The Sci Fi channel is changing its name

mdin · Mar 17, 2009

To the "SyFy" channel.

This is quite possibly the stupidest, most geek-enraging thing they could do. It's bad enough they show wrestling now.

I hope it's not because NBC wants to start unloading crappy reruns like Law and Order on the network. We'll see.

With BSG ending, I fear my favorite network is going to die.

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Mar 17, 2009

Meh. I read the blog and I kinda understand the rationale behind it... but... meh. I want my Sci Fi channel - withOUT wrestling.

Thank you very much.

BenPanced · Mar 17, 2009

I guess they couldn't register "Sucktacular" or "Sucktastic".

Jcomp · Mar 17, 2009

I agree with the article, if you're going to change the name at least go the distance. Does misspelling "Sci-fi" really help you give the company a brand?

Kitty Pryde · Mar 17, 2009

I'm TOTALLY gonna cash in on this hip new trend by only writing syunce fyction from now on.

BenPanced · Mar 17, 2009

Jcomp said:
I agree with the article, if you're going to change the name at least go the distance. Does misspelling "Sci-fi" really help you give the company a brand?

I guess they finally got tired of people calling it "skiffy".

Thump · Mar 17, 2009

Syphee is better, eh?
I just love it when my TV makes me thing of venereal diseases...

WriteKnight · Mar 17, 2009

I was actually IN the Sci Fi Channel's offices, back in November - pitching a concept. It was a very strange meeting, because they were all about 'we're looking for a more universal audience..." - And I was thinking at the time "But you are the frickin SCIENCE FICTION channel!!!!"

Go figure.

ChaosTitan · Mar 17, 2009

Kitty Pryde said:
I'm TOTALLY gonna cash in on this hip new trend by only writing syunce fyction from now on.

ChaosTitan · Mar 17, 2009

WriteKnight said:
It was a very strange meeting, because they were all about 'we're looking for a more universal audience..." - And I was thinking at the time "But you are the frickin SCIENCE FICTION channel!!!!"

Did they not even see the irony in that statement???

WriteKnight · Mar 17, 2009

I told you it was a very weird meeting - even as pitch meetings go.

Atani · Mar 17, 2009

What a stupid idea. Why would that make any difference?

And, duh, if anything they should be focusing on a narrower audience & show better sci fi movies, not trying to broaden their programming. Jeez, dumb marketing dept.

BenPanced · Mar 17, 2009

Kitty Pryde said:
I'm TOTALLY gonna cash in on this hip new trend by only writing syunce fyction from now on.

HAH! I'll do you one better and start writing syunts fykshun! :e2tongue:

syunts fykshun
dubble feechur
doktur eks
wil bild a kreechur...

Kitty Pryde · Mar 17, 2009

BenPanced said:
HAH! I'll do you one better and start writing syunts fykshun!

*trumps Ben by vowing to only write synts fixin*

so there! :e2moon:

JS Emuakpor · Mar 17, 2009

Well, I'm writing Saenz Figjin.

Beat that!

Kitty Pryde · Mar 17, 2009

Soy Hunts Fic Shun

Sheryl Nantus · Mar 17, 2009

Kitty Pryde said:
Soy Hunts Fic Shun

Soy Hunts Green is peoples!

dclary · Mar 17, 2009

A) Stupidest thing in the world.

B) It's the reason why your cellphone company is called Cingular, instead of Singular, and why you search for stuff on the internet with Google, instead of Googol. ... You can't trademark an existing name. By "inventing" a name that sounds like a word people know, you have a trademarkable word that invokes the power of the homonymitical match.

So, considering that A is true and B is true, we can assume C is true as well:

C) Marketers are the stupidest people in the universe.

Gravity · Mar 17, 2009

So where am I supposed go now to get my fix for badly made giant-mosquito movies?

mdin · Mar 17, 2009

I just started getting the Chiller Channel, which shows Freddy's Nightmares practically 24/7. It'll have to move into first place.

Williebee · Mar 17, 2009

Wait for the new line-up: Religion in the morning, Cooking in the afternoon, Wrestling/split/old SF in the evening, and infomercial overnight.

They can use "All the Stuff we Could Get for Cheap" as a slogan.

dragonjax · Mar 17, 2009

The whole thing really pisses me off.

benbradley · Mar 17, 2009

There's a Slashdot story on this as well:
http://entertainment.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/03/16/1852223

Jcomp said:
I agree with the article, if you're going to change the name at least go the distance. Does misspelling "Sci-fi" really help you give the company a brand?

Look in the supermarket cleaning supplies aisle and see how many of them are named after misspelled, common words.

WriteKnight said:
I was actually IN the Sci Fi Channel's offices, back in November - pitching a concept. It was a very strange meeting, because they were all about 'we're looking for a more universal audience..." - And I was thinking at the time "But you are the frickin SCIENCE FICTION channel!!!!"

Go figure.

ChaosTitan said:
Did they not even see the irony in that statement???

I think instead of "universal" audience they meant "least common denominator" audience.

dclary said:
A) Stupidest thing in the world.

B) It's the reason why your cellphone company is called Cingular, instead of Singular, and why you search for stuff on the internet with Google, instead of Googol. ... You can't trademark an existing name. By "inventing" a name that sounds like a word people know, you have a trademarkable word that invokes the power of the homonymitical match.

IANAL, but it's true it's easier to defend a trademark of a uniquely spelled name. On the other hand there's Monster Cable which is infamous for "defending its name" against other companies which use the word monster but have no connection to what Monster Cable does.

Gravity said:
So where am I supposed go now to get my fix for badly made giant-mosquito movies?

Are all those '50's "sci-fi" movies on DVD yet? I really enjoyed them on TV when they were shown for a short while in the '70's, and I kind of miss them. Sort of.

childeroland · Mar 17, 2009

If their programming largely continues to suck, I'm not sure what difference it will make -- not like the name change will make all those cheap crap films they do any better.

And 'Syfy' didn't work for the Syfy Portal website.

Izunya · Mar 17, 2009

Gravity said:
So where am I supposed go now to get my fix for badly made giant-mosquito movies?

Heh. My first reaction was, "Well, I guess Unbelievably Stupid Monster Channel is a bit of a mouthful." Although USM TV wouldn't be half bad.

Izunya

The Sci Fi channel is changing its name

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