A now-defunct Australian pay television channel focused on science-fiction and fantasy programming.
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Overview
Syfy Australia was an Australian subscription television channel dedicated to science-fiction, fantasy, genre drama, paranormal programming and related films. It launched on 1 January 2014, replacing the Australian channel SF after Foxtel and the TV1 General Entertainment Partnership were unable to conclude a new carriage arrangement for SF. The replacement gave NBCUniversal an opportunity to bring its internationally used Syfy identity to the Australian market rather than continue with SF, an Australian-specific brand whose ownership had been shared among NBCUniversal, CBS Studios International and Sony Pictures Television. The Australian service was wholly owned and operated by Universal Networks International, an NBCUniversal division. Its business model was based on distribution through subscription television platforms rather than direct-to-consumer streaming or terrestrial broadcasting. The channel was initially associated with Foxtel and later expanded its platform availability through Fetch TV, where it launched on 15 April 2014. Fetch TV customers received a high-definition version from 14 February 2017. In September 2017, the service adopted a refreshed logo and visual identity as part of NBCUniversal's international overhaul of the Syfy brand. Syfy's programming mix combined established science-fiction and fantasy properties with newer acquired series, genre-oriented factual and reality programming, original productions and made-for-television disaster or creature films. Its listed programming included series such as 12 Monkeys, Dark Matter, Defiance, Haven, Killjoys, The Magicians, The Shannara Chronicles, Warehouse 13 and Z Nation. The channel also carried second-run or library programming including Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, Doctor Who, Eureka, Red Dwarf, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager and Torchwood. Its identified Australian original production was Haunting: Australia. The channel's film schedule reflected the same broad genre positioning, featuring science-fiction, fantasy, horror, disaster and creature titles. Examples listed in the channel's programming included Sharknado, Dawn of the Dead, The Poseidon Adventure, Tasmanian Devils, Bigfoot, Arachnoquake and other made-for-television genre productions. This mix was intended to give subscribers a dedicated destination for speculative entertainment, although the service attracted criticism from some Foxtel subscribers over the frequency of repeats and the perceived low quality of parts of its schedule. Viewers also noted that, during an important period, Syfy Australia did not initially possess the Star Trek rights that had been available on its predecessor; several Star Trek series were later shown on the channel. Syfy Australia's commercial life ended during a broader change in Australian pay-television channel branding. Foxtel announced in November 2019 that Fox Sci-Fi would replace Syfy. The replacement took effect on 17 December 2019 on the relevant Foxtel service, while Syfy remained available on Fetch TV until midnight at the end of 31 December 2019. The Australian channel should be distinguished from the broader international Syfy brand and from the United States Syfy network: this entry concerns the Australian service that operated from 2014 until its closure at the end of 2019.
History
Syfy Australia emerged from a distribution and branding transition in Australian subscription television. Before its launch, the Australian science-fiction channel SF was operated by the TV1 General Entertainment Partnership. NBCUniversal was one of the partners, holding one-third of SF, while the remaining ownership was divided equally between CBS Studios International and Sony Pictures Television. In August 2013, reports indicated that Foxtel had not completed negotiations for a new carriage agreement with the partnership. Once SF's carriage arrangement expired, Foxtel planned to replace it with another channel dedicated to science fiction and related genres. In September 2013, the replacement was identified as Syfy, the NBCUniversal-owned international genre brand. This represented a shift from an Australian-exclusive channel identity to a globally recognizable NBCUniversal name. The Australian operation was wholly owned and operated by Universal Networks International, an NBCUniversal division. Syfy began broadcasting in Australia on 1 January 2014, replacing SF. The service was structured as a pay television channel rather than as a standalone production studio or streaming platform. Its schedule was built around science-fiction and fantasy series, library titles, paranormal and genre factual programs, and films. Acquired programming included 12 Monkeys, Channel Zero, Continuum, Dark Matter, Defiance, Face Off, Haven, Killjoys, The Magicians, The Shannara Chronicles, Warehouse 13 and Z Nation. The channel's schedule also included second-run series such as Alphas, Angel, Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, Doctor Who, Eureka, Red Dwarf, Sanctuary, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, Torchwood and other genre properties. Haunting: Australia was identified as the service's original Australian production. The film offering complemented the series schedule with science-fiction, disaster, horror and creature features. Titles associated with the channel included Sharknado, Dawn of the Dead, The Poseidon Adventure, Tasmanian Devils, Bigfoot, Arachnoquake, Exploding Sun, Ice Road Terror and other made-for-television productions. The breadth of the schedule allowed the channel to function as a general genre destination rather than a service limited to one subcategory of speculative entertainment. Syfy expanded beyond its initial distribution arrangements when it launched on Fetch TV on 15 April 2014. Fetch TV customers received an HD version from 14 February 2017. On 17 September 2017, the Australian service received a new logo and refreshed brand presentation as part of an international Syfy identity update led by NBCUniversal. The channel faced criticism from some Foxtel subscribers concerning repeated programming and the perceived quality of portions of its schedule. Another programming issue concerned the Star Trek franchise: Syfy Australia initially did not carry the franchise rights that had been available on SF. The situation later changed, and several Star Trek programs, including Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, The Next Generation, The Original Series and Voyager, appeared on the channel. In November 2019, Foxtel announced that Fox Sci-Fi would replace Syfy. The new service replaced Syfy on Foxtel on 17 December 2019. Syfy remained on Fetch TV through the end of the year and ceased at midnight on 31 December 2019. The Australian Syfy channel is therefore a defunct regional pay-TV service, distinct from other national versions of the Syfy brand.
- 2019
Fox Sci-Fi replacement announced
[1]Foxtel announced that Fox Sci-Fi would replace Syfy.
- 2019
Australian service ends
[1]Fox Sci-Fi replaced Syfy on Foxtel on 17 December, while Fetch TV carried Syfy until 31 December.
- 2017
Fetch TV HD availability
[1]Fetch TV customers gained access to the channel in high definition from 14 February.
- 2017
Brand refresh
[1]Syfy Australia adopted a new logo and refreshed branding on 17 September as part of an international NBCUniversal update.
- 2014
Australian launch
[1]Syfy launched in Australia on 1 January, replacing the SF channel.
- 2014
Fetch TV launch
[1]The channel became available through Fetch TV on 15 April.
- 2013
Replacement of SF announced
[1]Following unsuccessful carriage negotiations involving SF's operators and Foxtel, NBCUniversal's Syfy brand was selected as the intended replacement.
Products and positioning
A dedicated Australian pay-TV destination for science fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal and adjacent genre entertainment, using the international Syfy identity and NBCUniversal programming relationships.
Pay television channel · 2014
Syfy Australia pay television channel
The core Australian service was a subscription channel devoted to science fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal and adjacent genre entertainment. It combined acquired scripted series, library programming, factual formats, original local content and genre films. The service was distributed through Australian pay-TV and IPTV platforms, including Foxtel and Fetch TV, and later offered an HD presentation on Fetch TV. It ceased operating at the end of 2019.
Original television programming
Haunting: Australia
Haunting: Australia was identified as Syfy Australia's original programming. It fit the channel's paranormal and genre-oriented programming strategy, complementing acquired supernatural series and factual formats.
High-definition channel service · 2017
Syfy HD on Fetch TV
The HD version of Syfy became available to Fetch TV customers in February 2017. It was a higher-definition distribution format for the same Australian channel rather than a separately positioned network.
Brand decisions
2019
Replace Syfy with Fox Sci-FiStrategyBackground
Foxtel announced a change to the Australian science-fiction channel brand late in 2019.
Action taken
Fox Sci-Fi replaced Syfy on Foxtel from 17 December 2019, with Syfy continuing on Fetch TV until the end of the year.
Aftermath
Syfy Australia ceased operations at midnight on 31 December 2019.
2017
Introduce HD distribution on Fetch TVGeneration changeBackground
Fetch TV customers had access to the standard channel service before the high-definition upgrade.
Action taken
Syfy was made available in HD to Fetch TV customers from 14 February 2017.
Aftermath
The service improved its technical presentation on the Fetch TV platform.
2014
Expand distribution to Fetch TVStrategyBackground
After launching as an Australian pay-TV channel, Syfy sought additional platform reach through IPTV distribution.
Action taken
Syfy launched on Fetch TV on 15 April 2014.
Aftermath
The channel became available to Fetch TV subscribers in addition to its existing Australian distribution.
2013
Replace SF with the Syfy brandStrategyBackground
Foxtel did not complete a new carriage agreement with the TV1 General Entertainment Partnership for SF. NBCUniversal therefore pursued its international Syfy identity as the replacement channel.
Action taken
Syfy was selected to replace SF and launched in Australia at the beginning of 2014.
Aftermath
The change moved the Australian service from a locally exclusive SF identity to an NBCUniversal-owned international brand.
Sources1 sources
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