With Stargate now cancelled, and Battlestar Galactica set to air their series finale on Friday, the NBC-owned network is about to broaden their branch. Starting in June, Sci-fi will now become Syfy!
The reason for the Ricki Lake makeover is the network wants to break out of the sci-fi mold they've created for themselves over the past 16 years and expand into fantasy and "imagine-based entertainment." The network name swap will be supported by the tagline, "Imagine Greater."
Sci-Fi network prez Dave Howe explains he wants to attract a broader audience besides the well written original series and bad feature films of norm. "We love being sci fi… But we're more than just space and aliens and the future — the three things most people think of when they think of 'sci fi.' What this does is hopefully gives us the best of both worlds. You keep the heritage, but also open up to a broader range of content."
Clearing past all the bullshit, the real reason for the name change is they couldn't trademark the Sci-fi name.
"We're going to have upwards of 50 Sci Fi Channels in various territories and yet you cannot trademark 'Sci Fi' anywhere in the world," explained Howe. "A new logo design would not solve that particular challenge. We needed a brand name that was own-able, portable and extendable."
I don't think a name change will make all the difference. I am a fan of sci-fi, horror and fantasy films, so if we can get a broad horizon of quality films and original programming on the channel, I'm all for it. One thing I cannot watch are films that have been edited and with commercials. I would like a sci-fi or horror channel that runs like IFC. That way, not only are the films raw and uncut, but a channel like IFC always shows films most haven't seen. Also most of the films on IFC are usually good. The films that are shown on Sci-fi are usually starring bad actors with even bad scripts and even cheesier effects. I'll definitely check it out once the change happens. Then i can give my full critique.
2 comments:
They need to do something - somehow, I never thought that Lost or Jeepers Creepers or ECW qualified as science-fiction. They already play a lot of fantasy and horror based movies and face it - a few episodes of BSG, the Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Stargate and Enterprise can't float a whole network supposedly devoted to the genre. This may be a good move - let's hope their programming gets better and more varied.
Lost has elements of science fiction in it, but nevertheless not a full-fledged sci fi show. I have realized one specific genre alone cannot float an entire network. I am with you on the programming getting much better with the new network change.
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