Syfy

Syfy (/ˈsaɪfaɪ/, formerly Sci-Fi Channel) is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is owned by the NBCUniversal Cable division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. The channel features adult, supernatural, fantasy, paranormal, wrestling, reality, drama, horror and science fiction programming.

As of February 2015, approximately 94.8 million American households (81.4 percent of households with television) receive Syfy.

History

In 1989, Boca Raton, Florida, communications attorney Mitchell Rubenstein and his wife Laurie Silvers devised the concept for the Sci-Fi Channel, and planned to have it begin broadcasting in December 1990, but lacked the resources to launch it. In March 1992, the concept was picked up by USA Networks, then a joint venture between Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios. The channel was seen as a natural fit with classic films and television series that both studios had in their vaults, including Universal's Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Rod Serling TV series Night Gallery, along with Paramount's Star Trek. Star Trek’s creator Gene Roddenberry and author Isaac Asimov were among those on the initial advisory board, but both had died by the time the channel finally launched on September 24, 1992. Rubenstein recalled, “The first thing that was on the screen was ‘Dedicated to the memories of Isaac Asimov and Gene Roddenberry’”.Leonard Nimoy was master of ceremonies at the channel's launch party, held at the Hayden Planetarium in Manhattan; Asimov's widow Janet, and Roddenberry's widow Majel Barrett, were in attendance. The first program shown on the network was the film Star Wars.

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of speculative fiction dealing with imaginative concepts such as futuristic settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, time travel, faster than light travel, parallel universes and extraterrestrial life. Science fiction often explores the potential consequences of scientific and other innovations, and has been called a "literature of ideas." It usually eschews the supernatural, and unlike the related genre of fantasy, historically science fiction stories were intended to have at least a faint grounding in science-based fact or theory at the time the story was created, but this connection has become tenuous or non-existent in much of science fiction.

Definitions

Science fiction is difficult to define, as it includes a wide range of subgenres and themes. Author and editor Damon Knight summed up the difficulty, saying "science fiction is what we point to when we say it", a definition echoed by author Mark C. Glassy, who argues that the definition of science fiction is like the definition of pornography: you do not know what it is, but you know it when you see it.

Syfy Universal

Syfy Universal is a family of television stations in countries around the world broadcasting science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural and paranormal programming, and owned or licensed by entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. The first such channel was launched in the United States on September 24, 1992. It was originally named "Sci-Fi Channel", but the name Syfy was officially adopted on July 7, 2009, and most were renamed Syfy Universal by 2010. Exceptions to this renaming scheme included Syfy USA, Syfy UK, Syfy Latin America, Syfy Portugal and now defunct and replaced SF Australia, which was formerly Sci Fi Channel Australia. The Sci Fi Channels in Poland, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia, became Sci Fi Universal.

The list of Syfy or Sci Fi Universal channels includes:

See also

Syfy Universal (Spain)

Syfy Universal (also known as Syfy, formerly Sci Fi Channel) is a Spanish digital satellite/cable television channel that launched on June 1, 2006, and specializes in science fiction, fantasy, and horror shows and movies. Syfy Universal is available on satellite and cable platforms such as Canal+ and on Movistar TV.

Owned by Universal Networks International, it is the fifth extension of the Syfy brand. The programming consists of a mixture of U.S. Syfy first-run shows like Haven and Defiance, current shows like Beauty and the Beast and archive shows such as Smallville and Charmed, as well as science-fiction and fantasy-themed movies, reality shows and scientific divulgation programs (Universo Syfy)

Current shows

Archive shows currently on broadcast:

Past programs