Sci Fi channel becoming Syfy. Huh?
The channel that only geeks love decides that it doesn't love geeks.
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People just don't learn...
This is "New Coke" all over again.what a load
Truly this is the brainchild of marketing d-bags gone awry. As awful as it sounds however, the reaction will likely stir up enough media attention & bring more awareness to the channel, which is ultimately what they want anyways. They may be d-bags, but they’re clever d-bags.I want to punch NBC in the face
Further proof that GE, and NBC are the fail. This is the most idiotic idea I think I've ever heard in my entire life. Not only does it perpetuate an inaccurate stereotype, it is the epitome of ignorance of all business, to insult your customers. Perhaps that's why GE's stock is off so much? CEO Jeffrey Immelt has caused the stock to plunge faster then most the "video geeky nerds" would if they jumped off the top of GE's 70 Story Headquarters.They lost me when they killed Farscape
Sci Fi has always hated its own audience. They lost me a long time ago. I hope the new name opens the door for more derision for a sorry network.Why don't they give the channel an accurate name?
Why don't they just change the name to "HiFi"? That would be much more accurate than "SciFi" because SciFi implies a significant involvement of science in the fiction, but HiFi realistically implies the programming is just highly fictitious with no actual contribution from science. It also accurately implies most of the audience smokes heavily before watching the trippy starship battles and alien sex.They lost me when they killed Farscape
Skiffy has always hated its own demographic. A dumb more, but just one of many.Dumbing Down - Again
It's so "cool" and "hip" to spell things wrong. Let's dumb down society even more!sy - international country code for The Syrian Arab Republic
fy - fiscal year
SYFY - Syrian Fiscal Year: True marketing genius; NOT!
Probably their best course
It gives them more leeway to put more wrestling on. Good times.Who cares now that BSG is going away
They can name it whatever they want, because once Battlestar Galactica ends, there's not much of a reason to tune in to the station.sci-fi
Anyone who thinks that "sci-fi" is associated with geeks ect. are not paying attention. Lets see....Star Wars fans, Star Trek fans, Babylon 5, Firefly, and on and on and on.How about individuals.... Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Paul Allen, Jeff Bezos (Amazon) who would not want to be a billionaire? NBC execs suck.
What??!!
Do they seriously think that a change in spelling is going to attract more viewers? I would think that properly marketing their great shows would draw viewership. They didn't do enough of that for BSG. From what I hear, there are a lot of great marketing professionals out of work right now, perhaps they should hire someone who has a clue.It either extremely funny or
It either extremely funny or deeply depressing, just how dumb people can be sometimes. On the other hand, there can't be much ambivalence about how dumb the people are who hire the people who come up with ideas like this.Seriously... bad idea Sci-Fi... Bad Idea...
Very poor marketing research and overall decision on this one Sci Fi. Whomever was doing your research isn't too savvy in the industry or the scene. Perpetuating cliche l337 t3xt sp34k is DEEPLY frowned upon past the 6th grade and is only used in business as a joke or at best, single use in a story or event.All in all, Sci Fi is, has been and shall forever be associated with all that is science fiction regardless that you feel your network provides more and/or to a larger audience. If you really wanted to change the name and stay hip and cool with today's younger geek crowd, you should of just called it: SciFi++
^o^
Seriously... bad idea Sci-Fi... Bad Idea...
Very poor marketing research and overall decision on this one Sci Fi. Whomever was doing your research isn't too savvy in the industry or the scene. Perpetuating cliche l337 t3xt sp34k is DEEPLY frowned upon past the 6th grade and is only used in business as a joke or at best, single use in a story or event.All in all, Sci Fi is, has been and shall forever be associated with all that is science fiction regardless that you feel your network provides more and/or to a larger audience. If you really wanted to change the name and stay hip and cool with today's younger geek crowd, you should of just called it: SciFi++
^o^
Science Real vs Sci Fi
"Aliens live in our Earth's atmosphere"For the first time in human history, I present here incontrovertible evidence of existence of tens of thousands of UFO in the Earth's atmosphere, which can be seen by any person in any part of the world at any time. ..
This article was discussed with great interest for one hour on a radio talk show (www.wzbc.org). 03/14/2009
sites.google.com/site/socialcapital1/Home/aliens
Seriously... bad idea Sci-Fi... Bad Idea...
Very poor marketing research and overall decision on this one Sci Fi. Whomever was doing your research isn't too savvy in the industry or the scene. Perpetuating cliche l337 t3xt sp34k is DEEPLY frowned upon past the 6th grade and is only used in business as a joke or at best, single use in a story or event.All in all, Sci Fi is, has been and shall forever be associated with all that is science fiction regardless that you feel your network provides more and/or to a larger audience. If you really wanted to change the name and stay hip and cool with today's younger geek crowd, you should of just called it: SciFi++
^o^
SciFi or SuxReallyHard Fi
"trippy starship battles and alien sex." What? Where? I only ever see really low budget, poor acting on SciFi. Go ahead and change the name. Pearls on a pig, and all that!SCI-FI channel isn't what it used to be - We need new management
SCI-FI channel sucks. They don't even show reruns in some logical manner anymore. I finish watching a season of SG1 or Atlantis and hope to catch the reruns. NOPE. They don't show last seasons reruns. They always keep showing these dumb new shows. And they keep screwing or canceling their best shows..
I say it is time for a new SCI-FI channel under different management. Kind of like when MTV used to be the only music network a long time ago. Once MTV started showing their own shows instead of music, people stopped watching, VH1 was created.
.
Somebody please, create a new SCI-FI channel. And have only science fiction material. Star Trek reruns, Star Wars movies, older sci-fi movies, discover type shows, technology shows, science shows and really market it. Allow downloads to iPod's. Everything SCI-FI people like. And have a CEO with a science degree please.
.
SCI-FI people are usually the people who did play a lot of video games and our geeks. And today, many of those people are the ones inventing tomorrows technology.
.
David
Software Architect
Proudly a geek - everyone wants my help these days
sorry for duplicates
This comment system kept timing out on me and never came back with confirmations. Just hung... Sigh... gotta love technology :DEver heard of Scion?
If you recall, Toyota's new car line they strangely called "Scion", had a heck of a time trying to get people to correctly pronounce their brand name. It's just moving us one more step toward the world of "Idiocracy" but at least 'the kids' will be able to text it. Jesus.What a crappy idea
Let's keep on pointlessly renaming stuff and coming up with confusing insults for customers!ABC => Ay Be, See? Because people who watch Disney owned media need a little help sometimes.
MTV => EmpTy, V. Because there's no music on this channel anymore, and we don't want to confuse idiotic preteens.
Oxygen => TV For Morons. Because that's what it is.
Animal Planet => Abused Dogs and Animal Attack Reenactments. Seriously, have you watched this channel lately? Geez.
I want to punch NBC in the face
Further proof that GE, and NBC are the fail. This is the most idiotic idea I think I've ever heard in my entire life. Not only does it perpetuate an inaccurate stereotype, it is the epitome of ignorance of all business, to insult your customers. Perhaps that's why GE's stock is off so much? CEO Jeffrey Immelt has caused the stock to plunge faster then most the "video geeky nerds" would if they jumped off the top of GE's 70 Story Headquarters.It's barely SciFi anymore anyway
Somebody pulled MST3K because they thought is wasn't right for a SciFi channel (I think it was a female executive). Apparently, though, ECW seems to be SF enough because these mutant freaks get on TV most nights to do their silliness.Now BStar Galactica is reaching its end and the horrible made for SciFi TV movies are not getting any better and the people who seem to be making the decisions for this network do not care for or understand Science Fiction. Imagine the uproar if Star Trek fans got to program ESPN!
At least we live in a relatively free market and as soon as NBC craps in this hat, some one else should come along and take another shot at it.
To Sci Fi or not to Sci fi
They need to decide if they are going to be Science Fiction oriented or something else. The name change doesn't bother me as long as they stay sci-fi oriented, although I prefer the name the way it is. It concerns me that the name change might indicate a de-emphasis on Science Fiction. I watch the Sci-fi channel, History Channel, Discovery, and NatGeo so I guess I fit the target market they currently have. I really wanted my MTV back in the 80s. Then MTV turned into something else that wasn't the MTV I wanted. I hope SciFi doesn't make the same mistake. If you want my demographic, its SCIENCE-oriented-FICTION.slippery slope
Agreed, Syfy is dumb. But we already got "Starz".What's next?
The Hystery Channel
The Kamedi Chan-L
Dis-Kov-R-E Channel
CNN Nooz
Saturday Nite Live
It may be that kids texting away today are defining the English language of the year 2100...
absurd
SyFy?? give me a break. I think the old farts are just trying to be hip. Why don't they focus their efforts on getting better shows instead of the crap the play now. I can't wait until BSG is over!Gimmie a Break
That makes perfect sense, let's start a channel centered around the one subset of fiction that has actually inspired the people that have made the industrial and information revolutions happen (engineers, physicists, chemists, etc), let it run for a few years, then screw it up by producing cheesy scifi B-movies that no one wants to watch (instead of good scifi series' that you're apparently good at...Stargate(s), BSGalactica, Eureka, etc), and "Professional Wrestling"?!?!! Yeah, what genius decided that they would turn a niche' market channel into more Fat-American targeted crap!! So instead of inspiring the Engineers and Information Technology wizards, lets inspire the idiot, beered up rednecks that beat up the kids that want to learn about ion-drives and the like.Stick to what we want: good original Series', classic SciFi (Star Trek-Wars-Gazers-Drives, Dune, etc), and maybe even and original movie every now and again (ya'll get lucky sometimes). Otherwise, rename the channel to the "Beered Up Fantasy For Really Ego-Deranged Neanderthals, Eating Cheesy Kilbasa Sandwiches ... BUFF REDNECKS ... "PRO" Wreslters.
Great Idea, this SyFy Name
I like that Si Fi is becoming SyFy. It's a meaningless name for a rudderless network. Now can someone create a Science Fiction network?never ever works.
It will be fun watching them crash and burn. Alienating your base core and trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator never ever works.I'm gonna start a petition
....to remove the wrestling, and keep the name...who's with me, lol.Sci Fi is on life support
They simply refuse to invest in what people want (more classics & MST3K), and yet pick up "rasslin" & "paranormal" crap that's been overdone elsewhere. They better hope that "Caprica" is good, seeing as how BSG & SG are both done. Can't count on SJA & DW to keep them afloat. Most people get those from the Beeb after broadcast, not 3 months later with more commercial than program.Everyones doing this now
Ill agree syfy does kinda sound like Syphilis. or Siffy.But whatever. its the same product, slightly different name. it seems to be a trend nowadays. They arent alone. The Wii has a similar name.. They are unique trademarkable names that pronounce as real words.
The one i dont get is Mountain dew is now MTN dew? Why Abbreviate it? easier to text i suppose? hehe..
Do you get SyFy from alien sex?
Just wondering... i don't use condoms when I freak out with alien babes, so I want to know which diseases to look out for.Just another way to dumb
Just another way to dumb down America... Can't spell sci fi lets spell it like is sounds.... Just like c u l8er...Thanks En Bee Sea
Thanks for giving me that final reason to change the channel and never look back. More book reading for this old school Sci Fi nerd.Egad
Don't marketers realize that people are just turned off by the letter "y"? Someone should let them know, asap!Sounds to me that the
Sounds to me that the phonetics of the new name could also be pronounced "siff eee", which makes me think of it as being a slang term for syphillis. ;)Syfy - the channel sucks under any name
Sadly, it finally makes sense to me that Howe and Brooks and the execs at the Scifi channel have no understanding of nor respect for us scifi geeks … it is obvious from the utter crap they serve up on their channel which ranges from awful to insultingly bad with the notable exception of Battlestar Galactica. I long ago gave up hoping for anything good from that channel. I don’t think the name change is going to help their line up any nor improve my feelings towards them.It stuns me, too, that they seem totally unaware of the fact that scifi is mainstream already: just look at some of the most popular and highest grossing movies, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and all the comic book movies: Batman/The Dark Knight, Watchmen, Spiderman, Xmen, Iron Man, etc.
“Nevertheless, there was always a sneaking suspicion that the name was holding the network back.”
Dudes, its not the name, it’s the crap you serve up! Your asses were saved solely by the power of great writing/drama, excellent acting, great special effects on Battlestar Galactica.
“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,” Mr. Brooks said. “It’s somewhat cooler and better than the name ‘Science Fiction.’ But even the name Sci Fi is limiting.”
??? Huh? You are called the SCIFI CHANNEL!! Why do you want to distance yourselves from that? To me that’s like the food network distancing itself from food and cooking because they think it might be associated with fat people! I say Embrace the Geeks! For we are taking over the world!
Man I hate these guys!
SyFy - Really
It would be better to leave the name alone and show only Science Fiction shows. Oophs I forgot I am a 50 year female and not the target audience.Worthy of 30 Rock
Is this something dreamt up by Jack Donaghy?Leave it as SciFi
Why rename the channel, unless you are trying to lose your audience?Just the opinion of another 50+ female geek who watches the SciFi Channel.
Odds that they'll change their mind before 7/7/09?
I see all the reasons they chose to do this listed in the TV Week article and elsewhere, but in my opinion the name change will accomplish almost none of those goals. Given the backlash online, I'm now wondering what the odds are that they'll change plans and either keep their current name or create another new one.More here: http://www.semanticargument.com/?p=175#more-175
What they don't realize
NBC doesn't realized the diversity of the geek nation. Its all types of people not just the bs stereotype portrayed in the article. But like someone said above the media attention from the name change is going to bring more viewers and I promise you they know what they are risking. They took a risk assessment and know that the media attention is going to drive people to watch with all the competition for viewers and with all the good shows they probably think its the best shot for them.Goodbye scifi.com you will be missed....
"I can't type 1 extra character..."The brand will fail as old schoolers are the longterm majority of the "geeks" that buy the products over a longer period and the genre of SCI FI says much more to most people than the techno-geek speak of a few fleeting favors of the month.
They needed to do a REAL survey between (and keep it evergreen):
Sci Fi Channel
Vs.
Syfy Channel
to the average person on the street or at SCI FI conventions instead of texting their "perceived" audience to see which makes the most sense.
As soon as half the shows currently on disappear, they will not have that fan base as much as they think :P
Stupid name for a lost network
1) Your viewers think Sci Fi is hip already and SyFy is really going to be the Uranus of TV network names.2) Have a dialog with your viewers (we don't like wrestling, ghosts hunters or large creatures attacking rural communities) these are just lame.
3) Your made for TV movies are terrible 95% of the time and the couple that are any good I missed because there is so much garbage. (I have a wall full of Sci Fi books I read as a kid, you can start there for plots) It might be a good idea to hire a scientist/sci fi reader to do the programming - Not the Bernie Madoff clone you have now.
4) We do watch Mythbusters, Prototype This, Time Warp, Star trek, Star Wars, Futurama, The Big Bang Theory, Lie to Me, CSI, Numbers (sometime), Criminal Minds, The Science Channel - when its science/engineering, the History Channel and NatGeo, SG-1, BSG, The Doctor, The Iron Chef, Top Chef and Project Runway (We do have a daughter and 2 sons )
5) Those nerdy teenage boys (and girls) and thier geek Dads & Moms created everything you own/use in your life. We just want programs that can stimulate our minds or warn us of the dangers inherit in the future done with a interesting plot and good acting. This is why we love Science Fiction. If you have a good product people will come. There are 140 other channels trying to get the anti-intellectual viewers, how about just one entertainment channel for us! If not I'll keep reading to my kids that wall of books is high and long.
It's about money, people - and what about the "tagline"???
they're not able to trademark (and, therefore, make money from) "SciFi" - as it's in the public domain.they *are* able to trademark, and make money from, "SyFy".
QED?
also, the "controversy" gets them lots of column inches in papers/online/tv, as the only thing worse than being talked about is *not* being talked about.
however, i'm surprised to see so little comment about the tagline: "Imagine Greater"
Imagine Greater....what?
They seem to be missing a word. ;-)
Idiocracy
The movie Idiocracy was a great glimpse of out future. Now that Scifi is dead and SyFy is born, we can open the doors to the bottom taking over the top.I have always loved science fiction, it gives us a view of the minds that believe there is more out there. It lets us see a view of the group that see the world in a sinkhole. I have, for a long time, seen the downfall of mankind at hand. We in America are driving the bus to oblivion. English is dying, and in its place we will have our new language....abbrevish. You are stupid if you use real complete words.
We don't talk anymore, you have to TXT everyone for everything. What do U want to use words 4? Wii have abbrevish. Its GR8! Saves time and I don't have to think! Less thinking is better!! WHOOOA YEA! Thank you for the dumb inheriting the Earth, I didn't want to be here anyways.
When will an alien race come and annihilate this dust ball? We gave up good reasons to let our race to survive the minute MTV stopped playing music. My faith in humanity dwindles with every passing day, and with every news story I read that defines its news from twitter references.
If there is a god or gods, we better hope they have a sense of humor because we are all damned.
And a last bit, frak NBC.... its SciFi you frakking skinjobs.
tune in without a rubber and get syfy
I mean, seriously, how stupid is this "name change"?Keep on playing "the gentiles", america. They're sticking it up your rear and from all angles, and you seem to be enjoying it. You're not turning into an 'idiocracy'. You ARE an idiocracy already.
When they started to show wrestling on scifi, people just took it. Is it any wonder then that nbc stoops to this new low? Goodness, what's next!?
I dumped the scifi channel a 'long time' ago.
--- "...Bombaka mouth, man!"
Is SyFy an acronym for ...
Syfy ... Oh my ...I don't trust acronyms ( ? ) that have an " F " in them.
Too many off-color ideas come to mind about what syfy may
stand for...
But they all end in "F" You.
...
Is this supposed to appeal to the metro-sexual side of science fiction fans or to their feminine side ?
Frankly, it doesn't seem to appeal to anyone at all.
Still if this NBC owned company wants to spend millions in promoting this white-elephant, that's their choice.
My opinions are free !
It makes little difference
It makes little difference what the name is. If they show good programs, I will watch. If not, I won't.The new name is a signal that the crap quotient is going to be boosted.