SciFi to SyFy

[navychop]

Looks like they actually did it, per this. They've changed their name from the Sci Fi Channel to Syfy.

So, do you think the change is:

A good idea, opening up more potential viewers.
The dumbest idea they could have come up with.
I couldn't care less.

 

[HD MM]

Deep down I could care less, but personally I don't like the sound of it. SyFy? There's no "Y" in Science Fiction. SyFy just looks dumb.

 

[Van]

Feeble attempt by a channel in its death throws is what it sounds like, makes you wonder what would have happened to the channel if it hadn't been for BSG2.0. Hell I didn't even catch the final season because I lost interest having to wait so long for it to come around.

 

[Stargazer]

Seems stupid to me. It is something different and they just want attention is what it makes me think.

 

[jdr01930]

The name seems silly to me too - however...

I've noticed a distinct and welcome lack of the obnoxious and ever expanding banner adds that take up the bottom 1/4 of the screen.
If those have been abandon as part of the transition, then I LOVE SYFY!!!
There were none during Warehouse 13, anyway. Have they gotten rid of them? I was seriously at the point of not watching the channel (and many other channels for that matter) any more because they were getting to obnoxious

 

[riffjim4069]

By the creators of Dumb & Dumberer: When Harry met Lloyd.

 

[digiblur]

Needs a rainbow over the SyFy letters in the logo

 

[JonE]

Not a big deal.

 

[melgarga]

Needs a rainbow over the SyFy letters in the logo

What ya tryin' to say there?....
Lots of bad blogging on the change for a couple of months now. Apparently SYFY refers to syphlis in Polish, at least that's what I read. I dont speak Polish. Another speculated that the motivation was that "Sci-Fi" could not be trademarked but "SYFY" could. He then said they likely could register "The Sci-Fi Channel". Worked for TWC.
A lot of attacks on the "Sci-Fi Original" B- movies. I always thought they kind of fit myself. They lost my interest at Ghost Hunters and wrestling. Fiction, definately, but more psuedo reality/drama than anything to do with science. AFAIC, both genre account for an untold amount of wasted electricity already.
The general cosensus is that the move is an attempt to broaden the viewing based, moving away from the niche market, but is infact likely to cost them the very devoute audience they do have for the sake of mediocrate and what they hope is greater marketshares.
I'm with the jdr01930 on the banner thing. If that stops I'll be happy no matter what they call it. I watch Spike/TNT/USA very little anymore for that very reason.
I personally think the name looks silly, like Digi said, it looks like something that you would put a rainbow over. Prissy.
I'm curious to see if the Warehouse 13 thing gets called back for a second season. The premis seems interesting.
If they are looking for quality programming I guess they could always try to get Josh to whip something up for them, maybe re-kindle the Firefly series......

 

[mperdue]

Wrestling, Ghost Hunters, James Bond and other non-science fiction movies, far too many commercials and obnoxious banner ads when the commercials weren't on. For all those reasons I've been ignoring the channel except when EUReKA is on. I hate the new name, but looking at the schedule for the next few days things are looking up in the programming department. I don't see any wrestling or Bond anyway. Hopefully they've gotten rid of the banner ads and will cut back a bit on the commercials.

Mario

 

[Ramy]

A very dumb idea, they are killing the channel with all the crap they have on there now.

 

[navychop]

I've come to realize I haven't watched it in many months, it got so obnoxious.

 

[dfergie]

I voted dumb...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The main reason for the name change was because they couldn't trademark the name as SCIFI. So they changed the name to something which sounds the same but is spelled diffrently and now they have trademarked that name.

 

[mperdue]

The main reason for the name change was because they couldn't trademark the name as SCIFI. So they changed the name to something which sounds the same but is spelled diffrently and now they have trademarked that name.

How, exactly, does that make the decision less stupid?

 

[navychop]

Would/could someone come up with another channel and call it the SciFi Channel? Why?

Of course, now I suppose they could since it is no longer in use.

 

[Van]

Alternative name idea kicked to the curb.

Sigh fi, was found to mirror to closely the feeling of boredom many viewers have after watching much of the content created by the Sci-Fi movie production department, it was also thought that it was the feeling BSG 2.0 fans had after the series finally and the realization set in that there would be nothing good coming down the pipeline during the next 30 years.

 

[HIFI]

Deep down I could care less, but personally I don't like the sound of it. SyFy? There's no "Y" in Science Fiction. SyFy just looks dumb.

with you all the way!:up

 

[melgarga]

The main reason for the name change was because they couldn't trademark the name as SCIFI. So they changed the name to something which sounds the same but is spelled diffrently and now they have trademarked that name.

Like the guy said in the blog I paraphrased Scott, Sci-Fi is not regesterable any more than when Miller Brewing Co. wanted to reg Lite (spelled as L-i-t-e) and found out years ago it wasnt allowed. Obviously the term weather would not be either, however The Weather Channel is regesterable. So instead of all the foo fur rah, Sci Fi could likely have reg'd The Sci Fi Channel and kept right on trunckin'.
One has to wonder if this wasnt all predicted and expected by the corporate spin doctors. Public exposure (publicity) is always desireable, how bad or good it is is purely subjective. One thing is for sure, a lot of people are talking about Sci Fi now, and that makes others aware of it's existance.

 

[Pepper]

OK, so if "Sci-Fi" isn't registerable as a trademark, what's to stop some other media company coming along and creating a "Sci-Fi" channel and actually running more Sci-Fi than crap on it?