a 21st century channel by and for the people, Current TV announced Wednesday that it was canceling three shows and letting go nearly a quarter of its staff -- 80 employees -- as a part of a shift toward more traditional programming.

When Al Gore unveiled his youth-oriented cable TV network, he said his ambition was to connect "the Internet generation with television" by creating a channel that would be made up mostly of short-form content supplied by its audience. After more than four years trying to establish itself as a 21st century channel by and for the people, Current TV announced Wednesday that it was canceling three shows and letting go nearly a quarter of its staff -- 80 employees -- as a part of a shift toward more traditional programming.

Former Vice President Al Gore on Monday unveiled his cable television network, Current, which aims to attract young viewers with short videos and a tie-in with search engine Google Inc. The network plans to debut Aug. 1 and be available to 19 million subscription television viewers, Gore said at the cable industry's annual convention in San Francisco.

Current TV, the youth viewer-participation network created a year ago by former Vice President Al Gore and Chief Executive Joel Hyatt, has enlisted a slate of celebrities, including Robert Redford and Sean Penn, to help train amateur producers to contribute segments on air and online.

Presidential candidate-turned-TV entrepreneur Al Gore promised Monday that his long-awaited cable network would offer many enticements for the "Internet generation." But the former vice president vowed that Current, the lifestyle and news outlet set to launch in nearly 20 million homes around the country next month, wouldn't do one thing: fill the airwaves with more shouting matches over hot-button political and cultural issues.

Current TV, the youth viewer-participation network created a year ago by former Vice President Al Gore and Chief Executive Joel Hyatt, has enlisted a slate of celebrities, including Robert Redford and Sean Penn, to help train amateur producers to contribute segments on air and online.

Presidential candidate-turned-TV entrepreneur Al Gore promised Monday that his long-awaited cable network would offer many enticements for the "Internet generation." But the former vice president vowed that Current, the lifestyle and news outlet set to launch in nearly 20 million homes around the country next month, wouldn't do one thing: fill the airwaves with more shouting matches over hot-button political and cultural issues.

Former Vice President Al Gore on Monday unveiled his cable television network, Current, which aims to attract young viewers with short videos and a tie-in with search engine Google Inc. The network plans to debut Aug. 1 and be available to 19 million subscription television viewers, Gore said at the cable industry's annual convention in San Francisco.