NBC Universal’s Sci Fi Channel has launched a broadband TV service, called "Sci Fi Pulse." The service currently features complete episodes of select Sci Fi Channel original series, full-length uncut Sci Fi Channel original movies, behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes and more. During the summer, it will start rolling out exclusive original content, including a weekly news show, Webisode spin-offs of Sci Fi Channel shows, and user-generated video. It will also host the return of the channel’s "Exposure" online film festival. "’Sci Fi Pulse’ delivers on our commitment to exploit new digital opportunities for our audience to enjoy and get involved in our programming," Sci Fi Channel general manager, Dave Howe, said in a prepared statement. "Our broadband channel is primed to be the category-killer destination for genre content on the Web, and will further strengthen our relationship with our viewers, building an even bigger online community."
The new service’s Webisode offerings are part of NBC Universal’s "TV 360" multiplatform content strategy (note: for more on the strategy, see [itvt]’s recent interview with NBC Universal’s director of interactive TV product development, Jonathan Dakss, in Issue 6.71). The Sci Fi Channel’s participation in the initiative will see it offering original Webisodes of "Battlestar Galactica," and of its forthcoming shows, "Eureka" and "Motel Man" (note: the latter is a working title). It will also see every Sci Fi Channel show currently in development offering some kind of unique broadband component.
Sci Fi Pulse will also feature a fair amount of interactivity in addition to providing content on-demand. The Sci Fi Channel plans to post several potential series pilots on the service for viewer feedback, and says that the fate of the pilots will be "determined in large part" by their reception by Sci Fi Pulse viewers. The Exposure festival, meanwhile, will present Sci Fi Pulse viewers with a series of short films and invite them to vote for their favorites. The films with the most votes will be featured in a two-hour special that will air on the Sci Fi Channel and, possibly, on other NBC Universal linear channels, and viewers will then vote for the best film from the special. The filmmakers with the most votes will have the opportunity to be involved in creating one of the Sci Fi Channel’s Saturday night action movies.
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