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Syfy, known as the Sci Fi Channel prior to summer 2009, is an American cable network dedicated to broadcasting original and syndicated science fiction programming. From 2006 to 2008, it broadcast the revived Doctor Who.
The network, which is affiliated with NBC, was originally offered broadcast rights to the 2005 series, but rejected it. The reasons given in contemporary news reports and fan forums was that Sci Fi passed because the show was considered "too British", and because of quality concerns.[1]
Ultimately, however, Sci Fi changed its mind and announced in January 2006 that it would air the series beginning in March 2006, a full year after the UK and the Canadian CBC network. It subsequently picked up the following seasons and, by 2008, it was broadcasting the series within a couple of weeks of its UK telecast and far ahead of its Canadian counterpart. Also in 2008, Sci Fi aired the first season of the spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures. It did not receive US broadcast rights to Torchwood, as those went instead to BBC America.
The broadcaster is regularly criticised by fans for its editing of episodes in order to fit in commercials.
In May 2009 it was announced that Sci Fi/Syfy had lost the first broadcast rights to The Next Doctor and the 2009 specials in the US, which aired on BBC America. [2] BBC America subsequently also obtained first broadcast rights to Series 5. It's not known if Syfy still plans to air rebroadcasts.
The network has so far also chosen not to broadcast Series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures; as a result, the season was released to DVD in the fall of 2009 in North America as well as Britain without having first been broadcast in North America. Its current status with regards to Syfy is unknown.
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