Sci Fi Channel (United States)
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| Sci Fi Channel | |
|---|---|
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| Launched | September 24, 1992 |
| Owned by | NBC Universal |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
| Slogan | I F (SCI FI) |
| Headquarters | New York City, United States |
| Website | www.scifi.com |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | Channel 244 |
| Dish Network | Channel 122 |
| C-Band | Galaxy 14-Channel 1 |
| Meo Portugal | Channel 65 |
| SKY Brasil | Channel 46 |
| SKY México | Channel 209 |
| Directv (Latin America) | Channel 221 |
| Cable | |
| Varies by location | |
Sci Fi Channel is an American cable television channel, launched on September 24, 1992, that specializes in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal programming. It is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBC Universal. On March 16, 2009, the network announced that it would be changing its name to Syfy, a change scheduled to take effect on July 7, 2009.
Sci Fi Channel is available in high definition, but often broadcasts in 4:3 format rather than the traditional HD format of 16:9.
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[edit] History
The channel was launched on September 24, 1992 by USA Networks, then a joint venture between Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios.[1] Before the acquisition, network programming included the 1960s television series Dark Shadows, the film serial Flash Gordon, and other science fiction movies and series.[2]
The channel was seen as a natural fit with classic film and television series that both studios had in their vaults, including Rod Serling's Night Gallery (from Universal TV) and Paramount's Star Trek and classic Universal horror films such as Dracula and Frankenstein. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and author Isaac Asimov were among those on the advisory board.[3]
In 1997, Seagram, which bought MCA in 1995, purchased Viacom's (which bought Paramount in 1994) interest in USA and Sci Fi, and sold the networks to Barry Diller in 1998 to form USA Networks, Inc. Diller later sold USA's non-shopping (film and TV) assets, including Sci-Fi, to Universal's then-parent Vivendi Universal in 2002. Vivendi's film, television, and cable TV assets were then merged with General Electric's NBC to form NBC Universal in 2004. A high definition version of the channel launched on October 3, 2007 on DIRECTV, on Comcast on April 15, 2008,[4][5] and Dish Network on April 18, 2008.[6]
On March 16, 2009, Sci Fi announced that it is planning to change its name to Syfy, to end confusion over how to capitalize and stylize their name and as part of an on-going rebranding effort. Network officials also noted that, unlike the generic term "sci fi" which represents the entire science fiction genre, the term "Syfy" can be protected by trademark and therefore would be easier to market on other goods or services without fear of confusion with other companies' products. The only significant previous use of the term "syfy" in relation to science fiction was by the website SyFy Portal, which became Airlock Alpha after selling the brand to NBC Universal (represented by a shell company) in February;[7] there are however a number of unrelated firms using the similar term "syfi", such as information technology company SyFi Global. Reaction to the new name was negative.[8][9] Landor Associates executive director Ken Runkel posted a blog entry clarifying that Landor was not responsible for the name, in response to a New York Times article on the rebranding.[10] The new name is scheduled to take effect on July 7, 2009.[11]
[edit] Programming
Sci Fi's programming includes original television movies, miniseries, and series. In the past, the channel has also aired many canceled "cult classic" science fiction TV shows.
Briefly in the early 1990s, Sci Fi aired anime films, although they were often edited in order to fit the market pressures typically placed on basic cable. It was the first to show the Streamline Pictures English dubs of the films Robot Carnival, Lensman, and Akira, as well as airing Central Park Media's Dominion: Tank Police, Gall Force, and Project A-ko. Although most of Sci Fi's anime programming was composed of feature-length films, a few, such as Dominion: Tank Police, were original video animations (OVAs) edited to fit into the feature timeslot. In May 2007, it was announced that anime would be returning to Sci Fi Channel on June 11, 2007 in a programming block called "Ani-Monday". The block features the English dubs of series licensed by Manga Entertainment. During February 2008, Sci Fi also aired anime on Tuesday nights in an "Anime on Tuesdays" programming block.[12]
[edit] Miniseries
Sci-Fi original programming gained national prominence in 2003 with the airing of Steven Spielberg Presents: Taken, which won the Emmy Award that year for best miniseries.
[edit] Sci Fi Pictures original films
Developed by Chris Regina, Ray Cannella and Thomas Vitale, Sci Fi's original films are typically independently-made B movie-quality movies with total budgets of $1 to 2 million a piece. They usually premiere on Saturday nights.[13][14] They are also one of the sponsors for the Coalition for Freedom of Information.
[edit] Non-science-fiction programming
In 2006, Sci Fi began showing some non-sci-fi programming. These have included:
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, shown on May 4, 2006[15]
- WWE's ECW on Sci Fi, started June 13, 2006[16][17]
- WCG Ultimate Gamer started March 10, 2009
[edit] Media
[edit] Sci Fi.com
SciFi.com is the Sci Fi Channel's website, launched in 1995 under the name "The Dominion" (which it dropped in 2000). It was one of the first large-scale, publicly available, well-advertised, and non-portal based Web sites.[18] In addition to information on the channel's programming, it covers science fiction in general, primarily through its semi-autonomous Science Fiction Weekly webzine, edited by Scott Edelman, and SciFi Wire newswire.
The site has won a Webby Award and a Flash Forward Award. From 2000–2005, it published original science fiction short stories in a section called "SciFiction", edited by Ellen Datlow, who won a 2005 Hugo Award for her work there. The stories themselves won a World Fantasy Award; the first Theodore Sturgeon Award for online fiction (for Lucius Shepard's novella "Over Yonder"), and four of the Science Fiction Writers of America's Nebula Awards, including the first for original online fiction (for Linda Nagata's novella "Goddesses").
SCIFIpedia was a commercial wiki special interest encyclopedia owned by the Sci Fi Channel as part of its scifi.com web site. Launched on April 22, 2006, SCIFIpedia's topics include anime, comics, science fiction, fantasy, horror, fandom, games and toys, UFOs, genre-related art and audio, and the paranormal.[19] As of early 2009, SCIFIpedia was withdrawn with only the explanation, "Although SCIFIPEDIA is no longer live at SCIFI.COM, we invite you to participate in other areas of our site..."
[edit] Science Fiction Weekly
Science Fiction Weekly was an online magazine started and edited by Craig Engler and Brooks Peck on August 15, 1995.[19] In April 1996 it began appearing exclusively on The Dominion as part of a partnership with the Sci Fi Channel, and was eventually sold to Sci Fi in 1999.[19] The publication covered various aspects of science fiction, including news, reviews, original art, and interviews, until it merged with Sci Fi Wire in January 2009. It was last edited by Scott Edelman.
[edit] Sci Fi Magazine
Sci Fi Magazine is the channel's official magazine. As of 2005, it was edited by Scott Edelman.
[edit] Ratings
In 2008, Sci Fi averaged a 1.0 Household rating; 242,000 Adults 18-34 (up 4% vs 2007); 616,000 Adults 18-49 (up 5% vs 2007); 695,000 Adults 25-54 (up 6% vs 2007) and 1,278,000 total viewers (up 7% vs 2007). SCI FI had two years of consecutive growth among females audiences, with a 12% increase among Women 25-54, a 14% jump in Women 18-49 and 6% more Women 18-34. SCI FI also ranked among the top ten among Men 25-54 (#6), Men 18-49 (#9) and Women 25-54 (#10).[20]
[edit] References
- ^ Carter, Bill (1992-09-28). "Will There Be Any Space For Outer Space on Cable?". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/28/business/the-media-business-television-will-there-be-any-space-for-outer-space-on-cable.html?scp=5&sq=%22Sci+fi+channel%22&st=nyt. Retrieved on 2009-06-21.
- ^ Carter, Bill. Television Notes. The New York Times: March 31, 1992.
- ^ Omni (October 1992): "A Channel for Science Fiction"
- ^ Comcast launches six new HD channels in San Francisco Bay area - Engadget HD
- ^ DIRECTV Adds Six HD Channels
- ^ DISH Network Expands National HD Line-Up
- ^ "SciFi Channel Changes Name ... To Syfy". Airlock Alpha. 2009-03-15. http://www.airlockalpha.com/news426164.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-15.
- ^ "Should We Start a SyFy Death Watch?". Advertising Age. 2009-03-17. http://adage.com/adages/post?article_id=135297. Retrieved on 2009-04-05.
- ^ "TV rebranding a tricky proposition". Variety. 2009-03-20. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001474.html?categoryid=2526&cs=1. Retrieved on 2009-04-05.
- ^ Runkel, Ken (2009-03-25). "What you've been wondering about Landor and Syfy". Landor Associates website. http://www.landor.com/?do=thinking.blog&post_id=18904. Retrieved on 2009-04-05.
- ^ Elliot, Stuart (2009-03-15). "Sci Fi Channel Has a New Name: Now, It’s Syfy". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/business/media/16adcol.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-16.
- ^ "America's Sci Fi Channel Adds Anime on Tuesdays". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-01-03/america's-sci-fi-channel-adds-anime-on-tuesdays. Retrieved on 2008-01-03.
- ^ Gary Wolf. "We've Created a Monster!", Wired, October 2004
- ^ SCI FI Announces Films for '06." press release, April 14, 2005.
- ^ "Schedulebot". SCIFI.COM. 2006-05-04. http://www.scifi.com/schedulebot/index.php3?date=4-MAY-2006&feed_req. Retrieved on 2006-06-02.
- ^ Stropoli, Rebecca. Sci Fi Gets Itself in a Headlock. Broadcasting & Cable: May 25, 2006
- ^ "Schedulebot". SCIFI.COM. 2006-06-15. http://www.scifi.com/schedulebot/index.php3?date=13-JUN-2006&feed_req. Retrieved on 2006-06-02.
- ^ "SCIFI.COM — SCIFIPEDIA". http://scifipedia.scifi.com/index.php/SCIFI.COM.
- ^ a b c "Scifipedia Press Release at the futon critic". http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20060426scifi01.
- ^ http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?date=12/17/08&id=20081217scifi01
[edit] External links
- Official Site
- The Sci-Fi Channel at the Internet Movie Database
- Sci Fi charts its course for the future, LA Times - Interview with Dave Howe
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