If a version of newspeak ever does emerge to wipe out the English language, we’ll have corporate media to blame. The Sci Fi channel is changing its name to–just typing it makes me cringe–Syfy. Even worse is the channel’s new tagline: “Imagine greater”, providing yet more proof that marketing execs hate adverbs (remember Apple’s “Think Different” campaign?).
Network chiefs explain that “Syfy” is a more trademark-friendly name, but it’s also a shorthand way of communicating that most of the dreck they broadcast has absolutely nothing to do with science fiction. Pro wrestling, Z-grade movies about giant snakes, lame reality series about haunted houses: none of these are true science fiction. But I’m not going to fret about this too much. With the Web steadily replacing traditional television, I’ll soon be able to queue up a Twilight Zone or Firefly marathon whenever my geeky heart pleases.
I suspect they had to change the name to keep the illiterate morons (who think “sci fi” means horror movies about giant ants and wouldn’t know science fiction if Arthur C. Clark bit them on the ass) from misspelling it.