To me, the US cable marketplace is kind of like high school. As freshman, you’re pigeon-holed into a stereotype. Maybe you’re an artist (Ovation), or a jock (ESPN.) Maybe you’re the nice girl with a lot of pretty friends (HGTV, and her BFF Food Network), or part of the overachievers (I heard Discovery got a 95% on the last test. Oh yeah? Well I heard Nat Geo got a 98%.) Maybe you’re already in with the in crowd – USA, TNT, FX. And maybe you’ve just been named to Homecoming Court (MTV, VH1.)
And then there’s Sci Fi Channel. Sci Fi Channel’s been around for awhile, we’ve all known her since kindergarten. She’s always been on the outskirts, just a bit, you know, beating to her own drum. She had blue hair for a while, and rumor has it, got a tattoo when she was 13.
Anyway, she went away for the summer, and came back to school in the fall as a total hottie. Now all the jocks are posting messages of adoration on her facebook wall and she’s bound to be crowned prom queen.
Or is she?
When the Sci Fi Channel announced the name change to Syfy, effective July 7, 2009, it seems like many of her old friends were left lost, confused, and feeling, well, kind of dissed. This is clearly evident in the over 100 comments left by disgruntled fans in TV Week’s announcement of the change.
Understandably, the choice of changing the name seems to have more to do with copyright issues than it does with a true rebranding (Sci Fi channel wants to make sure that they’re identified with any of the several new ventures they have – new international networks, games, kids nets, etc.) But Syfy? No one even seems to know how to pronounce the odd combination of letters, let alone comprehend what this change might mean for network programming. With BATTLESTAR GALACTICA over and done, the network’s newest original series seems to skew more younger and have more of an MTV-vibe. Programs like SCARE TACTICS and EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING don’t quite fit the realm of Sci Fi, and even the high-performing GHOST HUNTERS seems to take flack from the die-hard traditionalist fans.
But clearly, Syfy has her new friends now.
The April 15 episode of GHOST HUNTERS was the season’s highest rated program, delivering a 2.0 Household rating, 2.9 million total viewers, 1.8 million Adults 18-49 (all season highs) and 1.8 million Adults 25-54. (From Sci Fi Press.) And, visitors to the Sci Fi channel website, scifi.com were up nearly 50% from February to March (the month in which the name change announcement was made.) So, love Syfy or hate it, it’s definitely generating buzz.
But what really will happen come July 7, 2009? With a reaffirmed commitment to more broad-based programs, will the die-hard Trekkies and Sci Fi fans be forced to find a new friend? Will other networks be able to step in and fill her shoes as yet another niche network succumbs to peer pressure and runs to play with the cool kids? Will she be crowned prom queen? Find out on next week’s episode of THE HILLS… oh wait, that’s MTV. I keep getting them confused!
Good work Liz. I love the connection between the basic HS stereotypes and the networks. Who Knew? Very well written. Michele.
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Good words.
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I often joke that LA is high school with money, but you’ve taken the metaphor to breathtaking new heights, Liz.
Well done!
-David
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This re branding is for Sci Fi is really interesting … everyone is trying to expand by going broaders, being more inclusive. But shouldn’t some network actually be identified with specific things? I mean if everyone is always trying to reach broader, open up their demo I think it actually weakens what’s on because everything just ends up being the same. In Sci Fi’s defense — and the defense of other nets who have rebranded — there is something to be said for changing a name to eliminate false, narrow perceptions associated with a brand — and that’s good reason to change … and maybe that’s what’s going on hear. But If the name change also includes less identifiable brand of programming, I don’t think it’s a positive thing. As choices become more prevalent niche stations and programming become more important and people need to hold on to their viewers by letting them know they are committed to serving their niche as best they can because they are really passionate about this stuff … and they are the experts on it!
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Have you seen the trailer for the new star wars movie? Seems to fit right in.
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not star wars, star TREK…sorry, its still a little early here.
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