Dear SyFy

[Janx]

This should be a no-brainer course correction for SyFy:

Spartacus meets WWF in Arena of Octos

Men train as gladiators and fight with classic medieval and roman weaponry before throngs of spectators.

Of course, it's all real and not scripted.

 

[Hand of Evil]

this is the cost of a five year show, once it goes four to five years it can start to make money in re-runs, Sci-fi kills the show and then reaps the benefits of DVD and the re-runs. It is their business plan and one they have followed for years, they will cancel everything after it runs 5 years!



show they should do:

• 
  Steampulp CSI - Supernatural twist with vamps, werewolfs, ghost and hydes!

 

[ggroy]

this is the cost of a five year show, once it goes four to five years it can start to make money in re-runs, Sci-fi kills the show and then reaps the benefits of DVD and the re-runs. It is their business plan and one they have followed for years, they will cancel everything after it runs 5 years!

(More specifically).

Does Sci-Fi/SyFy see a penny from the shows they no longer broadcast? Does SyFy see a penny from reruns of former Sci-Fi/SyFy first run shows, which are rerun on channels/networks they (or their parent company) do not own?

Does SyFy see a penny from dvd revenue?

Or is it the original studio who sees the revenue from syndication reruns on networks/channels they (or their parent company) do not own? (ie. CBS/Paramount for Star Trek, MGM for Stargate, Universal for Battlestar Galactica, etc ...).

 

[Hand of Evil]

(More specifically).

Does Sci-Fi/SyFy see a penny from the shows they no longer broadcast? Does SyFy see a penny from reruns of former Sci-Fi/SyFy first run shows, which are rerun on channels/networks they (or their parent company) do not own?

Does SyFy see a penny from dvd revenue?

Or is it the original studio who sees the revenue from syndication reruns on networks/channels they (or their parent company) do not own? (ie. CBS/Paramount for Star Trek, MGM for Stargate, Universal for Battlestar Galactica, etc ...).

If it is an original series and hold broadcasting rights. As far as DVD's again, that is a can of worms but odds are they get something before the producers, directors or cast.

 

[ggroy]

If it is an original series and hold broadcasting rights. As far as DVD's again, that is a can of worms but odds are they get something before the producers, directors or cast.

I suspect things are probably quite complicated. Until the documents of such agreements are publicly revealed, we'll never know for sure.


Though with that being said, I wouldn't be surprised if the control over the revenue streams of a particular tv show or movie, is highly based on which particular parties contributed the most upfront cash to finance the production, and whichever party had the upper hand in negotiating the agreements. (ie. Whoever controls the cash, gets to call the shots).

 

[jonesy]

Someone should take the Gibson/Sterling novel The Difference Engine, and turn it into a steampunk detective tv show.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

This should be a no-brainer course correction for SyFy:

Spartacus meets WWF in Arena of Octos

Men train as gladiators and fight with classic medieval and roman weaponry before throngs of spectators.

Of course, it's all real and not scripted.

Those poor people at the World Wildlife Foundation wouldn't stand a chance. Hope they can earn some money for their charity so their deaths aren't completely senseless.

Why all this hate for pro wrestling? It's even placed on Friday nights, a known death knell night for sci-fi shows.

I'd just like SyFy to realize that they will never be a ratings giant and give shows more of a chance. They could have cut the budget on Eureka instead of cancelling it. Although I must admit that, even as a Eureka fan from the start, I'm not that sad to see it go away. Let it leave on top. American shows seem to overstay their welcome. My favorite British shows all ended in 5 or less seasons and I still wanted more. But many of my favorite American shows that weren't cancelled out of the gate left me wondering why I was still watching.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Why all this hate for pro wrestling?

Because it has absolutely nothing to do with science, Sci-fi, Fantasy, or Horror. It starts the network down a slippery slope of non-thematic programming. Remember when MTV showed music videos?

You can argue about profitability, but here are show concepts out there that would attract a market without sacrificing the channel's supposed core identity.

It's even placed on Friday nights, a known death knell night for sci-fi shows.

For bad Sci-fi, perhaps, but remember, X-files anchored Fox's Friday night for 3 years before moving to Sundays...not exactly an easy night either.

Fox's history is kind of illustrative- they aired a LOT of Sci-fi on Friday nights during and after X-Files' run...and many were only given 1 season and cancelled, and not given a chance in another slot.

And if you look at Sci-fi itself? StarGate SG:1 & Atlantis were both Friday night successes, as was nBSG.

 

[ggroy]

Because it has absolutely nothing to do with science, Sci-fi, Fantasy, or Horror. It starts the network down a slippery slope of non-thematic programming. Remember when MTV showed music videos?

You can argue about profitability, but here are show concepts out there that would attract a market without sacrificing the channel's supposed core identity.

I wouldn't be surprised if SyFy is attempting to shed itself of its original science fiction identity, eventually to recreate itself into something like Spike.

(ie. Similar to how "The Nashville Network" was changed into "The National Network", and eventually to Spike).

The Nashville Network - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[ggroy]

Interesting article covering some history of Sci-Fi/SyFy.

Sci Fi Channel Aims to Shed Geeky Image With New Name : In Depth : TVWeek - Television Industry news, TV ratings, analysis, celebrity event photos

Nevertheless, there was always a sneaking suspicion that the name was holding the network back.“

The name Sci Fi has been associated with geeks and dysfunctional, antisocial boys in their basements with video games and stuff like that, as opposed to the general public and the female audience in particular,” said TV historian Tim Brooks, who helped launch Sci Fi Channel when he worked at USA Network.

Mr. Brooks said that when people who say they don’t like science fiction enjoy a film like “Star Wars,” they don’t think it’s science fiction; they think it’s a good movie.

“We spent a lot of time in the ’90s trying to distance the network from science fiction, which is largely why it’s called Sci Fi,” Mr. Brooks said. “It’s somewhat cooler and better than the name ‘Science Fiction.’ But even the name Sci Fi is limiting.”

If what is in this article has any substance or truth, then it sounds like they've been trying to shed the science fiction identity for a long time.