SyFy
 

So, I was out of touch for a week or so. I'd marked on my calendar about the return of the show Eureka on the SciFi network.

I've now discovered that the network has changed its name from SciFi to SyFy.

I'd be willing to bet that there are a fair number of folks at macosxhints here who are scifi fans.

How do folks feel about this change?

Could it be that this is an attempt to be hip and trendy? Could it be that this is an attempt to appeal to a wider audience?

Do folks feel that this is a worthwhile change?

Or something completely silly?

I'm only a casual viewer, but over the past few months I noticed that they were bringing in a bit broader range of shows, like fantasy, horror, and even some anime. Then, all of a sudden, they rename to SyFy.

From what I hear, they changed their name to bring in a larger audience, and to trademark the name, as "Sci-Fi" is considered a generic non-trademarkable name.

There's a related article in the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/bu...dcol.html?_r=1

I read the article, and I had seen coverage of the upcoming change for the last little bit. Personally, as a total sci fi geek, this offends me. I have to vote for totally freakin LAME!

Never watched the channel, but I read about the rebranding on the site of movie geek TheFlickFilosopher.

My vote is beyond lame, metalame, not least because to me the term "sci-fi" was itself lame.

This may be a transatlantic, or a generational, difference, but I was brought up to consider that sci-fi is the name used by people who don't actually read SF.

I'm taking a week's holiday today, so the hit squad won't find me at home.....

Nah, it's pretty normal over here.

But, what is strange is that it is quickly becoming cliche over here to just make up your own words when writing Sci-Fi and Fantasy (or respelling old ones, like Aryn *shudder*). And then the SciFi network goes and makes a new world for itself... irony I guess.

I too am hating the change... since the demise of the "stargate series", I haven't even looked @ the channel this year...

P.S. what happen to the amanda tapping show... didn't get renewed i guess

Didn't you hear, the next big thing in the 'gate universe is coming soon. *gags*

Sorry, I read about it, and I don't think I'm going to like it, and I've watched the series for many years.

I think that in a rare twist, it was the book publishing industry that screwed up science fiction by merging it with fantasy. Now television is following that lead. :mad:

You folks are pretty much echoing my thoughts on 're-branding.'

There seems to be a lot of that going around.

Apple from Apple Computers.

Mobileme from dot mac.

I suppose it's a sign that the times are leaving me behind. Rebranding to establish a broader economic base with younger generations is probably the smart and savvy thing to do.

Maybe the content will improve along with the brand change.

More likely it's a way for top brass to justify their bonuses: "Look what I've done for the company!" I think that all it really does is create long term instability for the company because young people will be more apt to switch brands, having never had time to develop any loyalty to one.

I'm not so sure about branding changes. I kinda liked Apple Computer before it changed to Apple, but maybe that was a good thing as the iPod, iPhone, and iTunes Store are as big as the Mac is.

I think two examples of "doing it wrong" rebranding is Pepsi and Tropicana. The latter received such a backlash that they were forced to go back to their old branding. The former just looks...ick.

.
You forgot:

• The Artist-formerly-known-as-Prince
• The Member-formerly-known-as-Zalister... :D
• .

Seems like everyone here doesn't like the rebranding?

I'm fine with it, as I think it's just a name. As long as they don't try to mix in way too many different genres of fiction together, I think it will be fine.

Stargate SG-1 was probably the only show I used to watch frequently on that channel. They were planning to cancel it after the 7th season, but ended up extending it to a 10th season. They won the Guinness Book of World Record's "Longest-running North American science fiction series on television" award, beating The X-Files. I didn't like it when they canceled the show, but I did understand that it had been running for a while and that it would end sooner or later.

A bit off-topic, but I was looking around on Wikipedia, and found this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Carr

Is this person related to you?

As a guy who has been reading SF for nearly 60 years now (starting with Heinlein, Azimov, Simak, Dick, Leinster, Norton, del Ray, Silverberg, Anderson, Piper, Sheckley, Brown, Bova, Laumer, and moving on to the more recent Herbert, Foster, Drake, Weber, Flint, Ringo, Niven, Card, Hamilton, Baxter, Cherryh, etc.) I've been disappointed by this trend from "hard" SF towards Fantasy. I suppose there's more money in it (and less necessity to worry about the science of it).

If only I could have changed my name to a symbol that can be pronounced... :D.

@ThreeDee -- No, though for a second you had me going. My Dad's name is actually John, but his middle name is Douglas, so... Plus, he's a computer programmer for an auto parts retailer, and I don't think he's much into reading (let a long writing) SyFy :p.

I agree. I'm not sure, but I think it must be Star Wars that kicked that off. As much as I love the original trilogy (I'm a huge Star Wars geek), I wish SciFi/Fantasy had simply remained a novelty. If the world has taught me anything it's that the entertainment industry has absolutely no imagination. If something looks successful (like SciFi/Fantasy) they all seem to abandon their current market and flood the new "successful" one.

Your early authors were my favorites also.

I read about this and found it interesting but I don't watch TV nor have I had cable TV in about 7 years. Don't miss it either.

However, I am a big fan of some science fiction shows. I did like the outerlimits, the twilight zone, and a few others.

Completely off topic, John; that's a hell of a scar! Haven't reached that stage myself, but getting there.

I was quite annoyed by the rebranding. But then, I still haven't recovered from ECW and Ghost Hunters being added to the lineup. Sigh.

Yes, that was the end of any credibility as a science fiction outlet. Now they're just another channel in the crowd of channels.

LOL, did you go to my flickr site and see the incision?

I'm hoping that this coming friday's session with the surgeon will see the removal of both the foley catheter and the staples!

It's the enforced inactivity that's caused the increase in TV watching and wondering about the SyFy thing.

And I'm with capitalj in amazement regarding the network's televising of professional wrestling. My first thought when that happened was, "what's up with this?"

But I was also amazed at how the horror genre got lumped in with science fiction. I grew up loving SF, and never was able to learn to enjoy horror.

But, diff'rent strokes...

Yes, I had a look at Flicr. The reason for the very large opening, btw, is that an inside job like yours (as opposed to a transurethral roto-rooter approach) is that there's a lot of stuff in the way and most of it has to be moved.

.
Best of luck to you, John!

:) ArcticStones
.

I'm not familiar with the sci-fi network but I'm always suspicious of rebranding. It's often a way of hiding the fact that they are cutting back somewhere. Like giving something a new box to hide the fact that they are charging more and giving you less... but look at the purty box.

That's my favorite show on SyFy along with Warehouse 13 :D
I was REALLY surprised when I saw they changed the name.. It's like it used to seem kinda nerdy and stuff before but now they're just trying to appeal to people my age and they kinda fail...

They don't make teenage SF geeks anymore? Wow, thats a shame.