My email box got pinged to death this morning with a story from PRWEB/Media that The SCI FI Channel was going to change their name to SurgeTV in order to reflect the change in popular programming of the network.
I belong to PRWEB/Media, get legitimate press releases from them and use them to offer our own, but after reading this one it smelled very fishy. I did an extensive online investigation to validate the release I got and sought verification from SCI FI and, quite frankly there was none to be had. Therefore, I didn’t bother with the story. Now, it has been made known that a very disgruntled fan placed the release on PRWEB as a way of getting back at the SCI FI Channel for its recent announcement of cancellation of the much-loved Stargate SG1 series and for the fact that the network insists on showing wrestling on the network.
I love a good joke as much as the next guy, but to use a press release medium for this kind of hoax is sort of hitting below the belt. One thing is for sure, if we can’t get verification from at least two reputable sources we do our best to not print the story here on Slice of SciFi…but once in a blue moon one may slip through the cracks. Fortunately this one was so transparent, that the fact that sources did not exist wasn’t even needed to not print it.
Just for laughs, here are a few segments from the bogus press release:
“Effective November 1, 2006, the SCI FI Channel will change their name to SurgeTV, to reflect the changing demographic thrust of the successful long-running cable channel….SurgeTV hopes to tap into the newfound audience of science fiction wrestling fans, by promoting cross-over programming, including Eureka’s Colin Ferguson’s guest appearance in the ECW ring….Stan Lee’s Who Wants To Be A Superhero to include ring matches between competitors….SurgeTV will begin broadcasting reruns of Hogan Knows Best and original WWE programming. Filling out the early morning hours will be the ground-breaking American (English language channel) debut of Lucha Libre sporting events.”
You do have to love this annonymous person’s sense of humor……do you think Bonnie got the sarcasm?
Kyle Nin says
It wasn’t me. No, really.
Kyle Nin says
As humorous as this “press release” is, he’s got a point. Science fiction is fiction, not reality TV. I think they’re losing focus of what their channel is all about.
Tom Boucher says
Stopped my heart for a bit this morning when I found it. The part that had me worried was that it said ‘..keep the current programming at least for a year’ which had me thinking BSG was done for
ditto says
It seemed like pretty obvious BS to me, especially after other PR shenanigans done over the years. Surge just didn’t have any marketing appeal.
This disgruntled fan hasn’t done anyone any favors.
Kyle Nin says
You know, I bet that if BSG got cancelled we’d be seeing at least a dozen of these fake press releases.
cross777 says
Might as well change the name, they have 3 or 4 sci-fi shows and a bunch of crap. Monster movies, wrestling, old reruns, just change the name to USAnetwork2
karl says
The horror channel in the UK has become ZONE HORROR all of a sudden for no perceivable reason.
It still plays nothing but 30 year old c-movies, but at least there’s no wrestling. And will you people stop bitching about the sci-fi channel! Here in the UK the sci-fi channel doesnt have stargate, BSG or any of the new or even recent shows. It just broadcasts old movies and repeats a lot of old serials.
you guys dont know how good you have got it!
mikeRabil says
cool. i got a better name for the new channel, flushtv. i need not explain.
Eric Irec says
The perp was seeking media attention, and here you are printing it!