Meda Life Magazine: For Sci Fi Channel, into the unknown
From Media Life Magazine:
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/art...he_unknown.asp
(Please follow the link for the complete article.)
For Sci Fi Channel, into the unknown
As growth slows, network broadens programming
By Kevin Downey
May 28, 2008
With cable upfront presentations wrapping up this month, Media Life will carry a series of network profiles with information important to media buyers and planners heading into negotiations. This is the 20th in the series. Previous articles can be found in the Cable Department.
For most cable networks, growth is a given, with ratings soaring as each year more and more viewers migrate over from the broadcast networks. And that offers one great advantage. They can tinker with their lineups, testing this new show or that, at little risk. If it catches, fine, if not, it's on to some other idea. Their ratings are not going to plunge.
That's less the case with the Sci Fi Channel.
The No. 15 network in 18-49s has hit a plateau, its ratings flat, and to grow further it’s looking to broaden its programming, adding light dramas and comedies, including reruns of the old Robin Williams sitcom “Mork & Mindy,” as it heads into this year's upfront market.
The risk?
“There may be some viewer backlash,” says Brad Adgate, senior vice president and corporate research director at Horizon Media, with the new shows turning off hardcore science fiction fans.
Yet it’s a necessary strategy. Competition being what it is among the cable networks, to not grow is to fall behind.
What's unique about Sci Fi is just how tightly defined the brand is. As a genre, science fiction is not like comedy or drama, which can be expanded to include all sorts of programming. Something is sci fi or it's not. Does “Mork & Mindy” qualify?
Viewers will decide. Sci Fi's challenge will be to move quickly where a show is not catching.
"A lot of networks are doing that--running everything up the flagpole to see what sticks,” says Adgate. “It’s more competitive than ever, so they have to keep moving upward.”
The network’s identity
Sci Fi is often thought of as a network for geeks. It's less so these days.
Over the past several years it has changed its image a bit with shows with mass appeal like “Battlestar Galactica," its hit original drama, and the No. 1 cable show on Friday nights, along with unscripted shows like “Ghost Hunters“ and reruns of the British series “Dr. Who.”
**snippage**
**snippage**
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/art...he_unknown.asp
(Please follow the link for the complete article.)
For Sci Fi Channel, into the unknown
As growth slows, network broadens programming
By Kevin Downey
May 28, 2008
With cable upfront presentations wrapping up this month, Media Life will carry a series of network profiles with information important to media buyers and planners heading into negotiations. This is the 20th in the series. Previous articles can be found in the Cable Department.
For most cable networks, growth is a given, with ratings soaring as each year more and more viewers migrate over from the broadcast networks. And that offers one great advantage. They can tinker with their lineups, testing this new show or that, at little risk. If it catches, fine, if not, it's on to some other idea. Their ratings are not going to plunge.
That's less the case with the Sci Fi Channel.
The No. 15 network in 18-49s has hit a plateau, its ratings flat, and to grow further it’s looking to broaden its programming, adding light dramas and comedies, including reruns of the old Robin Williams sitcom “Mork & Mindy,” as it heads into this year's upfront market.
The risk?
“There may be some viewer backlash,” says Brad Adgate, senior vice president and corporate research director at Horizon Media, with the new shows turning off hardcore science fiction fans.
Yet it’s a necessary strategy. Competition being what it is among the cable networks, to not grow is to fall behind.
What's unique about Sci Fi is just how tightly defined the brand is. As a genre, science fiction is not like comedy or drama, which can be expanded to include all sorts of programming. Something is sci fi or it's not. Does “Mork & Mindy” qualify?
Viewers will decide. Sci Fi's challenge will be to move quickly where a show is not catching.
"A lot of networks are doing that--running everything up the flagpole to see what sticks,” says Adgate. “It’s more competitive than ever, so they have to keep moving upward.”
The network’s identity
Sci Fi is often thought of as a network for geeks. It's less so these days.
Over the past several years it has changed its image a bit with shows with mass appeal like “Battlestar Galactica," its hit original drama, and the No. 1 cable show on Friday nights, along with unscripted shows like “Ghost Hunters“ and reruns of the British series “Dr. Who.”
**snippage**
**snippage**
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