The Sci-Fi Channel
You can almost picture a group of executives at the USA Network, reclining in a boardroom in deep padded leather chairs, staring at a wall-sized video projection of early prime-time programming. Sliding a remote controller back and forth across the table in a corporate "channel surfing" exercise, just as you or I would do at home - they suddenly hit upon the fact that "Star Trek" (both the "Next Generation" and the original episodes) are airing on three stations concurrently. After a series of quick exchanges, nods and glances - hands snap up telephone receivers, fax machines and ... a network is born - the Sci-Fi Channel.
The television viewer landscape continues to divide in a process of niche-mitosis. Witness within the last year-and-a-half the arrival of the Entertainment (or E!), Cartoon, and Caribbean Satellite networks, as well as the re-launch of the Learning Channel. The attention-span demands of additional channels will certainly shake out some of the contenders from the pretenders. Where the embryonic Sci-Fi Channel stands today is the lag time between its September 1992 launch (relying on such old cosmic war-horses as "Space 1999" "Lost In Space" and "Battlestar Gallactica") and the establishment of new, internally- generated programming - to which the channel has dedicated $30 million dollars. And while the audience may be enthusiastic - the real challenge will be seeing if those at Sci-Fi can hold these viewers and lure-in new ones who may not have initially been interested in its start-up melange of recycled cult faves.
Sci-Fi Channel on USA Networks: Eastern region: 212 408 9150, Central region: 312 644 5413, Western region: 310 201 230.
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