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    Sci Fi's 'network drift'

    http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/10/20/fi...channel-drift/

    Fifteen cable networks that have encountered channel drift
    Posted Oct 20th 2008


    excerpt:


    Moderate Shift
    Sci Fi - Here's an example of a network that is trying to force a channel shift but has to fight through a very critical fan base. Home to shows like Battlestar Galactica, Stargate Atlantis and Eureka, the network, most likely under the heavy hand of NBC Universal, began airing the WWE's Extreme Championship Wrestling on Tuesday nights. Now, while professional wrestling has always been considered extreme fantasy, in no way was it considered programming fare for the Sci Fi Channel. Yet, it has become one of the most popular shows on the network.

    Sci Fi has also aired programming from other NBC Universal networks in the last few years. Two years ago the network aired a marathon of Law and Order: SVU episodes that had a sense of weirdness or fantasy to them. It was not met with great fanfare. There has been talk this year from network executives that Sci Fi channel may start airing more and more non-science fiction fare. However, with the science fiction and fantasy genres so much in the mainstream these days it will be interesting to see if this channel continues to shift programming in another direction.

    REST AT LINK ABOVE

    #2
    Don't think this affects me as I'm British! We have a Sci-Fi here but it doesn't show SG1, SGA or BSG!

    Whats the deal they cutting back on shows like SGA, BSG, etc?

    Comment


      #3
      Who knew this wasn't going to happen? I knew that an "all sci-fi" channel was far too good to be true when it was annoucned. Instead of getting a channel that has decent original programming and shows many of the old, hard-to-find classics like the Star Treks, Babylon 5, and The X-Files (which they do show occasionally), we get a show that shows what...wrestling, crappy B-movies and shows re-runs of Lost, a show that is still running and would be considered LOOSE sci-fi if anything sci-fi at all.

      If you watch the previews for upcoming and running shows...Fear Factor...that's not sci-fi, that's just stupid. And almost all of the new shows they're advertising are stupid reality shows (one of which is a rip-off of the upcoming Mirror's Edge game). When they DO get an opportunity to pick up Star Trek...they pick up the least-favorite show, Enterprise - the show with the SMALLEST Trek fan base. They DID pick up TNG for a while, but I don't know if they still show it or not.

      At least ONE good new show they have running today is good and shows promise - Sanctuary. But other than that, everything else is crap. BSG is ending. Atlantis is ending. The fate of Universe as well as the quality of Universe is up in the air (not saying its good or bad yet). Caprica, the "prequel" to Galactica isn't even a traditional sci-fi show. They couldn't even be bothered with picking up the SG-1 movies and airing them when they first came out.

      Yeah, I think its safe to say that if Universe fails, then that will be Sci-fi's epic fail. It will pretty much mark the end of whatever respect sci-fi could have possibly have left. And what's this obsession with wrestling? Why does every channel known to man have to have wrestling on? I don't understand how people can stand watching that sort of show week after week after week, knowing that its mostly fake anyway.

      What else...Ghost Hunters. I actually enjoy Ghost Hunters and find it to be an interesting show, but I've always felt it was out of place airing on Sci-fi and belonged more on Discovery than sci-fi. I could easily see it airing with Mythbusters or Dirty Jobs.
      That is just my two cents.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Mclean View Post
        Don't think this affects me as I'm British! We have a Sci-Fi here but it doesn't show SG1, SGA or BSG!

        Whats the deal they cutting back on shows like SGA, BSG, etc?
        because it's so much cheaper to dole out crap like "Scare Tactics," which require no talent and very little bucks and stupid willling participants who don't need paid.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by prion View Post
          because it's so much cheaper to dole out crap like "Scare Tactics," which require no talent and very little bucks and stupid willling participants who don't need paid.
          Well Atlantis does perform better than shows like "Destination Truth" and "Scare tactics". Eureka was the number one show several weeks beating out Ghost Plumbers. Atlantis had a record high ratings for their recent episode. Eureka has been outperforming all of the reality shows on the network. Sanctuary scored some strong numbers for their premiere. So, I think scripted drama shows are still going to be safe on the SCI FI network. I am cringing at the new shows Chase and Estate of Panic which are both reality game shows. Can't wait for those. woo hoo. On another note, I want Ghost Plumbers to fail so bad, for so many reasons. Some personal.
          sigpic

          Comment


            #6
            Am I the only one who noticed the similarities between Chase and the upcoming game Mirror's Edge? The first time I saw an add for that I expected it to switch from live action footage to game footage, then I saw that it was an add for a TV series. I was like "wtf?" Can you say "rip-off?"

            I thought this whole reality show thing was just a fad the same way game shows were...they'd be around for a few years and just disappear. I'm still hoping that's the case. And I'm sick of Sci-fi's sorry attempt at cashing in on Halloween. Seriously, they call Stargate Atlantis, "part of the 31 days of Halloween" wtf? I've seen strange advertising campaigns, but some of the stuff that scifi puts out is really annoying and bizarre. And I'm really sick of them popping up adds for their shows during the series that are really obnoxious and take up half the screen, sometimes blocking something important. Whoever came up with that idea should be put in front of a firing squad and shot with a zat gun three times.
            That is just my two cents.

            Comment


              #7
              Whats with Sci fi cutting back on its best shows yet ( Bsg, Sg1, Atlantis...)

              And yet the minor shows live on?
              Tst

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by spinny magee View Post
                Whats with Sci fi cutting back on its best shows yet ( Bsg, Sg1, Atlantis...)

                And yet the minor shows live on?
                scif is afraid to succeed
                https://twitter.com/#!/Solar_wind84

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by prion View Post
                  because it's so much cheaper to dole out crap like "Scare Tactics," which require no talent and very little bucks and stupid willling participants who don't need paid.
                  Yeah we get nonsense like that over here too.

                  What about SGU is that getting aired on Sci-Fi over there?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Briangate78 View Post
                    Well Atlantis does perform better than shows like "Destination Truth" and "Scare tactics". Eureka was the number one show several weeks beating out Ghost Plumbers. Atlantis had a record high ratings for their recent episode. Eureka has been outperforming all of the reality shows on the network. Sanctuary scored some strong numbers for their premiere. So, I think scripted drama shows are still going to be safe on the SCI FI network. I am cringing at the new shows Chase and Estate of Panic which are both reality game shows. Can't wait for those. woo hoo. On another note, I want Ghost Plumbers to fail so bad, for so many reasons. Some personal.
                    Yes, the ratings may be better but SGA, and any scripted shows COSTS a lot more to make than drivel like Scare Tactics, and well, I don't think GH has much overhead considering they just travel to *cough* haunted houses. Yeah, Estate of Panic and Chase look like the exact drivel they want - cheap- and appealing to teenagers.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I think we need a simple accounting course.

                      It's not about what genre the show is in or you think it would be "neat" if they showed {insert TV show you used to like}.

                      It's revenue - cost = profit, wherein revenue is primarily driven by ratings and the demographics of those ratings.

                      Yeah, SciFi used to run B5 reruns. They ran them a lot. During the first run, the ratings were great, but they declined in each subsequent cycle until it didn't make sense anymore.

                      When some rich person starts a TV network who doesn't care what their ratings are comes along, it will be an accounting-driven universe.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by MediaSavant View Post
                        I think we need a simple accounting course.

                        It's not about what genre the show is in or you think it would be "neat" if they showed {insert TV show you used to like}.

                        It's revenue - cost = profit, wherein revenue is primarily driven by ratings and the demographics of those ratings.

                        Yeah, SciFi used to run B5 reruns. They ran them a lot. During the first run, the ratings were great, but they declined in each subsequent cycle until it didn't make sense anymore.

                        When some rich person starts a TV network who doesn't care what their ratings are comes along, it will be an accounting-driven universe.
                        But scripted shows do cost more - salaries for cast, residuals, etc., whereas with dreck like Scare Tactics, the people who volunteer to do this make barely anything, probably sign away any residuals/merchandising rights, etc. No horribly expensive sets to maintain, or CGI to do.

                        Basically a network like scifi goes for the cheapest avenue (for the most part) to make the most money. And wrestling, alas, doesn't require more than two guys willing to wrestle. Oh, and I suppose, a mat to land on, but that might be optional

                        Regrettably SCiFi is turning into a channel with cheap reality shows that appeal to the lowest common denominator, er, demographic, horrible horror flicks (basic plot: stupid people being bumped off one-by-one by badly-CGIed-monster), and repeats of movies we can see all of (not edited to bits) on DVD.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by MediaSavant View Post

                          When some rich person starts a TV network who doesn't care what their ratings are comes along, it will be an accounting-driven universe.
                          That is not a bad idea, too bad I'm not a billionare. I would run Stargate, 24, Eureka, BSG, Family Guy, and those classic cartoons and animated series from the from the 80's and early 90's.

                          Any takers?
                          sigpic

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Personally I find reality shows boring and dull. I tried watching but after a minute into one of them I was ready to scream my head off so I never dared try watching one again. Reality shows are anything but intellectually stimulating. Another point is that we have the technology to create breathtaking CGs and animations unlike before, science fiction has suddenly taken a backseat because of people like the ones running Sci-Fi wants more profit and less expense than giving people good quality shows.

                            I think Sci-Fi ought to change their name if they can't live up to it. And killing the best sci-fis around? Now that's not a wise move.

                            Bring the Geeks back! I want my Geeks!

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Briangate78 View Post
                              That is not a bad idea, too bad I'm not a billionare. I would run Stargate, 24, Eureka, BSG, Family Guy, and those classic cartoons and animated series from the from the 80's and early 90's.

                              Any takers?
                              Let's see, I'd remove 24 and add Adderly

                              Comment

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