So the Sci Fi channel is apparently changing its name to SyFy. When I first saw the story here, I have to admit I thought, “Is it April Fool’s already?”
But then, after I read the article, it actually started to make sense to me. Of course, it broadens their scope without losing those who already have loyalty to their brand! Clearly, I’ve sat through far too many branding discussion meetings for this to make sense to me.
I especially like the part about how, sadly, they can’t own “Sci Fi” since it is after all an entire genre (but they can own Syfy!). It reminds me of a story I heard once that a certain gay American institution hoped to lay proprietary claim to the word “out.” No, actually, you cannot own “out.” Even gay people as a community don’t have exclusive ownership of “coming out” anymore. You can’t turn on the TV or radio without hearing someone talking about “coming out as a Jesuit” or confessing that they’re a “closet Stephenie Meyer fan,” etc. Gay people should be getting royalties for giving the world this apparently incredibly useful metaphor.
Okay, this has officially been your rambling blog post for the day.
They can call themselves the GD Oprah channel for all I care. So long as they seriously work on improving their content (No straight to f-in video movie presentations on a Saturday night) or late night showings their only good shows (Battlestar / Caprica…probably). It’s pitiful
I confess at times I actually get some odd pleasure from the B-quality original scifi channel movies, though I’ve found it’s easier to enjoy them when the TV’s on mute. If they had a bit more BSG-quality programming I’d probably leave the sound on more often…
Yes but for crying out loud if G4 repeats Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, or Spike plays the Terminator 3 times a week, which would most people prefer to watch? Cobra 4 with Dean Cain? If those secondary cable channels can afford a decent movie or two, why can’t Sci Fi?
If it weren’t for Battlestar (despite not showing re-runs or it’s late night schedule) I wouldn’t watch that channel at all.
My brain is already parsing that as “Siffy”. 🙂