I just posted on an article I read so I'm scheduling this one for tomorrow because Katdish can't keep up. (Happy now kat?)
SciFi is changing the name of their channel. It will now be SyFy (yeah you thought the Fy was for something else. Dirty dirty minds need to be cleaned with soap and a pressure washer). In this article they say that the name SciFi is too geeky.
I have several problems. First this is the age of the geek. Look at the most popular shows on TV right now. Geeked out TV. Look at the increasing market for video games and comic based movies. Geek culture has taken over and the flag ship is turning from its geek heritage? Someone needs to fire that PHB (Pointy Haired Boss from Dilbert) before they run the entire channel into the ground. (Yep I held that metaphor till the end. You didn't think I had it in me did you?)
My second complaint is, if anything, SyFy is more geeky because it embraces the web 2.0 look and feel. They are trying to feel more like iPod which is yet another example of the supremacy of geek culture. The problem is that geeks will see that they are abandoning them in their statements and be less forgiving in the reality that the new name is even geekier (holy freak my spell check accepted geekier as a word). If you don't believe me read the comments on this article.
Remember the geek shall inherit the earth. Or something like that. The regular Wednesday follow-up post will come later in the day.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
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5 comments:
I thought I had read earlier this week that they decided on SyFy because SciFi couldn't be copyrighted?
Then again, I didn't care enough to read the whole article, so I may be mis-informed.
Wow. I saw a FB status update a while back was couldn't pronounce this... Now I get it. And feel retarded too.
I'm going to have to agree with, well, everyone that posted a comment on that article. This is the worst name change ever. I just don't get it.
The SciFi Channel has been a stronghold for things that were actually science fiction for a while, but it's been going down hill. They should have renamed it, B-movie Channel. Or, Giant Monster Channel.
That would fit more. I like... 1 show on SciFi, Eureka, but even that lost my interest a bit (more to do with my cable company messing up my DVR... but I digress).
I'm probably not going to watch SyFy (which is ridiculous to even type)... Because it's mostly garbage anyway. Changing the name won't change that. BUT, I also don't appreciate them abandoning their calling.
Jake- I hope you're right. I hope this article is all wrong and that it's for copyrighting purposes. That would be okay.
Whatever.
Favorite comment from that article though: "What's next? Renaming USA Network to 'You-essay'?"
Brilliant.
I think the biggest problem with SciFi and other cable channels owned by NBC such as USA is they have the longest hiatuses between seasons with shows and often put other shows in those time slots. Eureka is awesome but they won't say if it is canceled or not. A month or so before the next season starts they'll start advertising it but that seems like terrible marketing.
They did that with all their shows and so can never seem to build momentum. Its like they make this show and it does well so the execs are like "holy crap this is popular now what?" Once they figure it out they order more episodes which have to be written filmed, edited ... so its like a year before anyone hears about it again at which point we go "oh yeah I think I remember that, but I'm not invested anymore so I'll catch it if I can."
I think their marketing department use to be in church marketing because they handle things just like classic church marketing.
Wait until they debut their cooking shows.
"SyFy presents StirFry"
NBC owns the food network so I've been waiting for the cross over shows for a long time.
Iron Chef Galactica: secret ingredient toast. I think the cylon will win.
Throwdown with Bobby Flay: G grade SyFy slasher flick. Practically writes itself.
30 minute kills: Do I really have to explain this one?
Dinners, Drive-ins, and the Hyve: Join us as we visit the best little restaurant at the end of the universe.
Good Eats :actually this one should be on SciFi already. I mean have you seen it. Totally geeky awesome.
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