Prime Time Geek

Here’s to poetic license and creative spelling in television production.

NBC/Universal announced this morning in a press release that starting July 7th, the Sci-Fi Channel will change its name to ‘SyFy’ (phonetically pronounced the same way as before). The name change allows NBC/Universal to, among other things, trademark the name of the network, which they could not do previously considering the widespread public domain use of the term “sci-fi”. At the same time as the name change for the main cable network, they will also introduce a number of sub-brands, including SyFy Games, SyFy Films, and SyFy Kids. See below for an excerpt from the official press release. Thanks to our good friend Jon Lachonis from www.tvovermind.com for reporting the story on his site and posting that report on Facebook!

Building upon sixteen years of water cooler programming and soaring ratings growth following its most-watched year ever, SCI FI Channel is evolving into Syfy on air and on-line beginning July 7th, it was announced today by Dave Howe, President, SCI FI. By changing the name to Syfy, which remains phonetically identical, the new brand broadens perceptions and embraces a wider and more diverse range of imagination-based entertainment including fantasy, paranormal, reality, mystery, action and adventure, as well as science fiction. It also positions the brand for future growth by creating an ownable trademark that can travel easily with consumers across new media and non-linear digital platforms, new international channels and extend into new business ventures.

“While continuing to embrace our legacy and our core audience, we needed to cultivate a distinct point of view with a name that we could own that invites more people in and reflects our broader range of programming,” said Mr. Howe in making the announcement. “Syfy allows us to build on our 16 year heritage of success with a new brand built on the power that fuels our genre: the Imagination. Syfy ushers in a new era of unlimited imagination, exceptional experiences and greater entertainment that paves the way for us to truly become a global lifestyle brand.”

Syfy — unlike the generic entertainment category “sci-fi” – firmly establishes a uniquely ownable trademark that is portable across all non-linear digital platforms and beyond, from Hulu to iTunes. Syfy also creates an umbrella brand name that can extend into new adjacent businesses under the Syfy Ventures banner, such as Syfy Games, Syfy Films and Syfy Kids. Additionally, as the Channel’s footprint expands rapidly around the globe, aiming to reach more than 50 international channels by the end of next year, Syfy meets the need of a globally relevant, trademarkable brand that stands for something unique to the brand in each territory.

The new brand evolution will launch on air and on-line July 7th, in tandem with the premiere of the new scripted drama, Warehouse 13, and the return of breakout summer series Eureka. An aggressive trade marketing campaign will kick off this spring. Scifi.com will assume the URL Syfy.com at that time.

Find the full text for the press release HERE.