Beginning July 2009, the Sci-Fi Channel will be known as Syfy, in an effort to re-brand the network and expand their genre base. According to Sci-Fi Channel (forgive me, Syfy) president Dave Howe, “Without abandoning our legacy or 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 recognizes our broader range of programming with literally something for everyone [...] 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.”

While I understand their move to include more genres of programming, and that the name “Sci-Fi” generally keeps away viewers who dislike science fiction (and thus, it needed to be changed to reflect their new, “broader range of programming”) I have to say: Syfy? Seriously? It’s a disaster of a name. It looks goofy and childish. They couldn’t pick something better? Perhaps a less obvious science-fiction name that non-sci-fi viewers wouldn’t peg as sci-fi, but longtime fans would understand? Maybe a constellation like Orion. So much for “the imagination” Mr. Howe talked about.

Besides the idiocy of the name however, many Sci-Fi fans are expressing concern over the jump away from traditional science fiction programming. “Pretty sad–really,” writes commenter Dingedarmor on the Sci-Fi Wire post about the change.  “They had a few good shows, killed most of their best ones, and created some really lame tv movies. And now this. RIP our favorite viewing marathons: BSG, Eureka, Tremors, Stargate, Farscape, X-Files, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits [...] I guess steroid abuse for wrestlers is more sci fi than we thought.”

In response to these concerns, Dave Howe, via an interview with Sci-Fi Wire, stated “There’s nothing wrong with sci-fi, and we’ve had 16 great years as the SCI FI Channel. We love sci-fi, which is why we’ve said we have no intention of abandoning our roots or our core audience. We intend to continue to develop and produce great sci-fi shows like the two upcoming series we recently greenlit, Stargate Universe in the fall and Caprica, the prequel to Battlestar Galactica, coming early next year. Plus we’re bringing back Eureka in July, Sanctuary in the fall and launching a brand-new sci-fi show, Warehouse 13, in July. We’re still the biggest producer of sci-fi shows in all of TV, and we intend to stay number one.”