Programming
Syfy's programming includes original television movies, miniseries, and series. In the past, the channel concentrated on classic science fiction (SciFi) shows. However NBC has altered its schedule in the past few years to expand the lineup, and the channel now airs shows including WWE's SmackDown, changing from the original niche programming to offerings towards more general-entertainment.
The network had gained significant international attention for its very successful original miniseries and subsequent four-season series Battlestar Galactica. In addition to many awards, The United Nations invited the main cast to a retrospective and discussion.
Coupled with Battlestar Galactica, Syfy gained national prominence in 2003 with the airing of Steven Spielberg Presents: Taken, which won the Emmy Award that year for best miniseries. In 2006, it also began including several non-science-fiction programs in its line-up, such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, ECW (changed to WWE NXT in 2010) and WCG Ultimate Gamer.
Syfy has aired anime programming off and on throughout its history. It first began airing English dubbed anime films and original video animations in the early 1990s, although the programs were often edited in order to fit the market pressures typically placed on basic cable. It was the first to show the Streamline Pictures English dubs of the films Robot Carnival, Lensman, and Akira, as well as airing Central Park Media's Dominion: Tank Police, Gall Force, and Project A-ko. Eventually the channel stopped airing anime, until June 11, 2007, when it began airing a weekly 2-hour programming block called "Ani-Monday". Intended to directly compete with Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, the block features English dubs of various anime series licensed by Manga Entertainment. During February 2008, the channel also aired anime on Tuesday nights in a second programming block. In July 2009, Syfy announced that they had renewed and expanded their licensing agreement with Manga Entertainment to continue the "Ani-Monday" block, as well as to add a similar two-hour block of horror anime, also called "Ani-Monday", to their sister channel Chiller.
On April 13, 2010, World Wrestling Entertainment announced that they had signed a multi-year agreement that would move WWE SmackDown from MyNetworkTV to Syfy, starting on October 1, 2010 at 8:00PM Eastern/7:00PM Central. The WWE says that the addition of WWE SmackDown to Syfy programming will assist with their targeting of young male and female audiences.
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—Melinda M. Marshall (20th century)