"SyFy": yes or no

[Tom]

The tv shows near future on Skiffy seems very bleak. Since Dr. Who will have no season 5 this year (it is pushed to 2010) and only 4 one hour specials (spread out through 2009) we will lose out on that to. We will have a BSG movie (The Plan) and maybe an Atlantis DVD movie that could be aired also. So putting the movies aside, what do we have for shows, not to much it seems. Stargate: Universe is probably the most antisipated one, we may get a Caprica series in 2010 but it may be more like Dallas then Scifi at all, and that all depends on its pilot dvd sales next month.

Oh well at least Syfy is now more redneck friendly, Jeff Foxworthy must be proud. It's to bad Skiffy execs are not smarter than a 5th grader, and i'm sure if they had there way, would air that show too.

 

[shapeshifter]

I don't care but it does seem stupid.

 

[OmahaStar]

I can't respond to the poll since the change actually doesn't bother me at all. As long as they produce great shows, I don't care what they call themselves.

lol What "great shows" do they have? StarGate's done. BSG is done. They don't produce Doctor Who or any of its related shows. There's nothing left.

 

[DanTheGrey]

I'm glad I don't get that channel up here because if Space did the equivalent I'd never watch them again. The comments about being associated with geeks etc had to have been one of the worst own goals in rebranding that I can think of, well since the last banker or automaker gave huge bonuses to their executives.

2010 - The Year We Discover All the Morons in Charge

 

[Noname Given]

I think it's fine. Maybe someone/some group whoi actually has an idea of what 'Science Fiction' is; and knows that there IS a fan base for that type of programming will now be able to launch a true 'Science Fiction' themed cable channel.

(Yeah, I can hope - but I ain't holding my breath on this either).

 

[USS Mariner]

I await the day they change the channel to SeezyFeezy to draw the black viewers in. Kanye can donate his Graduation wardrobe to their original movie crew.

 

[shanejayell]

This may be the dumbest name EVER.

 

[LightningStorm]

Have you all seen this?

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/03/sci_fi_channel_aims_to_shed_ge.php

Specifically:

Nevertheless, there was always a sneaking suspicion that the name was holding the network back.

“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.

Seems they just want to ditch the "Sci Fi = Nerdy losers only" stereotype.

 

[Amaris]

I don't watch them anymore anyway. "SyFy" is a name that I'd expect if this were high school and the girls were making cardboard signs with glitter markers.

"SyFy! SyFy! Yeaaaah!"

J.

 

[Aragorn]

And just who do they think Wyvern, Polar Storm, Supergator, Sasquatch Mountain, Manticore, Mansquito, Frankenfish, Grendel and Flu Bird Horror are aimed toward?

 

[Morpheus 02]

It'd be nce if this were in context....like the name SyFy...but perfer it on what is now Airlock Alpha

So now they're just gonna dump those years of cool-but-filler commercials (Sci-Fi =IF)?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

No. I'll forever associate "SyFy" with a cheeseball fanboy website.

 

[tharpdevenport]

86 people have voted "No" as of this time. Looks like they are "re-branding" themselves into crap for no appearent reason.

 

[Chess Piece Face]

I like it. I think it looks nice and it's a fine name. That being said, it does not get away from the science fiction stigma in any way...I mean, the word is the same, if that's what they are trying to do.

This is akin to calling the show Enterprise without Star Trek in front of it...it will fool nobody, piss off loyal geeks and in general make zero difference.

If you are going to make a change - make a big enough change.

 

[JuanBolio]

FUCK.

NO.

They don't fucking need to dumb it down and misspell it. Its not going to make it one iota more popular or mainstream. Moreover, I'm insulted that they're acknowledging and bowing to the "SciFi" stigma. Not only is it insulting to us geeks, its insulting to the general public - "Oh, here. We'll dumb it down and make it kewl!"

 

[Brent]

Have you all seen this?

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/03/sci_fi_channel_aims_to_shed_ge.php

Specifically:

Nevertheless, there was always a sneaking suspicion that the name was holding the network back.

“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.

Seems they just want to ditch the "Sci Fi = Nerdy losers only" stereotype.

crazy stupid, the name isn't their problem, their problem is the crap programming like ECW and scifi original movies about giant snakes and moths!

 

[RAMA]

No, no, no

 

[Mordock]

The tv shows near future on Skiffy seems very bleak. Since Dr. Who will have no season 5 this year (it is pushed to 2010) and only 4 one hour specials (spread out through 2009) we will lose out on that to. We will have a BSG movie (The Plan) and maybe an Atlantis DVD movie that could be aired also. So putting the movies aside, what do we have for shows, not to much it seems. Stargate: Universe is probably the most antisipated one, we may get a Caprica series in 2010 but it may be more like Dallas then Scifi at all, and that all depends on its pilot dvd sales next month.

Exactly. As long as their schedule is a drab litany of B-grade creature features, Ghost Hunters, and Stargate spinoffs, I don't think it matters overmuch what they call it. Talk about throwing away the candy bar and eating the wrapper...

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Uh oh. The people who TV execs actually pay attention to - not us, silly, the advertisers - don't like it! Or the advertisers' industry rags, anyway.

Advertising Age tells SyFy they suck.

The channel should have been spending the week celebrating the series finale of "Battlestar Galactica," one of the best shows to hit TV in the last 20 years. Instead, it's spending the week being mocked. The good news is that this rebranding was simply an announcement made at an upfront presentation and nothing consumer-facing is set to roll out until July.


So my question to you is: Will the network pull the plug? And if so, when?

Is this a debacle on par with New Coke? Did Skiffy just mis-read the calendar and think it was April 1?

BNET is Laughing their asses off too.

Welcome to the world of rebranding your media company in Web 2.0, and an object lesson on what it’s like when you forget to listen to your core customer.

...According to research done exclusively for BNET Media by TNS Cymfony, syphilis jokes account for about four percent of all commentary about Syfy."

Sci Fi Channel Changes Its Name to a Typo

The biggest winner out of all this seems to be Airlock Alpha, the website formerly known as Syfy Portal, which sold the trademark to the cable channel for an undisclosed sum.

It will be hilarious when Skiffy drops this SyFy nonsense and asks the nerds for their money back. Yknow, they could have gone with Psi Phi, if they wanted a goofy spelling...

 

[The Lady Eve]

Why don't they just call it the "Crappy CGI Monster Movies With Washed-up Actors" Network. (After Friday, of course.)