Cool News
Soon, The SciFi Channel Shall No Longer Be Called The SciFi Channel...
Merrick here...
Beginning July 7, the SciFi Channel will no longer be identified as the SciFi Channel.
Instead, the network...and all things related to it...will be summarily rebranded Syfy.
Syfy -- unlike the generic entertainment category “sci-fi” – firmly establishes a uniquely ownable trademark that is portable across all non-linear digital platforms and beyond, from Hulu to iTunes. Syfy also creates an umbrella brand name that can extend into new adjacent businesses under the Syfy Ventures banner, such as Syfy Games, Syfy Films and Syfy Kids.
...says a newly issued press release.
Perhaps I'm being dense (more so than usual), but I'm struggling to grasp the conceptual distinction between "SciFi" and "Syfy"...or is one even intended?
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Totally fucking stupid!
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Thats so kewl to do that. It's hip, and like stuff. LOLZZZZZZZZZZZZ
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So say we all.
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...it would fire Bonnie Hammer and stop showing all of those incredibly stupid made-for-TV movies. It would also start showing more science fiction, and cut the crappy horror and adventure movies, which are NOT science fiction. Since none of those things have happened, then changing the channel's name isn't going to make any difference whatsoever.
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Eye can't weight two watch the gnu SyFy Channel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
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Syfy...a name only a marketing department could love.
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Silly rebrand.
I think it's because the last great thinking mans program is about to end this friday.
The Kids are taking over. -
Why change it to something that just sounds the same? When watching the Sci-Fi channel, you pretty much know what you are going to see. With Syfy....well thats just stupid and bad marketing.
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wanted to make the trademarked name less generic. But will they still make crappy cgi movies?
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Let's get everyone to pronounce it "Siffy," just to show SciFi Channel how dumb the name change is.
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Now pardon me whilst I go beat my head repeatedly against a wall.
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This sounds gay
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I don't have the words to describe how unnecessary this is. Srsly.
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I was at a Borders this weekend and asked where the Sci-Fi secion was and she said, "oh you mean skiffy? its right over..."
"excuse me?"
"oh yeah - the managers told us to call it skiffy." -
reality programming is in the pipe.
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But will they continue to show those so-bad-its-awful original films?
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It's that "syfy" is a unique spelling that can be trademarked. "Sci-fi" is a generic term anyone can use and isn't entitled to legal protection.
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Instead of making shitty made for T.V. movies about an alien dinosaur genetically altered that goes on a rampage and causes a tsunami, they'll make crappy made for T.V. movies about woman with breast cancer who's husband leaves her for her twin sister and is left to raise their son alone who has down syndrome. Effectively this will turn Syfy into Lifetime. Good jorb, like we needed another Lifetime.
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Mar 16, 2009 10:45:11 AM CDT
I just got off the phone with every single AICN writer
by arcadian del sol
all of them said that their spellchecker didn't flag syfy with red squiggles.
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Mar 16, 2009 10:45:23 AM CDT
SyFy means "traitor" in Greek, and it means "turd" in Swahili.
by yippeekaiyaymofo
Just kidding, I just think it'd be funny if it meant something ridiculous in another language.
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That skiffy shit made me laugh out loud. I've had a shitty morning, and that instance of modern fucktardability made me feel a little better about myself. Worse about the world...but better about myself. Thanks.
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Bring back Lost in Space (they used to show it) and other sci-fi series and movies pre-1980. They don't need to dominate the schedule but mix it in. The channel seems to ignore the "history" of science fiction. And I agree, enough with the made for shit movie of the week. Jesus. And Halloween II isn't a science fiction film. Just because Universal owns it doesn't mean it belongs on the channel. Be selective and stick with theme of the network. I hate it when a channel with a specific niche veers away from that niche. Like Cartoon Network showing Spider-Man or TV Land showing Top Gun. WTF?
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Heh. Totally reminds me of that Jon Hamm and Zack Galifianakis skit tinyurl.com/6a9wg6
I assume they will have some sorta SyFy mascot.
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Some hack got paid real money for that? Unbelievable.
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MSNBC is changing its name to "Emisemby See" on July 1.
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In other news, the M in MTV now officially stands for "Moronic." But, Bryan Singer is still gay.
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TBS will become "Tee Bee Ess".
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seriously, its better than Spike TV. and as for channels whose identity no longer matches the programming, I think Discovery Channel wins that one. Remember back when the Discovery Channel was something you could turn on at any random daytime hour and play in a high school science class? It used to be wall-to-wall science and documentary stuff. Now its nothing but alcololic fisherman, lumberjacks on meth, and a home shopping network anchor slinging shovels of cow poop at the camera.
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channel
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Seriously, either this name change is for the terminally illiterate or it's "SyFy"'s way of branching out to make non-sci-fi programming. Plus they don't have to re-record any old voice overs. ;)
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By the way, the new name sounds like the name of a water bottling company... http://www.syfobeverages.com/
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see what i did there?
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I would beat her like Rihanna.
That's right, I went there...and it's not too soon. -
"Imagine greater," indeed.
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Mar 16, 2009 10:52:47 AM CDT
Is SyFy portable across all non-linear digital platforms?
by leafar the lost
The press release said that "Syfy...firmly establishes a uniquely ownable trademark that is portable across all non-linear digital platforms and beyond." Really? Are they trying to say that they have created a platform that can send their new trademark across non-linear space to all known points in the Known Universe? I think not, SyFy! It should be called the ShitFy Channel, because they have exactly one watchable show (Battlestar Galactica) and the series finale for it is this Friday. Try working on improving the quality of your programming, instead of coming up with a some shitty respelling of Science-Fiction. "SyFy" looks like an urban slang term for taking a giant shit.
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see what happens when BSG ends its run...shitte like this happens...this would never have happened if BSG was still on the air
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SciFi used to be great... Back in the mst3k days. It seems it started to fall apart once they started airing Crossing Over with John Edward. It's so full of bullshit now, those terrible made-for-tv movies, those fraud Ghost Hunters, WRASSLIN'... WHAT THE FUCK?
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Not that I would need one.
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starring casper van dien!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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...NEVER shows anything about history anymore. It's always glassy eyed idiots chasing after things that don't exist (MonsterQuest, UFO Hunters), moronic Pacific Northwesterners chopping down trees and raping the environment (AxMen), or asshole Alaskans wrecking semis by sliding off ice (Ice Road Truckers). They might as well change their name to "Aych!" And TV Land rarely shows any classic TV shows anymore, it's getting to be all sub-CW-standard reality shows starring the usual casts of braindead celebrity whores, change the name of that one to "Pigf*kr TV". At least we still have good ol' TCM... it's still owned by Ted Turner and still shows classic movies.
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He ordered the clone army LOL
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Which pretty much describes SciFi Channel's regular lineup.
(BSG & Doctor Who excluded.) -
I really hate branding.
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It sounds like they are upset because they can't make money whenever someone prints Sci-Fi because they don't own that term...just the network. So now by going to Syfy, they can sue anyone that mentions it in a for-profit media without getting their permission first.
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... it does make sense. You could be referring to a lot of things if you say "Sci-Fi"... BUT people add channel behind it and it refers to only one thing. BUT if you are going to start posting material on the net and it's no longer a "Channel" then it makes sense to have a brand name that is unique. BUT "SyFy" is a pretty flimsy name, the font is pretty junky looking, and "imagine greater" doesn't exactly roll off the tounge. I hope nobody got paid for this rebranding "effort".
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Just like the press release says. Mentioning it in connection with those other markets means that that they are likely to roll out the slop they are peddling in those other market spaces and don't want to be hit with an "its generic" defense in a trademark infringement action. Of course it's also a warning that we will soon see their garbage spreading elsewhere...like the Blob. Oh, wait...the Blob would be actual old school sci fi, not scyfy. Ahem... :)
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then I'm going to refer to it as the station formerly known as Sci-Fi for the rest of my days
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Wey tu qik da ing-lish lan-gwidge wen itz doun.
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via its privately owned HEWLEW network.
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or ANGEL at least. Coupled alongside BATTLESTAR and you finally had some Must-See-TV over there instead of all the made-for-TV garbage. Spend a little money on quality, will ya?
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I only pay for limited basic cable, and get all the rest of my entertainment from Netflix, Hulu, Roku, iTV, Amazon VOD, AdultSwim.com, and other Internet sources.
When you can't see history on the History Channel, music on any of the Music Television channels, or *decent* science fiction of the SciFi Channel, you know cable has failed you. Any show I want to watch on any cable channel can be found in other places within 1 week of its air date (usually faster). -
You can polish a turd, but it's still a turd. Rename the channel and they can branch out spending money on horrible "Original Movies" for whatever genre they care to humiliate, yay.
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This is why corporate America is crumbling and soon we will decend into an apolcalypse with zombies and dinosaurs and ex-syfy executives will think "Hey our cgi really did suck, our apocalyptic zombie/dinosaur movies looked nothing like this." They will then die...
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all in a revolving 3 hour loop. Thats the last time this channel was cool.
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Some asshole got paid at least 7 figures to come up with this shit.
Exactly why should I get cable now days, when every cable channel has betrayed their own premise?
I know it's considered "unhip" to have an antenna TV, but I'm PROUD to not be paying these cable companies to fuck me over like everyone else. -
You mean FyFly
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Quint will be known as FGYT starting July 1.
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Please tell your doctor if you plan are using SyFy and suffer from aches, chills, excessive bowel movements, drymouth, cottonmouth, faintness of breath, or the sneaking suspicion that April 1st has come early.
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Mar 16, 2009 11:10:59 AM CDT
Are they doing this to try and reach a larger customer base...?
by furzee
Because if they are wouldn't it make more sense to spell it the old way (The way that 100% of the population knows how to spell it) and just put on some better programming (something 100% of the population knows they don't have right now?). Unless they change the generally crappy content they provide then the 'umbrella brand name' will only stand for crap and will in no way shield anyone from the storm of shit that currently rains down from the channel we all WANT to love (Galactica notwithstanding, It's only got 1 more ep).
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"Tired of those annoying commercials? Get Cable! We aint got none of those!"
Those were the good old days - 24 channels of uninterrupted television. Now its 243 channels of Shamwow, eXtenZ, and Girls gone wild interrupted by periodic moments of scheduled programming. -
although the latter is sort of incomprehensible, I'm still there as long as they still put forward such a winning mix of good-natured idiocy with an occasional break of something honestly good that probably wouldnt get shown anywhere else. Now, if only they'd ditch the wrestling, which surely doesn't even qualify as "syfi" whatever that is.While my band was in the studio recording our album, we were honor bound to watch nothing but sci-fi channel, which at the time was frantically oscillating between the likes of "Mansquito" and Monsterquest. If memory serves there was also a movie about killer ants which had Skinner from the X-files as well. Good times, good times. One saturday, they actually showed classic weirdo flick and video nasty "Xtro". I'd never argue that Sci-fi was necessarily a good channel, but there's something about its wholehearted commitment to being consistently terrible on a level of shoddy retardation which even the E network would never dare... it just makes me really happy. Plus, once every blue moon something actually good comes on!
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like the promise of something good for fans of Science Fiction. Back in the early 90's when they used to show SF programs that I hadn't seen for years. " Retro TV " was one of the best things they did. On late at night it would show " Science Fiction Theatre " With Truman Bradley or " One Step Beyond ". However now they've given up showing anything from the past ( Maybe because kids don't like it if it isn't in color or if it's more than 10 years old ). They really need to get with the program and revamp the entire channel. Drop the bad movies down to a few ( that way maybe they can afford real writers and do something good like the Dune adaptation ). Show a bit more of the past. They don't have to have wall to wall retro progaming but it would be nice to have some instead of wall to wall " Ghost Hunters " and " Scare Tactics ". Drop the Wrestling! I can't stress this enough and I don't care what your demographic studies show it doesn't belong on this channel! Programs that discuss Science Fiction like they used to have but were kind of half hearted about. Lastly look into more shows that take chances like " Battlestar Galactica " and " Farscape ". Not every show has to be Stargate ( which much as I hate to admit I'm kind of addicted to ). So SyFy if you want to have success mix it up. Don't just show the steady stream of baby food or irrelevent programing that you've been cranking out recently. Get back to your roots and show us some real Science Fiction! Or in 10 years you will be the Lifetime channel and fade into obscurity! And all the name changing in the world won't help that.
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research proves that its impossible to say "sci-fi" with a mouth full of hotpockets.
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Mar 16, 2009 11:15:47 AM CDT
Just a way for them to move further away from science fiction.
by sighborg
Scifi network has been moving away from science fiction for a while now. This just solidifies it.
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In an article over on Advertising Age, the network honchos mentioned that they were planning on making a change for many, many years and waited until now because they hadn't found a good enough option -- and apparently SyFy is genius to them. i'd love to have seen some of the rejected choices!
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Because it meant something. Giving it some meaningless name lets them put on more junk like wrestling without so much cognitive dissonance. (And, yes, that's the only time you'll hear "wrestling" and "cognitive" in the same sentence.) From the folks who brought you GE, NBC, and MSDNC...
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Mar 16, 2009 11:19:01 AM CDT
They should just make it offical and call it Spike TV 2
by hamster factor
This network has sucked major ass for a long time. In fact, besides BSG, I think the only good stuff they've aver aired was reruns of classic shows, syndicated stuff, or stuff they acquired and subsequently shit canned - like MST3K. Most of their original content has been helping to give science fiction a bad name for years now.
But now they'll be able to justify a lot more pro wrestling. I hope to watch this channel go down in a shit storm of fiery glory. -
At least that would be consistent.
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...still remains the most shocking rebranding in human history. They're beans, not beanz. We all eat 'em, we all love 'em - Beanz are not going to make them cooler cos' they're cool enough already...damn you Heinz and your rebranding department, damn you for condemning your tasty, wonderful beans to an unnecessarily urban skewing (and therefore condescending to the rest of us) hell. DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL. Oh yeah and Syfy, Sci-Fi? Erm, yeah, bit daft no?
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What I like to call
"Bonnie Hammer syndrome" has been pervasive at that channel ever since
she failed upward, from SCI FI President to President of NBC Universal Cable.
They see no profit motive in the genre so they're
"branching out". But why retain the name with different spelling?
That's just bizarre.
In any case, it's all good, IMHO. I can count on one hand the number
of times I've watched that channel in the past few years. What it was
once to the genre has been dead and buried for more than a decade now.
So now their intent is laid bare - once their new branding campaign
and the relaunch happen - for all to see, and they can continue to
program pablum with a shiny "new" moniker. In any case, it's about time
that other shoe dropped. It doesn't change the fact that that "new" name is fucking stupid, but then that's been this channel's modus operandi for quite some time now.
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Ha, "non-linear digital platforms." Fucking losers. These things are all written exclusively for people in marketing departments, right? They pore over them at lunch and cocktail parties?
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Mar 16, 2009 11:27:31 AM CDT
The statement appears to have something to do with trademarks.
by rbatty024
Since I know very little about trademark laws, I'll take their word for it. Apparently, Sci-fi cannot be trademarked while syfy can. So long as they keep on putting out movies about giant gators then I'll be happy.
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Sheerly thay carnt be seryurs. Wot a lowd of bollox.
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he's now called MRYK-15
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Why don't they just call it USA and be done with it?
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I can't get sci fi less, but I CAN get SyFyllis. I hear the new drugs are fast.
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http://forums.scifi.com/index.php?showforum=90
I really hate it when forums won't let you discuss what you want - as long as it is kept clean. Lame. -
It doesn't really affect my life anyway. SciFi channel can cease to exist as of Friday, until the next time they do something actually good, which seems unlikely.
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Rock Monster rules all!!! My son and I just HAVE to watch it whenever it comes. on. It is really bad, but *knows* what it is. It's just great material.
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Really lame and stupid. However, now that BSG is done I have no reason to watch the channel so I don't care.
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I also used to go to your website often util it became old news and other sites did it better. Also! While I'm on a rant why wasn't this the home for every Star Trek show from the beginning? This also goes for other good Science Fiction shows. Why haven't you been going after these other shows agressively? The reason is in the money they spent on bad movies. When you choose to take the low road it always shows.
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Tea Elsea
See Enen
Spyke
Fahx
Eh Auntie
Brahvough
Empty V
Effex
Aiche-Bee-Oh
KarToone Netwurk
Shough tymehell even website should do it EintitKoolNewz.comP.S, i hope you all got those
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since they don't show any real Sci-fi in the first place
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Is this the reason why that site has changed its name to something else recently?I agree with everyone else its a fucking stupid idea.
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MAN-PRIS. An unsuspecting(aren't they always?)she-male is bitten by a praying mantis (of COURSE they don't bite.. this is SyFy!!) and goes on a killing spree, mating (or a reasonable facsimile) with males and right before she gives her mates the "crying game", she lops their shocked little heads off. (Starring Bruce Boxleitner and featuring Teri Hatcher as THE MAN-PRIS!)
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Yes, the lack of an interCap matters, even if I am a graphic design nerd.
The rebranding makes sense on a mental level, but I can't help but pronounce the channel 'Siffy.' -
And probably the fiction too.
MORE WRESTLING!
Fucking stupid network. Just fucking die already. -
Nothing else to watch on that shitty channel anyway... Siffy it up bitches.
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I always liked that there was a channel with that name. reminded me of him. So i guess they can't copy write it as it's too ambiguous? seems odd.
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and start showing nothing but Law & Order reruns. Oh wait... there's already a channel that does that.
NBC / Universal, where director of programming careers go to die. -
It has to do with Trademark law. You can Trademark "Syfy," but you can't trademark "Scifi" because it's too generic.
Does that clear up any questions? -
Com'on folks, like we didn't see this coming. Cancellation after cancellation we were constantly reminded the powers that be at SciFi don't understand their audience. Addition to addition on the schedule showed the same.
There are people out there looking for jobs that actually contribute something to we as a people and then you have these marketing types who got paid to sit around a table and decide to change Sci-Fi to SyFy. What a waste.
Hey, it's just in time for San Diego Comic-Con; I say we bring banners to every panel they have clearly pointing out our disgust for this continual downslide of the channel! -
(TM)
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Was that just too vague a name, or was it still too "out there" for the rest of the TV watching morons?
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WTyF?
Worst re-branding idea EVAR -
What a retarded channel. After Battlestar ends on Friday, I'll probably never watch this crap channel ever again. Do they really think this retarded marketing crap is gonna make them sound so much cooler to new viewers? New packaging, same product. Half the reason I can't get friends to watch BSG is simply because it's on the Sci-Fi *clears throat*...ahem, excuse me, the SY-FY channel, the channel that spews more garbage TV movies and other assorted crap than any other channel on TV. Oh wait, I'll probably watch Caprica. If that show turns out to be good, let's hope the channel lasts long enough for the show to develop.
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The distinction:
SciFi = awesome
SyFy = New age George Lucas type shit -
The Sci-fi channel needed to make a change to be able to apply a distinct brand name. All in all, it is kind of weak, but I'm sure it will be better for them than the generic sci-fi channel name.
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I don't like it. No sir.
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The conceptual distinction is "Sci-fi" is short for science fiction. Whereas Syfy is just another gibberish network name. The channel will be free to move farther away from science fiction without looking completely contradictory anymore. That channel is one of the worst run networks I've ever seen. It's a miracle BSG was even allowed to finish the series. After BSG, Ghost Hunters will be all that's left for me there.
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The Sci Fi Channel is a fucking JOKE! It's the (so-called) Science Fiction equivellant of M-TV (which became a MAJOR joke several years ago when it stopped playing Music Videos and whored itself out with there reality based tv shows that are now on nonstop).
Years ago when the Sci Fi channel debuted? There was actual hope! Hope that there was going to be a Network that Sci Fi Fans could appreciate, enjoy and revel in..a place to "Get your Sci-Fi Fix and your Sci Fi Geek on"
There were some promising ideas which promptly disappeared (Anyone remember that Entertainment themed show that actually spoke about Sci Fi and had cool interviews and trivia tidbits and reported on Sci Fi Fantasy news? The only draw back was that it had that fucking DICK Harlan Ellison offering up his sour-faced mean spirited diatribes with "someone put shit in my cereal" look on his old face)
It was a network that allowed us to wax nostalgically and enjoy the cheesy 70-ies/80-ies and 90-ies sci fi shows
Hey! I will even say THIS...the first few Memorial Day Weekends after sci fi started broadcasting? back then a Twilight Zone Marathon was actually pretty cool watch! (Now it is just so tiresome to see such a marathon of the show month and after month and after month it seems like nowadays)
Now a days unfortunately the Sci Fi Channel is a pathetic Joke...it abused and mistreated and constantly kicked in the ribs by it parent company who owns several other lucrative networks and programed by a bunch of lazy ass stupid fucktards who don't know Science Fiction from their assholes and who just don't give a shit about viewership.
Once in a while the Sci Fi channel will have moments of inconsistant brilliance offering up such fare as Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who and Euryka!
But then there is the other 99% which is pitiful...those made for sci fi channel movies? Fuck YOU Sci-Fi channel powers that be! You insult me and any other viewer with half brain (Teenagers with a decent laptop and software could make better effects than the crap in those moives!)
If there is a show that is half way decent? Like the Dresden Files?
You idiots pull a Fox Network move and axe the show!
Those Star SG-Suckass shows? Why don't you put the money you waste in THAT garbage of show and actually come UP with something new. original and cool to watch?
Oh and the other great big FUCK YOU to the sci fi fans and total lack of respect that is shown by the suits? Wrestling!!!
What fucking genius thought that one up? What drugs are they doing in the head offices that made them say "Dude, let's shove wrestling down those "morons" who watch the sci fi channel! They won't give a shit!"
Well Fuck You Sci Fi Channel
Fuck you as Sci Fi and Fuck you as the new SyFy channel (Another "genius" move with the lettering change there! Nothng like blantantly using a missed spelled work to advertise as a Network Logo!) -
...has it been called the "Sci-fi" channel. You change the title now? Stupid A-holes.
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most definitly
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It got cancelled after like 9 episodes people. Fair or not, its over. Its been over for 4 years. Get a fucking life.
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My favorite was " Syfy = See you.Frak you! " I think there wasn't a single postive take on this on the entire page ( I'm hoping the EC-Dub guy was kidding )! After all of this you'd think someone would pay attention because without viewers SciFi is nothing.
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And the movie is "SyTy"
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'Cuz it sticks to the roof of your mind.
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Sci-Fi seems to be going the way of MTV; when you hire people who have a distain for the genre, you kill the point of the channel.
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an old jewish man
Cy Fye -
Sci-Fi seems to be going the way of MTV; when you hire people who have a distain for the genre, you kill the point of the channel.
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A lot of your viewers seem pretty upset about this. Much as you might think they don't matter they do. A lot of them do seem pretty upset about this and what it might mean. It would be better to spend the money you're about to spend on damage control on good programing.
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I guess it is easier to embrace your inner retard than to educate yourself in spelling.
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That is what I am getting from that press release.
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However, names that sound the same as generic terms, do not get a lot of protection either, so I am not certain how much this will help them.
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When they changed to The National Network to try to diversify their programming. People still associated TNN with hicks so they changed it to Spike. I'd expect to see much less sci-fi on SyFy in the future.
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You realize there is a channel called "Oxygen", right? Or are they going to have to change their name to "AhwksiJen"?
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I knew there was a reason the channel sucked. Friday night will be my last time watching whatever it's called for the foreseeable future.
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Syfy.
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this has to be the worst idea ever.....i can see some marketing douches sitting around and thinking....well we could call it syfy!
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ALL SYFY ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING NOW BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MAKERS OF SEE ALICE.
(say it aloud. it works). -
Mar 16, 2009 12:28:48 PM CDT
That is actually pronounced "Siffy". Are they run by idiots?!
by damien chowder
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it's a firmly established uniquely umbrella trademark create to leverage the potential of new media branding and holdings, itunes, hulu, web 2.0, portable, non-linear, heretofore, hereinafter and hereunder. It couldn't be clearer.
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it just means they can brand themselves as they see fit now. plus they can dump the word 'channel'
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... but that is definitely a stupid name. Especially since there's that new horror channel with the terrific name of "Chiller." I would have gone with some obscure short sci-fi reference or something that means the future like "Next" or "Soon."
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"We don't do sci fi, really, so we are changing our name to make it seem like we do what our name implies. FCC rules would not allows us to name ourselves ShitFi. We went back and forth a long time over SyFy--which is really meaningless, and suits us very well, or Skiffy, which implies a certain blissful cluelessness, which also fits us very well. In the end, the most obtuse, empty, meaningless moniker was our choice. We Do SyFy! (and it means we do whatever we happen to be doing)"
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is a good indicator of what is to come, how much Syphy cares: a sloppy point/shoot pic of a poorly lit logo on drywall....The truly sad part is that they probably do think that it is a Good Image.
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The Mansquito Channel. You know someone suggested it in the board room.
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as in the venereal disease. Make it stick to them!
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and guess what, we could have Avril Lavigne siging the sign-on on the morning to the: SP8Z channel.
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its a picture of the wall behind the receptionist's desk.
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That shit's hysterical...
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Which is exactly what the channel is besides TZ reruns and BSG: a cum filled toilet paper tube wedged in a mattress.
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During a recession where NBCU was ordered to trim 500 million dollars from the operating budget, comes this bullshit. Rebranding is expensive and in this case, totally fucking unnecessary. It's like a smack in the face to investors and to recently fired employees.
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They spend all this effort to rebrand themselves. . . as a homonym? If they're as self conscious about their subject matter as they seem, why not just go all the way? The first thing I did, by the way, was to check the calendar to see if it was April 1.
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you drink milk from plastic bags. Get the F outta here with that.
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Mar 16, 2009 12:42:13 PM CDT
in canada our science fiction channel is called "SPACE"
by indyabbey jones
no affiliation with the american syfy channel, and you know what its a way better channel, everything from old movies and TV shows as well as some new shows and some lame sci-fi that you watch anyways because its fun
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That is the only monicker that truly fits the network...
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about sci-fi. why don't they save all they money spend on 20 crappy made-for-tv movies and use it to make a couple of really good made-for-tv movies or a great new tv series. this is the channel Joss Whedon should be working with. Damn, if AMC can make a good television program why the fuck can't syfy?i guess the stupid new name bout says it all.
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Call me crazy, but I watch shows based on the content, not which network it's on. They could change the network name to Virgin 30 Year Olds In Their Basement (V30B for short) and I'll still be checking out Caprica.
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That's all this is folks, nothing more. As people have already pointed out, it's just a name they can have a legal claim to while at the same time keeping it close enough to maintain brand recognition. I agree about the strapline though - it's a completely generic umbrella statement that wants to say loads, but just leaves you cold.
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...truly intelligent people go into the Sciences. Creative people go into the Arts. People who are neither and pretty average all around go into MBA programs. People who are sorely lacking in every category of human development go into Marketing. Bottom feeding, scumbag subhumans become politicians. Unfortunately the final three entries in that list run everything and have rigged a system in which nothing succeeds like total failure. Hence... American Idol, the CW and "SyFy"!
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the one where a crocodile is killing people on Lake Huron, and nobody can seem to stop it.
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Some of us went for an MBA because in the computer industry you have a tendency to get promoted to management if you stick around long enough anyway, so why not bolster the old resume for that inenvitable day?
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misspelled inevitable. DoH!
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I don't care what they call it!! As long as I get "Kaw 2", I'm fuckin there.
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if the content is good, the network logo matters not at all."IF" being the key word...To me, this change signals a change/trend toward more of the low-quality, different genre programming, which could, in turn, make it more difficult for shows like Caprica to get a shot.I remember that SciFi once aired Braveheart during sweeps....The further they drift toward wrestling and "reality" programming, the less of BSG-like quality we will see.This re-naming seems oriented to make almost any programming seem okay.You are right: the name itself doesn't matter, but the intent behind the renaming well might....
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...I'm not the most patriotic person around, but sod off you hosers! Insulting the USA? You guys freaking punt on third down! You call shitty cuts of ham, bacon! You can't even pronounce "about" correctly! Your federal police force have gay uniforms! You're responsible for Alanis Morrisette! So there! Dammit.
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that air programs related to what the channel is supposed to be about. Discovery channel has nothing to do with science, history channel has nothing to do with history except may pop history about the origins of the corndog. MTV and VH1 are just alternative channels for reality tv. poker and auto racing on ESPN. its all crap and they've still got the nerve to keep jacking up the prices on cable every year.
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I agree with several previous posters... this is a way out of explaining how so much non-science fiction has taken the channel over (from bad made-for-TV horror movies to wrestling, for petesake??)
Darn siffy. Siffiest Sh*t I've ever seen. -
...gotta eat! But they raped my childhood and now my adulthood!
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They could have made another Masquito movie. Which is truly how I see the behind-the-scenes at Sci-Fi Channel. Every monetary decision is boiled down to how many Mansquito movies could be made with that money. Also, does anybody else see a similarity between the story that Kentucky Fried Chicken had to change their name to KFC because the meat they were using could no longer legally be called "chicken", and the Sci-Fi Channel's switch to the name SYFY because the crap they produce can no longer legally be called Science Fiction?
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USA Network has turned itself into this phenomenal little gem of a network (although I still miss USA Up All Night) with fun original programming, while SciFi has turned into this little crap network that airs 'reality' shows (seriously people Ghost Hunters is not reality) and wrestling.
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orwellian 1984 speak is real and even the sci fi channel is not immune. we are all doomed.
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So I don't see the similarity.
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Damn you, Siffy!
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its like sex for your senses, you yanks love your mushy cardboard cartons though don't youbesides try and get ketchup chips anywhere else
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Marketing whores can kiss my ass with thier unreadable press release. Seriously WTF did that even mean?
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I get my milk from a plastic gallon jug.
Whereas Canadians get their milk from either (a) plastic bags or (b) goat's teat -
DOCTOR WHO, LIFE ON MARS, ASHES TO ASHES and TORCHWOOD are where it's at, daddy-o.
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"It gives us a unique word and it gives us the opportunities to imbue it with the values and the perception that we want it to have." He told the trade publication that feedback from 18-34-year-olds in focus groups indicated that "SyFy" was the way many would refer to the network in text messages. "It made us feel much cooler, much more cutting-edge, much more hip, which was kind of bang-on what we wanted to achieve communication-wise," he said.
What a sad, desperate little fuck of a man -
The resturaunt once called Kentucky Fried Chicken is now called KFC. That's not an urban legend, it's a fact. What is an urban legend are the reasons behind the name change. See the difference? I took that KFC urban legend and compared it to the reasoning behind the syfy name change, and made a joke, see? doi.
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emphasizing the brand name pride that brings you MONSTER ATTACKS CANADIANS
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didn't become apparent to me until I read further down into the article. SciFi Games, SciFi Films, etc. sounds almost too generic. SciFi is immediately identified as a "type" of film or media as opposed to a brand. SciFi worked for the channel...but I can definitely see the reasoning here. Getting folks to like it is another manner. But I can definitely see the logic. Hope it works for'em!
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yes we get them from plastic bags, but think for a second, your mom can't be around all the time to give the country milk, so your second statement has to be false
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I haven't watched it in about 6 years. It was Saturday night, I was watching a 4-hr mini-series. For the last half hour they ran the little commercial in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. You know, the one they usually only run for a minute or so. But they figured, 'hey, people been watching this mini-series for 3 and a half hours, they'll watch whatever we put on here'. I called my cable company Monday and cancelled my service. To paraphrase that great humanitarian, George Carlin, 'FUCK THEM IN THE ASS WITH BIG BLACK RUBBER DONGS UNTIL THEY DIE'.
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Totally generic AND it doesn't indicate how to pronounce it unless you already know it's supposed to be "sci-fi." Epic fail, lolz.
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That would be so super cool.
Idiots. Rebranding has no value when you torpedo your existing brand in the most possibly stupid lame way. -
Mar 16, 2009 1:16:34 PM CDT
"In Canada, we brag about being Canadian every chance we get".
by mr spork
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Remember when everything cool had to have an "e" in front of it? A small one not a capital one. I think "i" and "u" will go the way of "e."
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Mar 16, 2009 1:16:57 PM CDT
SYFY - Where spooky reality shows live and breed like rats
by mrmysteryguest
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...yet at the same time so fucking hilarious that I almost choked myself.
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I haven't watched that shitty scifi channel in ages. Fuck em.
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They should just change the name of the channel to "Eureka!" and do a bunch of spin-offs. A 50s Eureka!, That 70s Eureka, a Wedding-Singer like 80s based Eureka. And so on.
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...until they came up with this shit?
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i believe they proved that as "fact" on an episode of mythbusters
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Mar 16, 2009 1:27:10 PM CDT
Simultaneous Lobotomy & Sodomy Cable TV Style
by elvispresleehorsleyharveyoswaldoprahwinf
"Science-fiction" applies to a certain type of literature.
"Sci-fi" applies to a certain type of entertainment not even slightly as grandiose, nuanced or learned as actual "Science-Fiction"
"SYFY" applies to an anus it is one-ply toilet paper used ungenerously to wipe the diseased mudflaps of some of the worst production teams in the world. I hope they pay in blood for what they did to Farmer's Riverworld. -
Especially since it is politically incorrect to use: The Retarded Network.
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Mar 16, 2009 1:30:14 PM CDT
GAY. True though, how about G4? NO video game stuff anymore, e
by james_o'nasty
I can't complain about the Japanese stuff, tho... Banzuke and Ninja Warrior I could have the Ludovico treatment with and be happy as!
But apart from the new X-play which sucks, what video game programming do they have?
And Schiffy is queer. -
occasionally other mediums such as film do reach the bar set by Science-fiction books but it is rare.
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The should keep the spelling and pronounce it "Skif-ee"
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The drab, depressing Diablo Cody riffing that is more hostile than cute.
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They should've used that. At least it would fit with Nintendo's STUPID naming of the Wii.
It's obvious to anyone who has been keeping up with them for the last 5 years that this is a move to open up their image for Non-Sci-fi content. They've already been force-feeding us shitty movies-of-the-week and wrestling matches sponsored by Enzyte. This just makes it a little more 'official'.
One of the best things they ever did was to take SG:1 from Showtime and keep it alive. Ten years and two spinoffs later, you'd think they learned how profitable that was. They could've done it with NUMEROUS properties, such as Oddysey 5 (which had very low production costs, btw), Carnivale (which didn't), or any number of Fox cast-offs.
I don't know what's more insulting to their viewers, the C-movie-of-the-week drivel like 'Mansquito' or the once-per-season butt-rapes of classics like Earthsea that they've done. -
" By changing the name to Syfy, which remains phonetically identical, the new brand broadens perceptions and embraces a wider range of current and future imagination-based entertainment beyond just the traditional sci-fi genre, including fantasy, supernatural, paranormal, reality, mystery, action and adventure. It also positions the brand for future growth by creating an ownable trademark that can travel easily with consumers across new media and nonlinear digital platforms, new international channels and extend into new business ventures. "
This is the part to pay attention to : " the new brand broadens perceptions and embraces a wider range of current and future imagination-based entertainment beyond just the traditional sci-fi genre, including fantasy, supernatural, paranormal, reality, mystery, action and adventure. "
http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/sci-fi-channel-to-become.php
So in other words I interpret it to say that they aren't just Genre anymore. More reality and wrestling! Sad. Really sad.
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...And the remote control
goes "Bleep! Next..."
Stupid Siffee. I haven't watched anything but BSG since...wait that's literally ALL I watched. And even then I watched it streaming on the web, NOT on the Siffe site. They are so fucked... -
Will be a sister channel. Really though, what a dumb idea to change the spelling of the name. Probably cost 'em millions to come up with it, and will cost millions more to implement the change.
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And then it'll cost them millions for damage control. Money that could have been spent on programing.
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SyFy is Gy. Idiots.
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I'm sure they'll have a gossip girl type show in space soon.
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...as all their viewers go ByBy...
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they're all attached to moose.
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The vitriol is clogging up my hard drive. Keep it up, fellas. Love the Canadian jokes, Arcadian. Any more?
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...The Nashville Network became "The Boring Family-Oriented Sitcom Network With No Country Music Ever?" Is it a format change, or is just sound and fury signifying nothing, like when Spike changed its name?
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Queer Eye for teh SyFy :P
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Hads been replaced with " guess I look at this way....
It's like a marriage that's just gone downhill. Communication is one-sided and you wake one day and realize you just don't know her anymore. So you file for divorce and she changes her name. You move on with your life while she just WHORES herself out to any low-budget incoherent script she can wrap her legs around.
What did I ever see in her ????? "
That guy's pretty smart and funny. Are you listening SciFi? You've really got viewers in an uproar! Who'd a thunk? I'd change what you're doing before it's too late. -
Ghost Hunters is the only other thing I watch on there, and I can get that through Comcast on Demand. So, I might as well get rid of Sci FY
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"Syfy"? Really? I don't even really know what to say. Whoever came up with this is either the dumbest person ever (thinking this was a good name) or the smartest (putting forth 5 minutes of effort and somehow selling it to the execs).
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yep.
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Will this make their movies any better?
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8:00 PhyrePhli
9:00 The X-Fyllz
10:00 Twylyte Zone -
I no longer give a crap about this channel.
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Often on their comments is " The Dresden Files " That one still hurts! Why oh Why did you guys cancel it and keep all this other crap ( Wrestling, Ghost Hunters etc. )? BSG is a fluke. You got lucky. But you even tried your best to make viewers lose interest by stretching it out losing good momentum for the show. You have long legacy of shooting yourselves in the foot. Why not take this time to reflect on your decisions and do something smart?
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yes, we also canceled Farscape and BSG. Our only decent shows. Fuck em, we have Sci Fi Orginals!
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reality tv, shitty movies, and wrestling. they even ran one of the law & orders on "sci-fi" briefly.
this channel is done. i get most of my sci-fi from the bbca or the net. -
Finally, a name that fits.
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Just on the principle of consistent grammar, this shitty new rebooted SyFy channel has to air BILL & TED at least once a week and relaunch WILDBOYZ.
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They're changing their name to fud, with an umulaut over the "u".
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Mar 16, 2009 2:24:43 PM CDT
Yeah I guess fud would keep it within the four letter max for ne
by walrusholder
This is trend for the coming new world. If all words are reduced to minimum sizes then they also have minimum meaning.
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Mar 16, 2009 2:29:06 PM CDT
I don't care what they call it, just offer it in HD already!!!
by ang_lee
WTF? What's the hold up?
Brilliant name BTW. People that say otherwise do not understand branding. Example of bad: HULU. WTF is that? A fucking hula hoop, something in Hawaii? That my friends is a Exec dumbass outbidding someone for one of the last 4 letter domains that doesn't look like jkgy.com. That shit pisses me off. -
but who wants to watch some giant Anaconda in HD?
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I have Charter and do not. I want my BSG in HD...and that's about it.
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they'll stop playing "Chupacabra: Dark Seas" does it?
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This just in...
NBC/Universal entertainment has just announced that the USA network will be rebranded on August 9,2009. It will now be known as the "Yew-Hess-Hay" network.
"We can't own the name USA--it's a country," said Bonnie Hammer, President of NBC Cable Entertainment. "But we CAN own the name Yew Hess Hay." -
Siffy.
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You know, fun. Still lame.
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this would be a bigger deal if I thought there was any likelihood that I would still be watching this channel after Galactica ends next week.
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Skiffy is the standard pronunciation amongst fans of a certain generation, to whom "sci-fi" is totally pejorative and not to be applied to the real (mostly written) stuff. Perhaps that book shop manager is a true fan of the old school...
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y ant wayt for these marketyng genyuses to ome out wyth "Mansquyto the game" or "hupaabra the game" to play on my omputer. Thys ys the most ynredyble marketyng ydea ever!! hange your y's to y's and take out all the 's and you beone a brand name reognyzable around the whole medya world!!
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which was the smartest thing SciFi had going for it the last handful of years, if you don't count "Galactica."
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This channel sucks now big time. Everyone knows it and says it over and over again. WTF are these people gonna get a clue what we want to watch??!! Bonnie turned down many GREAT sifi shows saying they were "To Science Fictiony" WTF is that?? She could have saved the B5 spinoff Crusade, as well as Firefly. She would rather have Ghost Hunters on for 30 hours a week instead, then Snake vs Loser 3, 4, 5, and 6 all weekend! I stopped watching this channel because I was losing brain cells by the second lol.... And to top it off, Sci-Fi does not even show SG-1 or Atlantis or Dr Who at all??!! Not even the re-runs. So screw this channel and Bonnie Hammer. They should rename it the "Kiddie-no-brain-Channel"
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Is why they don't repeat BSG during the week. HBO and Showtime rerun their original series eps all through the week so if I miss an ep of Big Love (say) I usually have several opportunities to catch it again ... I'd like to rewatch some of the recent BSG but besides Lost all SciFi seems to do is those shitty haunted house reality crapfests or whatever. You'd think they'd want to amortize their investment in BSG by giving it multiple viewing windows.
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Been watching SciFi since Sliders and Farscape were running. Content has never been better than mediocre+. I say g'bye..
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A new name is a good idea, but not that.
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They come up wyth the BEST ideas.
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Not when she turned USA into the cable ratings giant it is now. Also Bravo is way up. Oxygen is gaining. And Sci Fi is actually doing well. Aside from this name change being the dumbest shit ever, the woman does a better job as a programmer than that current dude who's running the broadcast side. Cut her some slack.
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The tagline should be "Imagine greater marketing" because obviously, they need it.
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Mansquito.
nuff said. -
It's bad enough that they cancel all their good shows -- Farscape, SG-1 -- and choose not to air classic science fiction like Lost in Space, Star Trek and Babylon 5.
But the absolute balls to air wrestling. The mind boggles. -
Or was it Wii?
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Well, after Battlestar is gone--this is just one more reason to never watch that channel again...
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didn't they watch xavier renegade angel last night? sci-fi is a hardcore drug that will have your whore-a spiritgasming its way into intoxifcation.
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Wholy shit that was funny!
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Oxygen is a very strong trademark because it is arbitrary and is not descriptive of the content of the channel. Apple computers is similarly strong. However, the Sci-Fi channel is descriptive of its content (or it should be, however, fantasy, wrestling, and reality shows are hardly sci-fi). Therefore the Sci-Fi channel is an inherently weaker trademark.
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Aren't you watching Burn Notice? Best damn show on cable TV.
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But you can trademark Syfy. Thats the difference. But the real question is when will syfy actually air scifi material?? I was watching a movie about vampires yesterday... How is that Sci-fi?
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Is when I'm fighting a hangover and having trouble getting to sleep on a saturday afternoon, and I'll turn this shit on and let their ultra shit cg-monsters "original" movies will be on, and I can use it as background noise to drift off to sleep. Not like I watch BSG live on their anyway, it's what BT was made for.
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..."Baja USA". Effective this July.
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I still say the trademark thing is just an excuse to show more wrestling.
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LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I mean, I know you've been reading Deadline Hollywood, but that still doesn't really get down to why the change. It's not like Sci-Fi NEEDS to be trademarked.
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Canada is America's Hat.
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Their "Hip Hop" commercials make me want to never play a video game again. They are the STUPIDEST fucking thing on tv. Olivia Munn on the other hand...
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Given the level of cheesy, nay totally shitty made-for-sci-fi monster movies they have they could rename themselves ShitFI.
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Bonnie Hammer may or may not be increasing the Sci-Fi channel's viewership. However, it is no longer really a Sci-Fi channel at this point. Of Course the Hills Delivery Vehicle that was once a music channel is still called MTV.
My problem is that I believe there is enough science fiction and fantasy (and I am OK with a little fantasy with my sci-fi) material out there to create a sustainable channel. And I am bothered by the decision to produce these low-budget crapfest films that don't respect the viewer. -
See what I did there? I rhymed my headline with the name of the channel to prove how fucking clever I am. Kenny Powers has nothing on me.
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get "Spike"'d, or turn to utter tripe, like AMC did.
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I read this in one of the articles covering the name change: "The name Sci Fi has been associated with geeks and dysfunctional, antisocial boys in their basements with video games and stuff like that, as opposed to the general public and the female audience in particular," said TV historian Tim Brooks, who helped launch Sci-Fi Channel when he worked at USA Network.'
Not sure insulting what is probably their biggest demographic is the wisest choice. Also someone calling themselves a TV historian just rings a pretentious douchebag and looking at his website, http://www.timbrooks.net , just solidifies that view. -
who...I mean, really, WHO had a problem with the name of the channel? The new name sounds childish & cheap - just to get something that is "ownable". They didn't have a problem getting a cred on the term Sci-Fi in the first place. It's all about the moneymoneymoneymoney! geeez!
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"Skiffy" is actually a derisive pronunciation popularized by the New Wavers who wrote for New Worlds magazine, in the 60's. It's been around.
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Warciple scum
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This has nothing to do with marketing, copywrites or being hip. This is jus one step in switch programming. This is the same thing TNN did when it changed from The Nashville Network to The National Network. They kept TNN while changing the name and making a major shift in programming, soon the programming change was complete and they changed the name to Spike TV. SyFy sounds phonetically the same but will allow for new programming with a different branding agenda which is only a step towards changing the name and programming completely. It's not as shocking as when radio stations flip formats but that is all this is, a format flip.
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I guess this is another great idea from a long line of great ideas from the people who decided that it would be best to play ridiculous grade-z movies all the time as a means to attract an audience. Good heavens. It's not even remotely sensible what difference this makes.
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“The name Sci Fi has been associated with geeks and dysfunctional,
antisocial boys in their basements with video games and stuff like
that, as opposed to the general public and the female audience in
particular,” said TV historian Tim Brooks, who helped launch Sci Fi
Channel when he worked at USA Network. -
amuses me. now, i have a nap i need to get back to.
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lame
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and programing completely. hopefully someone else will be smart enough to step up and create another sci-fi channel that actually gets it right. the sci-fi channel must have had enough viewers to have lasted all these years. if done right it could probably be a huge success.
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Mar 16, 2009 4:57:50 PM CDT
WoW! So this is what an MBA with a focus on Marketing learns ya.
by conspiracy
Nothing here but Marketing psychobabble...Sci-Fi to SyFy...oooooh...I bet it took two full semesters to get the "Out of the Box" critical thinking skills to "Re-purpose" this particular media "Brand" so it could achieve "full dissemination" over the widest possible "Demo"; while forecasting "brand expansion within newly targeted demos" so that this particular customer can reasonable introduce new "non-SciFi" materials that would appeal to this "emerging market" while not upsetting or otherwise alarming its "Core Demo".Pure Bullshit...they are moving away from "Sci-Fi", and into more general mass market programming...hence the name change.
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Oh, make no mistake about it -- they're crap. Everything from the acting to the screenplay to the budget (or lack thereof). However, I'll be damned if I haven't spent many a Saturday afternoon, baked on my couch, laughing at this shit. Movies like "Pterodactyl" (with Coolio playing an army general), "Chupacabra Terror", or "Raptor Island" (to name a few) are classics that need to be archived and shared with future generations to come.
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how did i miss that one? that is pure genius! does he get a lot of screen time? i must know find a dealer to buy weed from, get baked and find a way to watch this cinematic masterpiece.
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a legal decision. You can't trademark "scifi" because you already told Paris Hilton she can't trademark "that's hot". Yes, I know, a Paris Hilton reference. What happened to me?
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Was that the one that had a cute Asian girl talking about "The Konami code" and had reruns of Starcade?
I would watch that at my friend's house sometimes.
I turned to it a few years later and they were showing a marathon of old COPS episodes.
Seriously guys, drop cable TV and let them know why you're doing it. -
Waitaminute! I got it!
Okay whoever they paid to think this up needs to be bitchslapped and the money taken back. -
..but anything worth watching is available at Hulu or other WWW's. Cable and it's US CorpGov-sponsered counterpart 'DigitalRevolution' can sod off!
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And we rename it: "South Albion". We'll be taking charge from here on in, so just relax, you former USA-ains!
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Now whenever someone slams a movie by calling it "even worse than a SciFi original," they can plausibly say, "Hey, that's not us!"
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It's because they're faltering, badly - ratings on Sci-Fi programming have dipped lower and lower lately, and their Original Movies even have been dropping in budget and production values (!!!). The channel was faced with a decision - create a rebrand, or wither and go the way of so many failed networks. The recent demise of audience interest in genre programming has also been a big contributor, because what reason does anyone have to make a tv show when the audience prefers "scriptless" pabalum where everyone talks like a moron and walks into walls because they aren't smart enough to figure out where the door is? Why bother? This also serves to effectively REMOVE the negative, smelly stigma of the network having anything to do with those awful Trek nerds or those stinky Dungeons and Dragons players. It's a "fresh" new concept designed to alienate out the few remaining genre fans out there (you know, the folks who actally -wanted- to see WATCHMEN ie not very many people) and attract new converts with reality programming and "cutting edge" tv where "weird" replaces "concept." I'm looing at you, ADRESS UNKNOWN!
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If there is a channel that deserves to sound like a venerial disease... well, it's E! but the channel formally known as SciFi will serve just as well. SyFy movie of the week, "Mansquito goes to Camp!"
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"'The name Sci Fi has been associated with geeks and dysfunctional, antisocial boys in their basements with video games and stuff like that, as opposed to the general public and the female audience in particular,' said TV historian Tim Brooks, who helped launch Sci Fi Channel when he worked at USA Network." If they are aiming at the female demographic in particular expect another Oxygen or Lifetime channel. That's it for the old Sci-Fi network ... as others have noted here it smells like a format change. It makes sense from an economic standpoint, as those "chick channels" seem to be popular and consistently rake in the revenue. The female demographic seems to be a better moneymaker for t.v. networks for some reason.
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I actually watched it one night (maybe I was just bored) but I found myself enjoying it as a very creative take on the Wizard of Oz theme. I vaguely recall reading some awful reviews of it here.
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There is ONE Sci-Fi original movie that I honestly truthfully loved. It was called LIVING HELL. The guys who made that CLEARLY loved what they were doing, worked hard and created an interesting monster, an interesting premise and characters I actually cared about - not to mention some truly entertaining set-pieces and some bizarre goings-on that rose well above movie-of-the-week material. It's a shame it got stuck with that label (and even worse that it's called ORGANIZM on dvd).
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they were PUNKD by the focas group geeks...!
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New network, good programs. "Nobody likes scifi", No, nobody likes half-ass SHIT somebody decided to call 'scifi'. Hope someone rolls along with a new genre channel and stomps the shit out of what is left of Syfy. With BSG and SG-1 gone, the strongest program they have is Eureka, which while entertaining, is certainly not going to carry a network.
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Call me when you can actually buy the channel ala carte. I only buy Battlestar Galactica on DVD because it's not worth 30 dollars a month for the Dishnetwork package that includes SYFY. Most things I watch are on network tv on my local package.
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a softer side of sci-fi?
-
fy? who are the ad geni.... eehhh phuck it.
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But we're getting there. One of the things that network executives find so nasty about Sci-Fi is that it skews male, and male is NOT the demographic these guys want - because guys don't control the income any more. Girls do. With this new Syfy, look for more shows that will resemble TWILIGHT. That is, effeminate male leads or women learning to talk to the Evil in order to come to terms (as opposed to defeating) it ... or just screwing it.
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"women learning to talk to the Evil in order to come to terms (as opposed to defeating) it ... or just screwing it."...so, we're gettign more Buffy? Maybe this isn't all bad... lol
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I'm thinking of the kinds of Young Adult novels that came out after BUFFY stopped being relevant, with names like GOTHPUNK GRRLZ ACADEMY or HIS BREATH LIKE LILACS: My Date With the Werewolf King.
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As part of popular vernacular, it cannot be a copyright. So in order to have a copyrightable trademark, they needed to change it to something out of the public domain.
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This Saturday on Syfy!
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Actually, I'm not sure if I want the SciFi/SyFy/SuFi network to save any money. I don't think I can stand another Sci Fi original movie.
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kids dig the effort
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kids dig the effort
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MTV was 24hr videos and it gradually became a reality TV network. Sci-Fi wants to get away from Scifi and eventually it'll be like the lifetime channel.
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I noticed this week it's "Water Beast". They've actually run out of mythical creatures.
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Mar 16, 2009 6:21:55 PM CDT
Next week it'll be "Giant Snake" and "Land Shark"
by kenny_fuckin_powers
I'd totally watch Land Shark though.
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Mar 16, 2009 6:25:40 PM CDT
GOOD THING TOO! THEY HAVE DESTROYED what it means to be sci-fi
by proman1984
a long time a good. AS a fan of Scinece Fiction, I say good riddance.
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...of making and showing science fiction content. I bet their goal is to turn into another generic USA/FX/TNT. I wouldn't doubt if they ran one of the many Law & Order series re-runs. Whatever. We science fiction fans follow great sci fi *SHOWS*, not networks, 'ya goofy cable executive knuckleheads. Networks mean nothing in the age of DVRs, Hulu, iTunes and Amazon Unbox. It's all about great writing and the shows.
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Damn fingers.
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Seriously. Syfy? Really??
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...The network whose grip of its viewers' priorities is as strong and sure as a baby's grip on a buttered anvil.(Credit to David "genius" Rees for that one.)
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If you really want to blow your mind, read up on how Pepsi spent all kinds of $$$ and research to change their logo.
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period. But they are greasing the skids for even more reality programming than they have now, and that is something I want no parts of.
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..uh, HA. That-SUCKS soooooooo bad it's got Monica stamped on it's head. Good lord they Paid some asshole big bucks to come up w/ that. Sad.
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It's pretty clear the back 10 eps were held over to keep up subscriber numbers.
And to those who might mention Stargate Universe, please feel free to punch yourself in the face. -
Mar 16, 2009 7:05:48 PM CDT
Why was the David Hayter Letter Watchmen thread deleted?
by balzacs_ballsac
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Syfy also has different meaning in different languages. "Asshole" in Hakka (One of the chinese sub-languages), "Bigger dick" in Indonesia, "Septic tank" in Samoa, "Smelly armpit" in Sundanese
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There's a brand of shoes called "Brittania." You might think this is a mistake, since the Latin name of Britain is not "Brittania" but rather "Britannia." But in fact the misspelling is deliberate; "Britannia" is a long-established name and so can't be trademarked, while "Brittania," the misspelling, CAN be trademarked.
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There. Now everybody is happy.
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so will my days of watching SciFi/SyFy/Syphodius/Syphilus/whatever.
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Send someone up to the space station and film it. It has to be better than scare tactics.
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and make sure they don't leave you SyFy-less this fall!
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And just show Mr. Belvedere reruns all day
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If they wanted to change the name Portal would have been better but probably taken but after BSG is done I could care less. maybe if they stoppe showing Direct to DVD movies staring "The greatest American Hero " they would alright if NBC Own it why Doesn't Heroes JUST come on that channel.
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Wy fy my ey *sy*
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Put Heroes, Medium, Journey man, and all the Sci-fi related shows on NBC on The damn Sci fi network.
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tinyurl.com/bbpcqt
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"Syfy -- unlike the generic entertainment category “sci-fi” – firmly establishes a uniquely ownable trademark that is portable across all non-linear digital platforms and beyond, from Hulu to iTunes. Syfy also creates an umbrella brand name that can extend into new adjacent businesses" - Marketing executives really are cunts, aren't they?
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You said it
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Somebody explain to us why this MUST be done for the continued prosperity of the SciFi Channel. This sounds like some incredibly wishful thinking or ass-covering here. The network has had this name for years; why change it now?
And why not just trademark the logo rather than the word?
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Self-inflicted wound for no apparent benefit.
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Seriously they'd be better calling themselves the Paedo Channel or something like that - SyFy ? sounds like some fluffy fucking dog...
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SyFylus
...Gonorrhea
SyFylus
...Gonorrhea
SyFylus
...crotch rot -
Mar 16, 2009 8:07:49 PM CDT
A Different Giant Animal Running Amok Every Week Channel
by tylerdurden3395
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Mar 16, 2009 8:08:37 PM CDT
terrible, like every movie featured on it
by supercowbell4therequestformorecowbell
so at least you know what your getting into now.
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The DUMBEST Fucking Thing that they could possibly do. I guess they don't WANT people to watch their network. They're losing Battlestar. Shit, they'll lose Caprica if they keep this shit up. It sounds fucking pre-school ridiculous; it insults me, as if I don't know how Sci-Fi is spelled; and frankly they've lost cred with me as a network. This is worse than showing episodes of ECW wrestling. They might as well start showing adult swim cartoons.
This is sad. And people wonder why science fiction isn't taken seriously? -
...I can get away with that?
AyBeeCee, EnBeeCee, CeeEnnEnn, EmEssEnBeeCee and so on...
And my new porn network will be called FoxNudes. Suck it Bill O Reily! -
These things write themselves.
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Yf you hange the y's to y's and take out the 's, everythyng sounds ooler.
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that's stupid, I wonder if I should tell my uncle about this
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I get changing the name, but that's retarded. The logo is lame too. Does "Imagine Greater" even make sense? Is that even proper English? WTF????
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Fucking idiots. Less and less science fiction content, so I guess they HAD to rebrand it, or they might be sued for false advertising. WHERE IS MY ***SCIENCE FICTION*** channel you fUCK hEADS!!!!
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Caprica and twenty shitty "Twilight" knockoffs for tween girls:
Sexy teen vampires
Sexy teen werewolves
Sexy teen mummies
Sexy teen Frankenstein Monster
Sexy teen zombies
They would do sexy teen aliens but that was already done on "Roswell" so they will probably just rerun it. -
Stiffy Games, Stiffy Films, Stiffy Kids...Stiffy Ventures.
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You'd think that if they were going to make a big deal about their ability to get a trademark for "SyFy" that NBC Universal would have already filed to register the trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office. At least as of a few minutes ago, no such trademark registration application was showing on the PTO system. It would be amusing if someone else applied to register the mark before they did.
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Fuck you and your shitty movies Sci-Fi network. Nobody cares.
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Seriously, they are hilarious! I get to see all my old friends like, Greg Evigan, Corin Nemic, Vanessa Angel, Casper Van Diem, The Baldwin Brother they could afford, The host of Iron Chef America (honestly). These things crack me up, and I can't wait for more.
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Really... 08:43:52 PM and 08:43:53 PM.
Ha. -
...after they produced that sci-fi epic "Mansquito." Hey, maybe they should get some real fucking writers. While they're at it, find the head of their marketing department, set his face on fire, and put it out with an ice pick. Just an idea.
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Mar 16, 2009 8:48:32 PM CDT
Washed Up Actors Getting Chased By Ridiculous Giant Animal Chann
by il_deuce
THAT would be more appropriate.
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That is some great, B-Movie monster fun right there! SyFy though, really, so it's come down to phonetics has it?
We're all doomed. -
than on the actual content. Seriously... those little network identifies with the wierd shit happening. Those looked like they took MUCH more time than fucking Mansquito. Fucking amateurs.
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Here at Trekmovie.com
http://trekmovie.com/2009/03/16/sci-fi-channel-changes-name-to-syfy/ -
Sci-Fi announcer voice + soothing music "Gardening is a great passtime...". We see some woman in her garden, planting stuff in the dirt, "...unless you have GIANT EARTHWORMS that want to make you into fertilizer!!". Giant earthworm rises up and strikes towards the woman, black screen. Tiffany Amber Thiessen as a biologist: "Guns won't work...each segment can regrow into a new worm!!!" Shot of shit CGI worm getting shot by stock CGI tank. It splits in half from tank shell and each half instant turns into a giant worm. Shot of generic town filled with generic people screaming as generic CGI worms squirm down the street. Michael Shanks: "We have to stop them!!!" Announcer: "There won't be an early bird to stop these worms! Tiffany Amber Thiessen and Stargate's Michael Shanks star in EARTHWORMS, a Sci-Fi original movie, this Saturday on Scifi!!!"
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If it was $30 bucks, I might've filed for it just to shut em out, or make them buy it from me for [pinkie finger to corner of mouth] "One MEEEEEELION Dollars!" Good Catch, IdleMind
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do you... um... do you WORK for Sci-Fi? That sounded like something already in the works!
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SyFy? Really!?!? Really!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
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Mar 16, 2009 9:09:17 PM CDT
Sy Fy? Is that the Korean firm who does their "original" movies
by jsarnold513
Just change the name to "Pathetic CG Creature Feature of the Week Channel" and be done with it already! Once Battlestar Galactica is gone, they will officially have NO redeeming programming.
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Sweet! "Syfy: The Syfyllus channel!" Yes, I know it's supposed to be spelled "syphillus," but these are the same people who gave us "Planet Raptor."
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They haven't want toed to be the sci-fi channel for a long time. now they can give up all pretense. They can go be spike jr.
Maybe someone who cares about science fiction and fantasy shows will take up the matle of "sci-fi"
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When did cable get so damn confusing? Remember when channels were still called Home and Garden Television and The Learning Channel instead of this alphabet soup horseshit? Not to mention the "extreme" shit like Fuse, Fuel, and The 24-Hour Explosions Network. Ok, I made one of those up.
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Damn, Sci-Fi Channel used to be so fucking badass in the 90s. Recent rumors of have indicated, as well as their recent shift in programing, that a total makeover was coming. FUCK THESE ASSHOLES.
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I guess History Channel etc. should see if they can lockdown "Stories of shit that happened Earlier channel" since "History" is also a general term. To me, SyFy Sounds like a cute name for Syphilis. Good thing they got the Trademark on that before anyone else could. I think they should have gone for something more along the lines of the "Worse than Lifetime but For Dudes" or "D Grade Movie Channel feat/ Bruce Campbell, John Rhys-Davies, Lance Henrikson, etc."
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No, I still think going from The Nashville Network to Spike (with a brief stopover as "The National Network") has to have caused the greatest whiplash.
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This is a pretty obvious attempt to rebrand the channel. It's SciFy, then SyFy, and soon it'll be something else. Maybe the younger equivalent of Lifetime, built around cutesy programming aimed at 12 year old girls, or a Spanish language channel showing nothing but telenovellas and soccer, with an occasional Luchadore movie thrown in. Actually, that would be an improvement...
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And be done with it. Jeez. Sci-Fi fans get screwed again.
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Any bets? They apparently want to appeal to women (read: teenage girls). Ironically, my mom is probably one of their most loyal viewers. Every weekend, she sits glued to those shitty monster movies for hour after hour. But then she's also a lonely 53 year old divorcee. Really, you've only got "celebreality," sports, and news channels now on basic cable, with an occasional comedy central or generic commercials-masquerading-as-a-real-channel-with-all-crappy-reruns thrown in. Who bets Siffy turns into the latter?
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Yeah, that rolls off the tongue.
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...changing the name of the Outdoor Network to Vs. WTF? Seriously, WTF?
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At 11pm EST Friday, I'm done with this crummy network. They stretched their only good show (BSG) like a cafeteria lunchlady stretching the sloppy joes with the generic equivalent of hamburger helper. Just like that sloppy joe, they left a bad taste in my mouth. Now, if they produce Son of Mansquito (Mansquitier!) vs. Gryhpon vs. Balisk in a Quantum Apocolypse Showdown at Area 51, I may return, just to see if they can pull it off on their typical $100 FX budget.
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It's pretty bad when a channel currently called SciFi is outclassed in the SciFi department by a channel called Chiller.
Chiller is a great fuckin' channel to have. -
and if you ask people what the name sci fi channel reminds them of, the answer is 92% Mansquito, 7% Battlestar, 1% why the fuck do they show braveheart and pro wrestling on that channel?
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I'd watch that shit
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Mosquito is a hilarious monster movie that works because it's ridiculous to the extreme, takes itself seriously, and has Gunnar Hansen hacking shit up with a chainsaw. I first saw that movie in an edited form on the SciFi Channel and immediately went out and bought the DVD.
That's what SciFi Channel used to be able to accomplish. Generate interest in obsure or forgotten SciFi gems. Now, not so much. -
When BSG is done, SciFi can cease to exist for all I care. Shitty channel. Has always been a shitty channel. And whoever said the MST3k days were golden need to watch the Comedy Central days of MST3k... because the SciFi episodes of MST sucked almost as bad as the rest of the programming.
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for me to poop on
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The title of your post made me explode into laughter. Well done, sir, well done.
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They show BRAVEHEART because smelly fanboys love it.
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"Guldurn these dang mansquitos! ARRRRGH!!!"
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
"SWEET JESUS!!! ITS MANSQUITO PRIME THE OVER MANSQUITO!!! AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE"
Yeah, I wish it was that cool. SIFFY BLOWS!!! -
The commercial has a "nerd" with a white shirt, tie, pocket protector and comically thick glasses. He appears to have a cold and therefore can't go to his IT job, so is staying at home to nurse himself back to health. What better way to heal the sickened nerd but through some hardcore uncut Siffy. (By which I mean grade z sci fi movies made for $6 back in 1993.) Also, the only thing the channel is good for: BSG.
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Hey SyFY! Where's my Fucking Doctor Who Motherfuckers??? Been writing your non answering asses for months. The Next Doctor? Already spoiled by the fact that they already named the ACTUAL Next Doctor and it's NOT the one from the special. It's already out on DVD in England. So, you SyFy, poor spelling, demographic trashing, bridge burning stupid motherfuckers, where's MY GODDAMNED DOCTOR WHO?????
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Effed up the last one. THIS CAMPAIGN IS FAIL!!! FAIL!!!
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Jesus
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They made some show about aliens doing shit against cheap cgi backdrops and this one chick is like blue and shes hawt! I GOT A STIFFY FOR SIFFY!!!
Rubbin' one out... NERD STYLE -
Answer your mail, SCI FI, or whatever your new Drag Queen name is. When will you show NEW DOCTOR WHO?
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contagious....
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The only reason they're doing it is because they can't copyright and own "Sci Fi" (and because they feel it doesn't properly capture their fantasy and paranormal programming) even though it perfectly captured their brand, so they invent a word that will just confuse the general public. Brilliant.
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where are all the C & D-listers gonna find work?
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Actually, it is a completely false mytth that "Kentucky Fried Chicken" had to change their name to "KFC" because they could no longer legally refer to the meat as chicken. This is absurd because KFC is not in the chicken-raising business. They BUY their chickens from big chicken farmers. These big chicken farmers cannot rely solely on the business from KFC, and they keep their prices down by selling their chickens all over the place. For MILLIONS of people, the chickens on the supermarket shelf are EXACTLY the same chickens that KFC uses. Furthermore, "Kentucky Fried Chicken" changed their name to "KFC" because they wanted to distance themselves from FRIED FOODS. They did not start calling themselves "KFC" in order to avoid referring to chickens, they started calling themselves "KFC" in order to avoid having the word "FRIED" in their name.
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They could have just dropped the 'C' and called it SI-FI (Strange Imaginings-Further Intelligence)
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has there ever been a talk back with this much of a total consensus? Not even any trolls... weird...
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Just to prove that people would accept something good, and that Syphy is really damn stupid.
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they had set it up with some of their promos of "scIFi"
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baldscar caca
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HOAXERS.. heh heh
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GOO GOO GAH GAH
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They will return Farscape and Firefly to the air if you bring them... a shrubbery!
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then it'll still be awful 60 percent or more of the time.
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DR. WHAT?
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Now it's "truTV".
Cable is dead, killed by reality shows. -
I mean if I didn't know that SciFi was short for science fiction then maybe I'd call that "skyfigh". But I do know. That just looks like "siffy". It's not short for anything. But I haven't watched that channel in like 5 years or something so they can call it whatever they want.
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Well, I should just say "less shitty", because some of these aren't great, but at least they don't sound like a show made for IDIOCRACY.
THE ASTRO CHANNEL
THE FANTASTIC CHANNEL
GALAXY NETWORK
THE FOUNDATION
THE TOMORROW CHANNEL
THE SATURN CHANNEL
THE COMET
WARP TV
And so on. That will be US$1 million, SciFi. -
...what BET will have to change their name to.
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Recently changed their name to Airlock Alpha. Way to be behind the curve Syfy Channel!
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That can't be the real logo. It doesn't have a giant snake worked into it, which is the core element of ANYTHING to do with the Sci-Fi Channel.
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That's more retarded than Corky from Life Goes On smoking 12 PCP dipps while watching the Jimmy Fallon show.
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Or, Bulette. I think they came to the end of their 1st edition Monster Manual -- they didn't run out of mythical beasts because they aren't that erudite. I can think of many off-hand that they haven't bastardized.
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Instead of Meyer Twilight dreck, think more Laurell K. Hamilton, Vampire/Werewolf/Sidhe/Creature from the Black Lagoon + Human Woman gang bangs.
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This makes me think of Coca-Cola, as well, as others have pointed out. To get that original taste before they cheapened it with corn syrup, one can buy a Mexican Coke.Will there be a Mexican-Sci-Fi Channel?
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Mar 17, 2009 2:38:28 AM CDT
Previously on BSG a lot of people cried, and there was no action
by lockesbrokenleg
And Sci Fi kept splitting up the damn seasons, and Bonns Shit Hammer goes on the BSG making of show and brags about a show she barley greenlighted. Shithead.
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...the Sci-Fi Channel. This cannot be a coincidence.
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ΨψΦφ
What you say? -
... and switched over to the WAATHURRE channel to check the forecast for EMTEEVEE'S new honky beach show - okay, that's enough.
I Love You All,
Ed -
Looks a lot like Newspeak to me...
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I meant ΨΦ
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I meant ΨΦ
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The reason they show those crappy movies on saturday is because it gets them ratings better than or close to their original shows. Channels are out to make $$, and apparently airing smart scifi shows and movies won't get the ratings. I'm down to basic cable at the moment and use the internet to watch what I want. Hell, they even have apps (TVU player) that stream SciFi channel live.
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Thanks for the TVU tip, Never heard of it. Only get 2 English channels here. Cheers
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still looks like it was made by Asylum Studios, what difference is the spelling going to make? Douches.
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Completely lame.
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And rebrand them to reflect what they are. Like MTV could become TeenDoushTV. Or Bravo will be known as Fagsandgirlfriends Network. And the History channel could become All HItler And Aircraft Carriers TV. HBO could be known as TVwithshowsthatarelikeotherchannelscepttheyhavefuckinandswearwordsandshit. Cinemax could be known as Thelamestshityou'lljerkofftoTV. CBS will change to The CSI Channel.
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http://tinyurl.com/dexttl
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For those that are a little curious.
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Crestfallen at how much the channel sucks, and how much the re-branding is lame, and then cursing it. SIGH-FIE
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There is a channel in the UK called "Dave" which as ridiculous as it sounds sounds a lot less wank than this
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...why not rename the network "The Diablo Cody Channel" and hire that "2 bit untalented stripper who got lucky once" to develop all their programming.
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Syfy - The most endangered "for quality programming" nights on TV.
Look on the bright side, it could have been SySTARGATEFy. -
That video was fuckin awesome. I miss chicks in spandex.
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It would capture the 40 year old trans am driver that lives with mom and has an awesome sound system demographic, which is very elusive.
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As if viewers & consumers don't know the difference between SciFi & SyFy... *gah*
While I get the business-side of it... unless they start making better "original movies" and keeping critically-acclaimed & high-rated shows on, expanding the franchise isn't going to work.
Now that SG-1, Atlantis, B5, BSG and Farscape are all done & over with, (and I'm reserving judgement about SG:Universe), I have had little to no interest in watching anything on the SF channel. At least after this Friday's BSG finale, I'll have my Friday nites open again. T:SCC & Dollhouse are good, but only SCC is worth sitting for live. -
That'll show em.
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SIFFY! Your one stop shop for grade z direct-to-video flims (yes, flims) and two good tv shows -- BSG and DOCTOR WHO. Thats it. SIFFY!
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What a surprise! I guess The Syfy channel didn't expect the outrage. Well I don't think just removing the page with comments will stop it.
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Okay, maybe not millions, but A WHOLE LOT OF CASH.
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I looked in up on the former syfyportal and they have in fact sold the name for a lot of money.
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That or syf I heard.
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while I agree the channel has gotten crappier.......complaining about the wrestling is ridiculous. lines like "why not call it WWE channel" or "it's all wrestling and braveheart" are just ignorant.
ECW takes up what.....an hour of programming a week? That's what you guys want to complain about? I haven't watched wrestling in years but by going through the schedule on scifi.com it's clear that wrestling isn't the problem on this channel.
Syfy sounds stupid. Seems like they wanted to be like Hulu. -
Hammer: "I wanted a kid and a dog on the show and they shot me down. Also, I didn't want it to be dark."
This is why you're a fucking idiot, Bonnie Hammer.
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1. rebrand network and alienate our purpose and our fans
2. delete/ban comments that are negative on this change.
3. ???
4. PROFIT!!! -
should be the channels new name.
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Good Lord, is this name dumb. My wife works with handicapped kids brighter than this.
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Mar 17, 2009 10:02:44 AM CDT
I'd go for a hard-R rate 'Creature from the Black Lagoon"
by zinc_chameleon
With the entire Kama Sutra being played out in mo-cap. Throw in a plot if you really need one...
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that logo has GOT to be the single blandest thing I've ever seen. I guess the 'Imagine Greater' didn't include their trademark symbol.
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Other than "Battlestar Galactica," both "Dune" miniseries, and a few other choice tidbits, I've not been terribly impressed by SciFi.
I know it's all about ratings, and with their budget it's tough to do groundbreaking work. But other than the tidbits listed above, they never seem to take chances. And dumbed down, low-budget crap like "Ghost Hunters," a show that's not only fake, but also insults the scientific process with its hamfisted joe sixpack gullibility, is about the worst shit I've ever seen on television. I've by and large stopped watching Syfy ("Siffy") because of it.
"Syfy" actually works, though, since it doesn't cheapen the art form anymore. I'll also enjoy calling it "Siffy" instead of "Sci Fi." It wedges some distance between the thought-provoking, ass-kicking masterpieces we all know and love and Siffy's braindead movies of the week.
I'm not a total basher, however. I have enjoyed "Battlestar Galactica" and both "Dune" miniseries. This is what I'd like Syfy to produce more of. -
Unfortunately, they are the only things that make SIFFY worthwhile.
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So BSG is the only thing SIFFY has.
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Giant Gasuous Fire Ball Fence Opening Collection of Galactic Clusters
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How about the "We redundantly make generic 'giant snake' movies, amateurishly scripted and loaded with lame CGI effects Channel"? Or the "We cancelled the MS3TK series Channel?" And then there's the "We buy The Asylum's poverty row quickies for cheap Channel?" Wait, there's "We buy former TV heartthrobs with six-packs and cast them in lousy movies" Channel? Needs work, right? Oh, I was asked to forward the following message to the channel's management: "Need coke, cast me in something...quick! Love you guys, Lorenzo Lamas. P.S. Don't hire Casper Van Dien...his acting stinks and he has cooties. I'm your Golden Boy."
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Ahhh, I remember the days when they has SCI FI cartoons on in the morning, Space 1999 on in the afternoons followed by Lost in Space. THOSE WEREEEE THEEEE DAYYYYSSSSS!!!!!!
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Syfy? Seriously? Go here and vote "FAIL" - http://tinyurl.com/syfy-fail
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I guess Hollywood isn't using focus groups anymore, judging by the unanimous "that's retarded" reaction, I'm seeing here. Bonnie Hammer is quite the stupid cunt.
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Restructure the company and rewrite bylaws
Allowing everyone at the top to grant each other huge bonuses -
I bet they'll be a laugh riot too.
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Will Sci Fi Magazine (probably the last regularly published American glossy genre magazines) have to change it's title too? I can just see "Syfy" magazine flying off the newsstands! Is if print publications needed any more marketing challenges as they try to compete with the Internet!
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Seriously.It's also slang for Syphilis, in Polish.Bang-up job there, NBC Universal.
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sci fi.
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What about Fangoria. I used to love both as a kid.
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...from TechTV.
It's been pretty obvious for the last couple of years that they're "uncomfortable" showing actual science fiction and want to move their channel into more "mainstream" fair - IOW, to be like everyone else.
So, this pretty much signals the end of SciFi as, well, even *vaguely* being science fiction-y. I suspect they'll do two, maybe three seasons of the new Stargate, one or two more seasons of Eureka, then the closest they'll come to showing SF will be showing all those reruns they've already paid for...
...and then the channel will pretty much die. -
NOT!! This is what happens when you get marketing bubble heads and lawyers together in one room. Talk about lack of vision. I think I'll let my mag subscrip lapse??
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I have to agree with Real Deal's first post, clearly this rebranding is intended to allow Siffy to move away from Sci-Fi and just do what they want.
Eureeka will now have 42 minutes of product placement with a few commercials inbetween. UCW will become the brand leader with "Ghost Hunters" and "Scare Tactics" as lead ins for "Celebrity Aliens" and "Computer Login Scandals" with Paris Hilton.
Rebranding to gain the slackjawed, semi-bovine portions of the audience who have delibrately been waking early to catch the "Girls Gone Wild" infomercials in the morning. Gone are the days of "Cold Equations", "Rose for Ecclesiastes", "Neutron Star" or "The Sentinel". Today, we slide into "Mansquito", "Frankenfish" and other horrors that might be hiding in that car buried in the front lawn. Nay, do not hope for a "Party of Five"-type show with science fiction authors and directors. Give us instead a mere glimpse of Shannon Dougherty's boobage! Increase the product placement, develop more shows produced from the awesome imagination of Nicholas Cage! Plagarize more films to give work to nearly forgotten television stars. Fie upon thought and talent, that is what the Sundance Channel and IFC are for! Bring on the Budweiser Japanese Robot Hooker Olympics at Skoal Stadium in Regina, Canada.
If any of the above does make it on air, I expect a check and damn quick. -
It's not like the spelling matters. I don't remember the last time I typed or wrote out the name of this channel anyway.
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This is basically an excuse to stop being science fiction centric. Now they can air reruns of CSI and Law and Order like every other cable channel...
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I don't mean mmorpg's are lame, I play em, but this sounds like a terrible one. What marketing moron came up with this and thought it a good idea? I can hear it now. "Oh let's be illiterate!"
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Mar 17, 2009 3:20:27 PM CDT
SYFY - for the viewers that can't spell "science fiction"
by mrmysteryguest
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Comicbook stores are dying because they aren't mom friendly. Mom controls the checkbook. Small towns are dying because women want to live near the Mall and restraunts. Women are the consumers. America cators to the consumer.
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being a consumer. Isn't that what life is all about anyway?
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My rant is over.
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Damn, I had sub forever. I stopped reading it when they started covering shitty direct to DVD stuff
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its my cellular, bananular phoooooone!
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We've changed the name, now we can bring on the reality shows, CSI and more mainstream movies! Now we can COMPLETELY abandon our original vision and show BIG starring Tom Hanks just like VH-1, TV Land, AMC, USA, TNT, WGN, TBS, Comedy Central, E!, BBC America, Bravo, A&E, Hallmark, FX, Lifetime, and MTV!
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first CEO of Sci Fi was there. He signed up MST3K on the channel, then cancels them like a year later.
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You know I have had alot of fun ripping on the direction of BSG with the AICN talkbacks and getting Gaius, Nutsack and some of the other BSG fans really upset in the process. But Jesus is this as lame as training wheels on a tricycle.
Seriously Fuck SYFY- they raped the Flash Gordon Fracnhsie the other year and they really dont do anything except Stargate and Battlestar (and it's endless spinoffs which they are making to try to milk that property into oblivion).
Sort of reminds me of TV Guide buying and raping www.jumptheshark.com into the ground- have any of you looked at that travesty? Sheesh?!? -
Why don't they call it:
Sigh Fi?
or Sci Fee Fi Fo Fum? Or Sci Fight Club?
Or maybe they should call it the crap channel now that galactica's going down? Let's face it, apart from BSG (and some would say Farscape) this channel has never really offered anything that was truly pushed the genre forward. It's all about shit in rubber masks on sci fi.
Actually, I think the push to mainstream will be good for it. They can focus less on just monsters and alien stuff and just focus on stuff that deals with the fantastic in general. This should be the channel that airs shows like Jericho and Dollhouse. -
I can see it now. Either that or some other show that's currently on ten other channels five times a day.
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Loved your post. And the ones I've read suggesting more actual Sci-Fi programming, including pre-1980 shows so as to showcase the history of the genre. Didn't have time to read many of the above, so the following may have already been said: Wrestling on Sci-Fi??? WTF??? The only link I can think of is the genetic mutant angle. Nope, still not appropriate for the SciFi channel. There is plenty of decent stuff to put on without resorting to wrestling and the B minus movies. How about putting the budgets of four or five of those into one really good movie or mini-series, ala Dune? So say me all!
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They're going to use an illiterate tween's spelling (like that "c" is just so hard to type, OMG, rly!) for their brand? It's clear that Universal is just trying make it clear that the channel will not be defined by a single genre, which it hasn't been for sometime now. This does leave a void that hopefully some smart media provider will seek to fill, though i have doubts that will happen in this economy.
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"FUCK YOU!" What the hell is wrong with this network? Another shitty modification to take it further and further away from what it was supposed to be. This name looks like femme Myspace bullshit, and I'm sure the new product it'll be producing will match (all 3 hours a week of it).
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Charmed, Buffy, Lois and Clark, Bionic Woman (the 5 shit episodes from last year NOT the old version), Girly Ghosthunters (the Canadian "eek oh my god eeek eeek" all female version of Ghost Hunters), Beauty and the Beast, and ST Voyager... and so on and so on. Plus Oprah.
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TV, film, books and music are all being profit driven now and what they're all looking for is "The Lowest Common Demoninator" in everything they sell. The wider the audience they can get the more money they will make. And so they dumb it down, they clean it up, they make it happy, and toss away any programming that might be (too) smart for viewers, might be in any way at all offensive, and/or a downer for anyone watching. It's a pop culture dark age. Time to act like Bradbury's "Book People" in 451 F and start memorizing our favourite tv shows and novels and music and films until we know them by heart, before all we know is gone.
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Try searching the term sci-fi and see what comes up. or sci-fi movies or whatever.
Syfy will be easier to identify as a network, rather than an all encompassing name, science fiction (which is pidgeon-holing bullshit by the way considering every single kind of story can be told with some sort of sci-fi element anyway. Dramas, comedies, action, horror, suspense, art films all apply.). They're not moving away from sci fi, they're just finally picking an actual name for their network.
Maybe having a primary demo made up of a bunch of crybaby haters arguing about nothing is the real problem with this network. -
Guess what the first thing on the results was BSG @ SciFi .com!
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Syfy sounds like something out of Idiocracy
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It certainly dosen't belong on ESPN. Then again, I don't think poker or the spelling bee belong on ESPN either.
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The cards shoot lasers
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Way back in its past, Fango's development of genre history was in earnest (e.g. interviewing Robb White who often functioned as Bill Castle's screenwriter). Now it's a press release that ass-licks studio commerce (notice that films, plastered on the front covers, routinely tank at the boxoffice?). It's now an excremental rag that is strung with corporate tape (like used toilet paper). Fans have defected, preferring "Rue Morgue" and/or "Horrorhound".
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The Other World channel would have been a better name since it is a reference to one of the first science fiction novels by John Jacob Astor III as opposed to John Jacob Aster IV who died on the Titanic. Besides, OW sounds much better than "Siffy".
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but then, almost anything would....
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Mar 17, 2009 11:14:56 PM CDT
They simply want the latitude to show more than "sci-fi"
by theghostwholurks
That's the real reason for the name change. That way, when they push more wrestling and other programming that CLEARLY has nothing to do with science fiction or fantasy — in a pathetic attempt to gain more viewership and revenue — they won't have to explain the confusing content.This is simply a warning shot, letting us all know that the network intends to include MORE shows that have nothing to do with science fiction. Maybe if they had BETTER programming, instead of wasting their funds on Grade-Z TV movies, the network wouldn't be such an embarrassment, even to sci-fi fans! This channel SUCKS!!! >:(
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When the Science Fiction channel can't show movies like Star Wars. I mean it seems like that would be the network which would have that exclusive.
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are all the damn big bug/monster movies every fucking weekend all year long. Seriously, I can't turn on the sf channel on weekends without being overwhelmed with all the terribly acted, low budget, fake as fuck monsterfests. Marabunta is one that they never give a rest. Rock Monster is another. Frankenfish, Hammerhead: Shark Frenzy, Snakehead Terror, Kraken, Mansquito, Komodo, Boa vs. Python, Grizzly Rage, Ice Spiders, Gryphon, Pterodactyl. The list goes on and on. They used to show quality movies like Jacob's Ladder and The Talisman. The only thing I watch on sci-fi now is Tales From the Darkside.
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On a weekday morning during the summer, I could normally catch Night Gallery, Monsters, Ray Bradbury Theater and, if I was lucky, Dark Room. All of those shows before noon. Saturday mornings had Mystery Science Theater. Man, Sci-Fi was great back then. The problem is that they tried to innovate their own things, and they're just not profitable enough to do that successfully. Thus you have endless Ghost Hunters spinoffs, where NOTHING happens except a lot of 'sensing presences in this spot', and original movies like Mansquito.
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Here's what they think of us:
"The name Sci Fi has been associated with geeks and dysfunctional, antisocial boys in their basements with video games and stuff like that, as opposed to the general public and the female audience in particular. We spent a lot of time in the '90s trying to distance the network from science fiction, which is largely why it's called Sci Fi. It's somewhat cooler and better than the name ?Science Fiction.' But even the name Sci Fi is limiting. ... (Changing the name to Syfy) gives us a unique word and it gives us the opportunities to imbue it with the values and the perception that we want it to have."
— Tim Brooks, TV historian and one of the founders of the Sci Fi Channel, explains the network's new name
Why is it okay for people to insult Science Fiction fans? Here we have a channel that made its money from a certain audience that insults its audience. Does Lifetime insult women? Does ESPN insult sports fans? Does Disney insult children? No.
Our money has made blockbusters out of films, hundreds of millions for merchandisers, and uncounted fortunes for many other venues.
I say we demand respect.
Boycott SciFi (SyFy) -
SCI-FI is DEAD. Nobody - nobody - cares about good, well-written science fiction. STAR TREK is considered _high concept science fiction that is too complex for the average person to understand_. Stop and think about that for a few seconds, if you're able to think for a few seconds about anything. SCIENCE FICTION has become ABOUT SCIENCE FICTION. Look at the literature - you can't open a science fiction book any more without being bombarded by openings like: "Lar Ganand winced as his BIOSHIP slipped through the JUMPGATE and entered NTH SPACE. How long had he been wandering in DARKHELM'S DEEP, the BATTLE REALM of the ISCANDARIAN PROTECTORATE? It seemed like forever, but the AMNIOBIOKINETIC NANOWEBS in his cerebral cortex warned him not to get too JACKED IN to the FLIGHTNET or he'd be entering NTH SPACE without the help of his BATTLEPONY called Proxy. Proxy, on the other hand, was connected at that very moment to the V-WORLD, the virtual environment where the NANOGHOSTS were at war with BONEDWELLER TECHJACKERS who were trying to uncover the XENOWARP INITIATIVE of T'n'ek'kah - the WARPLANET ALPHA." In other words, it's buzzword after putrid buzzword and no story - making sure to get all the slack-jawed morons who recognize words like "jacking in" as being something to do with science fiction. Science fiction MEANS SOMETHING - at its core, it is a metaphor for what we can achieve as a people ... and tends to paint out our highest aspirations and worst failings by using safe metaphors of aliens and otherworldly entities. Look at the truly good science fiction of the past: TWILIGHT ZONE, OUTER LIMITS, even classic STAR TREK - all were NEVER truly about the science fiction. The sci-fi was a metaphor for truth. What do we have like that now? FIREFLY? Bah. What is FIREFLY about, really? LOST? What is LOST about (aside from being desperately afraid to play its sci-fi hand until its eventual cancellation was obvious) other than LOST? SYFY will be the science fiction network the people deserve, and I couldn't be happier. You're the rotten pieces of drek who birthed it, and now you get what you deserve with SYFY. They're trying to make money, and as long as the money is made by MANSQUITO, we will get MANSQUITO!
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Why?...
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I could watch that
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Seems a gimme to me. Your average undersexed geek (and they are legion) would gladly pay top dollar to see their favorite genre tropes porned up.
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I hate monster movies. Is there a network that shows reruns of Hercules, Xena, superhero, or original BSG?
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Not only is "SyFy" alienating to the pre-existing fanbase, it's not really going to bring in new viewership because it's still phonetically "sci-fi." It's kind of like putting lipstick on a pig. SciFi's problem isn't branding: it's programming. Everyone is going to tune out after "BSG" is over because all the other shows kind of suck (and are "Stargate" spin-offs, like this season's "Stargate DSV") and the movies they show are really only entertaining because they're laughably bad. This isn't the first time they've done this, tried to rebrand themselves at the expense of shows that are actually popular, only last time the victim was "MST3K." It's a pretty stupid move on their part and let's see how long it takes for the company to plunge into ruin.
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I thought something was strange about ther sudden name change.
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You know it's coming.
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Just rename the channel to "NBC2" and be done with it. The absolutely horrible horror movies were bad enough on a sci-fi channel but WRESTLING!?!?This network has repeatably shown it doesn't know how to handle a successful franchise.. SG-1 probably being the exception since it lasted so long, but to be fair that wasn't their original programming, they bought it. Every good original show they had was canceled or screwed with in the name of marketing (BSG hiatus between seasons).Say what you want about The Adventures of Jules Vern or the new Flash Gordon but at least those were science fiction.I think I'll be calling it quits on this network after Battlestar is over. Sanctuary seems ok but they've screwed over too many good shows in the past to make me think they'll let a good one take off for very long.If Stargate Universe is any good I think I'll bittorrent it.
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Yeah I read that on Slashdot the other day. It's a damn shame really, the network has forgotten it's origins and what made it unique in the first place. More importantly, they're enforcing stereotypes and this whole idea of what "normal" is.I remember when there used to be tons of hobby shops around... model railroading, model building, etc. used to be fairly popular when I was a kid. These days its almost impossible to find a good hobby shop (at least around here) and when you do it's almost entirely cars and jets. Nothing wrong with that but where are all the kits of the spaceships and other iconic science fiction vehicles?I think Science Fiction in general has gone into a forced hibernation, mainly due to the networks, and as a result we're seeing less products in multiple markets.
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Chuck cable and get a digital converter box. Let the cable people know why. Then enjoy lots of vintage SciFi on the Retro Television Network, which here is channel 3.1. I get all I need with the digital box and better. Anything else I want to watch I see online or Netflix and watch on DVD. Don't just SAY boycott, DO it. You'll be happier.
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Correction... Where I am, I get the RTN on channel 3.2. The channel 3/1 is the local NBC affiliate. So you can probably find it as a ".2" of one of your local stations. And by more vintage scifi (and horror/mystery), I'm talkin' Night Gallery, Alfred Hitchcock Presents,original BSG, Buck Rogers, and some seriously cheezy cool 1950's/early'60's movies that you forgot were ever made. And bonus- no wrestling!
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RTN has the original tv series "The Incredible Hulk."
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YES I agree!! WHERE THE FUCK IS DR. WHO????????????????????????? Where all all the re-runs of SG-1?????????????????? or Atlantis???????? WTF?????????????? I FUCKIN HATE GHOST HUNTERS!!!!!!!!!!!
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like everyone else does.Snakehead. Heh.
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it's the SgFg channel. Actually, change that to the SqFq channel and maybe I'd watch.
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Mar 18, 2009 10:06:27 AM CDT
thedoctor28: DOCTOR WHO is the fuck buried at 5 in the morning
by spyguy
Thursdays at fucking 5 in the morning EST have repeats of Series Four. There's a marathon of most of Series Three on April 10th from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST.
As for "The Next Doctor," the 2008 Christmas special, who the hell knows when Siffy will air it? I'm guessing they're waiting until ALL of the 2009 specials air in the U.K., which means we probably won't see any of them until early 2010.
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SyFy - I wonder who got the bonus for thinking up this turd. Let's put on more shitty ghost hunter shows (I feel something over here, oh wait it was a bowl movement). Or shitty Saturday night movies. Give me a break.
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They cannot trademark Sci-Fi. SyFy they can. I don't know why everyone is up in arms. All they play is bad direct to cable bad movies.
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That's why I'm trying to create a sci-fi franchise from the web up. To my knowledge, it's never been done, and it'll be a series of youtube videos, a blog from the main character with photos, and will culminate in a sci-fi short. I guess you could call it a lonelygrl14 or that new, 'broke new york housewives' blog/site but for the geek set. And with a lot more video content. Just bookmark woodsulmanndotcom(obviously the dot is a period) - nothing there now, but there will be in a month. I'm no amateur either, I just finished an indie feature that's a drama, go to timidmovie dot com to see a trailer or look up timid trailer on vimeo.
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scifi didnt think up the name, they bought it from one of the oldest genre sites on the web. syfy portal.
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If I'm going to pay a ton of money for a monthly magazine, I'd rather spend it on the British glossies, like EMPIRE or SFX. By the way, is the British STARBURST ever going to come out with another print issue???
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Very smart move from a branding perspective
The generic Sci-fi could never be ® or ™
By making up the word they can own it. -
Pretty soon the Chiller channel will be the Chillaxin channel.
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The name change wouldn't bother anyone in and of itself. It's just the icing on the multi-layer turdcake that is their programming in the last few years. Programming by people who don't understand the genre, its history, or the people who love it. Programming by people who hold their viewers in contempt.
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Let me know how I may help. Stuntvocalist(at)bellsouth(dot)net
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I'd so watch that.
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Everyone holds sci-fi fans in contempt.
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If you knew what CGI stood for,y ou would realized what an idiot you sound like whenever you say CGI movie. CG is good enough. Adding the 'I' only makes you look like you don't know WTF you are talking about.
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Mar 19, 2009 1:44:19 AM CDT
Syfy President: "This isn't an excuse to air "Law & Order".
by filmcritic3000
http://vimeo.com/3728298"]http://vimeo.com/3728298
Keep tapdancing, Dave.
Maybe he asked that the interview be conducted at that exact location so the din of the adjacent crowd would mask his explanation of the rebranding.)
I like that last part - "This isn't an excuse to put 'Law & Order' on our air every night. It isn't. Trust me."
"Law & Order" every night? Of course not, Dave. That's just silly; that's your sister channel USA Network's job. At the most, "Law & Order" will probably air every other night on Syfy. -
and broadening our audience"
which came from the above interview. make of it what you will. i clearly see more shows that arent genre shows coming to the siffy channel during 2009. -
OK, so no LAW AND ORDER. CSI instead. Got it.
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I guess someone told them that wrestling is not science fiction. It's just fiction. What were they thinking?
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cool would be to bring back MST3K, excuse me, Ehmesteeth Reekay
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Just trying something out here.
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This time with feeling
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I'll get this right sometime
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[b]hmmmm[/b]
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...how do we bold without typing 28 characters before what we want to bold???? -
We were playing with CSS and had fun with colors
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