Sci-Fi Channel's new name is "SyFy"

[MKTerra]

TVWeek article (http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/03/sci_fi_channel_aims_to_shed_ge.php)

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/1873/11syfylogo.th.jpg (http://img90.imageshack.us/my.php?image=11syfylogo.jpg)

“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.

...

“When we tested this new name, the thing that we got back from our 18-to-34 techno-savvy crowd, which is quite a lot of our audience, is actually this is how you’d text it,” Mr. Howe said. “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.”
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7827/clifford.png (http://img156.imageshack.us/my.php?image=clifford.png)

I feel a complex mix of reactions fighting each other for dominance, none of them positive. Unless you count derisive laughter.

[arp2008]

Stupid. :rolleyes:

[the goddamn batman]

The further the SyFy Channel wants to separate itself from actual SciFi, the better.

[Ontir]

Cheers for the dumbass!

People who are into sci-fi ought to be able to spell!

[Ilash]

What in the hell is a "SyFy" anyway?

[Ontir]

Sci-Fi is no "See-Fee."

[arp2008]

What in the hell is a "SyFy" anyway?Nothing. More likely than not merely a means to broaden their range of programing beyong science fiction based shows.

[Ilash]

Nothing. More likely than not merely a means to broaden their range of programing beyong science fiction based shows.

Yeah,I know. Twas a joke. But really, why on earth would anyone think that changing it to a bad spelling of "sci-fi" would broaden its appeal?

[Redem]

Nothing. More likely than not merely a means to broaden their range of programing beyong science fiction based shows.

Or is it "Poor Literacy is cool"

Well they have been going away from Sci-Fi for years wouldn't that mean that if they officially do it they are going to go Sci-Fi in the future :biggrin:

[the goddamn batman]

Nothing. More likely than not merely a means to broaden their range of programing beyong science fiction based shows.

Since when do they show many SciFi cased shows, anyway?

[arp2008]

Since when do they show many SciFi cased shows, anyway?
I wouldn't know. I don't watch the Sci-Fi channel save for old Twilight Zone episodes.

[the goddamn batman]

I don't either. I don't have cable, so... but when I did it was all giant mosquito movies anyway.

TZ is great, but that's the only good thing I ever saw on that channel. And I'm a big SciFi nerd.

[arp2008]

Yeah,I know. Twas a joke. But really, why on earth would anyone think that changing it to a bad spelling of "sci-fi" would broaden its appeal?Perhaps since SyFy would no longer be a contraction of science fiction the way Sci-Fi currently is.

[nervmeister]

Just for the hell of it, the logo should be in crayon also. :tongue:

[Toonimator]

This just in:

Dave Howe of SyFy says "Eff you, Ackerman!"

[Captain Jim]

press release:

http://www.syfy.com/press.html

[Wild Card]

Cheers for the dumbass!

People who are into sci-fi ought to be able to spell!Yeah, but when you add Extremely Crappy Wrestling to the mix, trends to lower IQ points.

What in the hell is a "SyFy" anyway?

Your home for ECW, a Double Dare rip off base on video games, and other crappy programing that I wont watch.

Maybe this would help? (http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/sci-fi-channel-to-become.php)

[kalorama]

The further the SyFy Channel wants to separate itself from actual SciFi, the better.

It's hard to imagine they could separate themselves from it more than they already have.

[Jared]

I thought they were going to change the name to "If". Congrats on being not quite as sucky as I was expecting.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Yeah, but when you add Extremely Crappy Wrestling to the mix, trends to lower IQ points.



Your home for ECW, a Double Dare rip off base on video games, and other crappy programing that I wont watch.

Maybe this would help? (http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/sci-fi-channel-to-become.php)

Whats funny is .... the wrestling show is the high rated program on the network , does a usual 1.2-1.4 rating and its cheap for them. Its perhaps one of the best network decisions the company has made and they used ECW as a lead in to help Eureka get really good ratings. (Its why they try new shows around it )


Beyond the foolish name change. The decision on ECW was a smart one. And it lead to them pushing new shows around it to get ratings.

[Perry Holley]

Quoting from another board, because I find it wildly appropriate:

In Polish 'syf' is a somewhat vulgar term for either a toilet, a place being dirty or, of course syphilis. Syfy would be the plural form of it.

Don't expect to attract many Polish viewers.Or many viewers from anywhere else on the globe, for that matter.

[Winter Bolt]

I stopped watching sci-fi channel right about when they started their idiotic belittling "if" campaign. It was around that time they began to load their schedule with just hour upon hour of C and B list piss poor movies and move away from a more solid intelligent line up that consisted of strong serials. They might at most have a single hour, maybe 2 that appeals to me each day but their scheduling just is balls. If I could drop this and the Disney channel I would do so instantly.

Personally the place started jumping the shark for me about the end of Lexx, Stargate season 5 or 6, and Battlestar is pretty much the last thing I would ever watch. If I wanted to watch f'ed up anime I'll watch the kind I like, not their garbage... I usually watch robot chicken for that, not that CN has any anime I like these days... they don't, I hate CN too.

Love TZ but it seems I can only get full joy by waiting till Thanksgiving or New Years, or any holiday they run it in long series. I even have to get solid star trek fixes from other channels.

Now FX... I still have love for that place. I miss the SHIELD a lot but they continue to throw some mighty tastey treats consistently imo.

[Paradox]

SyFy???

**facepalm**

[Stony]

SyFy???

**facepalm**

http://www.meikathon.net/roflmao/facepalm4.jpg

[Pól Rua]

Yeah, but when you add Extremely Crappy Wrestling to the mix, trends to lower IQ points.
As someone who occasionally watches professional wrestling, could you please avoid characterising me as some sort of idiot? ta.

Your home for ECW, a Double Dare rip off
No. Double Dare, if a rip off of anything, is a rip of of a French game show called Jeux Sans Frontieres.
Professional wrestling has very little to so with it save that there's probably a carnival origin in the dim, dark past.

base on video games,
Professional wrestling is based on video games? Actually, it's based on a combination of shoot wrestling, and, as mentioned earlier, the old-style carnival wrestling tents, something which pre-dated video games by a quite considerable amount.

and other crappy programing that I wont watch.
Fair enough. I like terrible TV programming. It makes it easier to turn the darn thing off and get some reading, drawing, drinking or hanging out with friends done.

[TheComet]

Stupid failure of a channel.

It's not like they show science fiction anymore anyway. They have the decency to show a couple of hours of Star Trek reruns during the day and BSG is still around for a couple more weeks, but that's the only sci-fi "SyFy" runs now anyway. It's the slasher movie channel. I'm surprised that they think there's more of an audience for those than actual science fiction since other more popular channels have lots of sci-fi these days.

Sci-Fi isn't alone when it comes to cable though: Sci-Fi doesn't show science fiction. The History Channel doesn't show history. TLC stands for "The Learning Channel", but just seems to run stupid shows about families with too many kids on a loop. Thank God for the internet, cause TV sucks.

[End of Time]

I have yet to hear someone describe the move as anything other than utterly moronic or disastrous.

[arp2008]

Stupid failure of a channel.

It's not like they show science fiction anymore anyway. They have the decency to show a couple of hours of Star Trek reruns during the day and BSG is still around for a couple more weeks, but that's the only sci-fi "SyFy" runs now anyway. It's the slasher movie channel. I'm surprised that they think there's more of an audience for those than actual science fiction since other more popular channels have lots of sci-fi these days.

Sci-Fi isn't alone when it comes to cable though: Sci-Fi doesn't show science fiction. The History Channel doesn't show history. TLC stands for "The Learning Channel", but just seems to run stupid shows about families with too many kids on a loop. Thank God for the internet, cause TV sucks.Hahah So right. These days I spend more time online than watching TV for most of the time theres honestly nothing to watch. Nothing GOOD to watch, anyway.

[DonC]

I feel younger and hipper already.

[thehod]

Its almost as idiotic as the 90s trend of spelling everything that with a 'k' that should have had a 'c'.

Kombat, Krew, Karrot.

ooh,ooh,ooh.

They should have a fan club. They could call it the SyFy Krew.

That'd be Koooool.

[Crowforge]

The further the SyFy Channel wants to separate itself from actual SciFi, the better.

Hey! I was going to post that!

[Expletive Deleted]

Before: "Mansquito" is on Sci-Fi Channel? Not interested.

After: "Mansquito" is on SyFy? Well that's completely different! Count me in!

* Feel free to replace "Mansquito" with "Anonymous Rex," "SS Doomtrooper," "Lake Placid 2," "Grizzly Rage," "Raptor Island," "Mega Snake," . . .

[Stressfactor]

Before: "Mansquito" is on Sci-Fi Channel? Not interested.

After: "Mansquito" is on SyFy? Well that's completely different! Count me in!

* Feel free to replace "Mansquito" with "Anonymous Rex," "SS Doomtrooper," "Lake Placid 2," "Grizzly Rage," "Raptor Island," "Mega Snake," . . .Comic Book and TV writer John Rogers beat you to it on his blog yesterday: http://kfmonkey.blogspot.com/2009/03/scifi-changes-its-name-to-syfy.html

Still funny, though.

I can't say as this impacts me much since I dumped cable at least 4 years ago and pretty much watch whatever I want online now.

Heck, if I want, I can watch a classic, cheese-filled episode of "Buck Rogers" from the 1980's then enjoy a recent episode of "Fringe".

Create your own Sci-Fi TV line-up, watching what you want when you want all at the click of a mouse. Now THAT'S "Sci-Fi".

[BeastieRunner]

Why don't they just call it the Xtreme Kool SyFy Channel?

[OedipussyRex]

"SyFy" makes it look like it's a channel for feminazi wymyn (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wymyn) to me.

[Toonimator]

No. Double Dare, if a rip off of anything, is a rip of of a French game show called Jeux Sans Frontieres.
Professional wrestling has very little to so with it save that there's probably a carnival origin in the dim, dark past.

Professional wrestling is based on video games? Actually, it's based on a combination of shoot wrestling, and, as mentioned earlier, the old-style carnival wrestling tents, something which pre-dated video games by a quite considerable amount.
You misread, he was listing programming: "ECW, a Double Dare ripoff based on video games". Those are two separate things, the latter being (I think) that "Ultimate Gamer" crappality show I saw ads for all morning watching the Last Frakking Special.

SyFy... little early for April Fools' Day.

[G. Wayne]

Why don't they just call it the Xtreme Kool SyFy Channel?

t00 mny lttrs!

kthnxbai!

I blame lolcats or whatever the hell they call it these days. :mad:

[G. Wayne]

...SyFy... little early for April Fools' Day.

I'm still holding out for that. Not that I watch much TV these days anyway, SciFi Channel or otherwise, but this Seefee silliness is even worse than CN Real. (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=226076)

[lonewolf23k]

Who gives an Eff? I watch Space anyway. :tongue:

[Wild Card]

Whats funny is .... the wrestling show is the high rated program on the network , does a usual 1.2-1.4 rating and its cheap for them. Its perhaps one of the best network decisions the company has made and they used ECW as a lead in to help Eureka get really good ratings. (Its why they try new shows around it )


Beyond the foolish name change. The decision on ECW was a smart one. And it lead to them pushing new shows around it to get ratings.Actually according to http://tvbythenumbers.com/ the top ratted show on SciFi is "GHOST HUNTERS" read em and weep: week ending March 15, 2009:
GHOST HUNTERS SCIF Wed 09:00P-10:01P 2,668
SEA BEAST SCIF Sat 09:00P-11:00P 2,201
ECW SCIF Tue 09:00P-10:00P 1,784

the week ending March 8, 2009:
GHOST HUNTERS INTERNATL SCIF Wed 09:00P-10:01P 2,154
ECW SCIF Tue 09:00P-10:00P 1,842Let's face it ECW was a big FU to Sci-Fi's core audience and the Uber-Geeks responded to Ms Hammer's FU by going to IPTV.

As someone who occasionally watches professional wrestling, could you please avoid characterising me as some sort of idiot? ta.


No. Double Dare, if a rip off of anything, is a rip of of a French game show called Jeux Sans Frontieres.
Professional wrestling has very little to so with it save that there's probably a carnival origin in the dim, dark past.


Professional wrestling is based on video games? Actually, it's based on a combination of shoot wrestling, and, as mentioned earlier, the old-style carnival wrestling tents, something which pre-dated video games by a quite considerable amount.


Fair enough. I like terrible TV programming. It makes it easier to turn the darn thing off and get some reading, drawing, drinking or hanging out with friends done.I wasn't talking about all Wrestling fans just the one who like ECW.
ECW is to wrestling as Jerry Springer is to talk shows.

As for the Double Dure Rip off thing see Toonimator's post.
You misread, he was listing programming: "ECW, a Double Dare ripoff based on video games". Those are two separate things, the latter being (I think) that "Ultimate Gamer" crappality show I saw ads for all morning watching the Last Frakking Special.What he said.

[Michael P]

Does this remind anyone else of the time Tom Servo changed his name to "Htom Serveaux"?

[Young Avenger]

I wasn't talking about all Wrestling fans just the one who like ECW.
ECW is to wrestling as Jerry Springer is to talk shows.

Have you actually seen ECW? It has been consistently good for months now. It features better wrestling then Raw, Smackdown and TNA iMPACT.

[Crowforge]

Olympic wrestling or get the fuck out.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Actually according to http://tvbythenumbers.com/ the top ratted show on SciFi is "GHOST HUNTERS" read em and weep: Let's face it ECW was a big FU to Sci-Fi's core audience and the Uber-Geeks responded to Ms Hammer's FU by going to IPTV.

Like Sci-Fi gives a shit for "uber geeks". Ok I will give you this moment . Lets see Ghost Hunters do 50 weeks of TV straight and see the rating. When ECW launched it was above the 2.0's range and pretty much made the network happy.

ECW is cheap for the network , its $2 million to pay , they don't have to film it , pay the stars or anything. Just a small fee and bam...instant rating point.



I wasn't talking about all Wrestling fans just the one who like ECW.
ECW is to wrestling as Jerry Springer is to talk shows.

I take it you don't watch much pro wrestling or have seen ECW. Of the WWE product , ECW has the more in ring action and less storylines due to the thin roster.

As for the Double Dure Rip off thing see Toonimator's post.
What he said.

And if it too got a good rating , was cheap for the network , they'd air it too.

Have you actually seen ECW? It has been consistently good for months now. It features better wrestling then Raw, Smackdown and TNA iMPACT.

I think ECW really is the more wrestling product for Vince. I think its due to the thin roster.

[Royal]

Olympic wrestling or get the fuck out.

Catch Wrestling or GTFO

[BeastieRunner]

Olympic wrestling or get the fuck out.

Catch Wrestling or GTFO

Naked midget wrestling in mud or GTFO.

Sorry, had to chime in.

[Toonimator]

And if it too got a good rating , was cheap for the network , they'd air it too.
I don't know what ratings it gets, or what it cost, but they DO air it. Which was why he brought it up in the first place a couple pages ago.

[mgs]

What in the hell is a "SyFy" anyway?
I've been trying to figure that one out for a while now.

As I said on Heidi's site, it's Synchronized....Fy(something).... :confused:

[Toonimator]

Synchronized Fyodor?! That means... it's a Horror channel now. Synchronized readings of Brothers Karamazov and Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky!

[Treqqor]

I've been trying to figure that one out for a while now.

As I said on Heidi's site, it's Synchronized....Fy(something).... :confused:

This article may give a hint of where it came from:

http://www.airlockalpha.com/news426169.html

[OedipussyRex]

Olympic wrestling or get the fuck out.

I miss GLOW

[Becoming An Anthropologist]

I don't really watch much Tv anymore, but even when I did I had no idea this channel existed. I am a huge sci-fi Fan though. However, my fandom is generally reserved to books.In fact, If not for the Dresden Files having a sticker saying there is a show on the sci-fi station, I wouldn't even know it exist. I guess you probably need to have sattelite to get it where I'm from. I might put in for it one day if I know there is a pool of good shows waiting for me to wet my beck in.

Also, I like the coloration of the logo and Syfy shortening. It's quirky and kind of contradictory given the content it's suppose to advertise. :

[Deathstroke]

I think the name change is flat out stupid.

[Athena Bast]

Sounds like a nickname for an STD

[mgs]

Synchronized Fyodor?! That means... it's a Horror channel now. Synchronized readings of Brothers Karamazov and Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky!
lol!! :biggrin:

that's it!! Synchronized Fyodor Dostoyevsky!!! :biggrin:

[mgs]

Sounds like a nickname for an STD
and yes, it definitely does Athena! :wink:

[The Black Guardian]

Synchronized Fyodor?! That means... it's a Horror channel now. Synchronized readings of Brothers Karamazov and Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky!
Oh please. The day they create anything coming close to Dostoyevsky the world will end.

Symbolic F.Y.

[drwho]

wow what a lame idea. was there really that much btching about having non scifi channel shows on it that they had to change the name?

[mgs]

Oh please. The day they create anything coming close to Dostoyevsky the world will end.

Symbolic F.Y.
hmm......Symbolic...F.Y.I.!!!!

I guess it could be that, but I got the Synchronized word from one of the interviews where the head mentioned the direction of the channel. :wink:

[the goddamn batman]

wow what a lame idea. was there really that much btching about having non scifi channel shows on it that they had to change the name?

No. This seems to be more about trademarks than anything else.

[meethraa]

That new name and attitude feel really hot! As a cool young man with an above-average income and a strong disdain for complex thought, I will start watching whatever that channel puts out... by downloading it all though BeeTees.

[Weapon Ick]

Count me as another person who immediately saw that as shorthand for syphilis. Don't they have focus groups? I'm amazed that this idea made it this far.

[felix77]

Talk about deluded.
http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/sci-fi-president-dave-how.php#more

An interview with the President of SciFi himself.