SyFy Appoints Mark Stern President of Original Programming

heisenberg

heisenberg

Earl Grey
SyFy has promoted Mark Stern to president of original programming, a move that represents the rebranded network's increased focus on creating its own shows and movies. Stern, who joined the network in 2002 and was promoted to executive vice president a year later, has worked on "Battlestar Galactica," "Stargate: Atlantis," "Eureka," "Warehouse 13," and the miniseries "Tin Man," among other programs. He will remain the head of original content and scripted and unscripted development.
"It's a recognition of Mark's terrific job over the last few years and he's an amazing and talented executive," SyFy President David Howe told TheWrap at the Television Critics Association meeting in Pasadena. "We've expanded our original content, our original programming ... It's an endorsement of how important original programming is for us, how we really do need to expand the amount of original programming that we do."
The move comes as SyFy and Universal Pictures prepare to launch Syfy Films, which will develop and produce Syfy-branded theatrical movies that Universal will distribute. As previously announced, Stern will jointly oversee the new company with Universal Pictures co-chairman Donna Langley.
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http://www.thewrap.com/node/23866
 
SG-Rocks

SG-Rocks

GateFans Noob
ginogoneforever

ginogoneforever

GateFans Noob
...looks like I'll be continuing to NOT watch Syfy. Pffft... unless Stern has learned his lesson with the crapfest re-imaginings. We'll see. They have produced some fun, original progamming lately like SANTUARY and WAREHOUE 13, so...
 
heisenberg

heisenberg

Earl Grey
SciFriday: Don't Blame Mark Stern For 'Caprica,' SGU

Mark Stern finds himself in a very unique position. I can't think of any other network or cable channel where fans pretty much know the head of original programming.
Think about it. Who does original programming for CBS? For FX? How about TNT?
Programming chief is one of those positions that's usually deep in the background. Whether you succeed or fail is something that makes it not much further than the front office, and that's about it.
But Mark is someone fans know very well at Syfy. Either he's heavily praised, or he's heavily attacked. Yet, anyone who pays attention to what Syfy is airing and what it isn't knows all about Mark Stern.
Thursday, NBC Universal -- Syfy's parent -- announced that Mark was being promoted from executive vice president of programming to president of programming. What does that mean necessarily? Maybe a small payraise, and a nicer addition to his resume on the surface. But looking at the big picture, it means that NBCU is very proud of the work Mark has done, and that Comcast Corp. -- when they complete their purchase of NBCU -- plans on keeping him around.
And yes, that's a good thing.
It's funny, when you look at "Caprica" and "Stargate: Universe," there seems to be dislike for Mark no matter which side you're on. If you were a fan of either show, you blame him for their cancellation. If you weren't a fan of either show, you blame him for developing them in the first place.
But let's be clear. Mark Stern doesn't handle scheduling on the network. He helps develop new programming. I've never asked him if he was unhappy about moving these two shows to Tuesdays, but I bet if he were to give a straight answer, he wouldn't be. It was just an ill-advised move, maybe almost bone-headed. But it wasn't Mark's move.
Mark also is not the person who put wrestling on Syfy. That's the job of others. Remember, Mark's title involves "original programming." That means shows Syfy actually produces. And when you look at his track record, it's pretty darn amazing.
Mark joined Syfy in 2002. At the time, "Stargate SG-1" was doing well, and "Farscape" was still on the air. Both were solid shows for the then SciFi Channel, but for the most part, this part of cable was mostly forgotten by the average person.
But Mark has put Syfy on the map. One of his earliest moves was to commission "Battlestar Galactica" after Fox passed on the project. He brought in Ronald D. Moore to try a reimagination rather than a continuation. It was a highly controversial move at the time, but ended up being an historical move.
"Battlestar Galactica" put Syfy on the map. It proved that not only can television science-fiction be as deep and meaningful as it once was in the 1960s, but that Syfy itself can produce it.
It's one thing to push smart programming. But it's another to get shows that viewers want to see. Mark did that as well. Look at the summertime schedule of shows like "Eureka" and "Warehouse 13." They don't have the darker tones and critical acclaim of a BSG, but they have a large audience base, and the shows are fun and interesting.
And Mark is not afraid to take chances. Amanda Tapping was part of a web series that was gaining a sizable following. Mark recognized the potential, and picked up "Sanctuary" as a series, and it's now a very popular show for the network, now in the middle of its third season.
Were there bumps in the road? Of course. No one can predict every hit, or what will resonate with fans. "Flash Gordon" was a disaster. We could've done without "Painkiller Jane." And what exactly was "Mad Mad House"?
But Mark Stern is a human. And he's very passionate about science-fiction. Very passionate.
Right after Syfy rebranded, I was in Vancouver for the cable channel's annual press tour. I almost didn't go because I was going as a reporter, and was afraid too much attention might be focused on me because the whole "Syfy" naming thing was still fresh in a lot of people's heads.
At the welcoming dinner with the network president and a lot of the various executives of Syfy, I found a spot away from most, doing everything I could to stay in the background. Up until a couple months before, I had been in a rather messy public relations battle with Syfy over its incessant need to claim they created the name, when it was obvious that I did. I didn't know how some of the executives were feeling about me at the time.
But then Mark came right over to where I was sitting, sat down across from me, and spent a good 30 minutes excitedly talking to me about what was coming up on Syfy. Mark and I had never really talked that much before, and I never realized how passionate he was for the channel, for the genre and for the fans.
Mark is a fan of the fans. And from that moment on, I was a fan of Mark's.
Comcast had made it clear that when they take over, they're cleaning house. But not at Syfy. And that's good.
We might not agree with everything they are doing, but we can agree on this: They do have the fans in mind at Syfy, and as long as Mark Stern is there guiding the original programming ship, we can expect some great entertainment to come.
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http://www.airlockalpha.com/node/8173/scifriday-dont-blame-mark-stern-for-caprica-sgu.html
 
S

Stonelesscutter

Guest
SG-Rocks said:
OMG - a film to finish off the "5 year story"!?? :eek:

Is that what Mozz is talking about? Wake the bear there's more to eat!
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Where and how did you combine the articles in question on this thread with the mentioning of a film?
 
Mr. A

Mr. A

Super Moderator +
Gatefan1976 said:
Wow, that was actually a decent article from Hinman (except for his need to toot his horn about the "Syfy" name):facepalm:
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Not really. Besides that, the moron implies it was the move to Tuesday that got Crapica and SGU cancelled, and sets it as a premise. Both shows got cancelled because they SUCKED. And yes, Mark Stern is at least in part responsible for allowing them to see the light of day. Who cares about who sets the programming schedule - that's squeedrone nonsense talk:

It's funny, when you look at "Caprica" and "Stargate: Universe," there seems to be dislike for Mark no matter which side you're on. If you were a fan of either show, you blame him for their cancellation. If you weren't a fan of either show, you blame him for developing them in the first place.
But let's be clear. Mark Stern doesn't handle scheduling on the network. He helps develop new programming. I've never asked him if he was unhappy about moving these two shows to Tuesdays, but I bet if he were to give a straight answer, he wouldn't be. It was just an ill-advised move, maybe almost bone-headed. But it wasn't Mark's move.
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:rolleyes:
 
Tropicana

Tropicana

Council Member
Some seem to have forgotten, SGU was failing on the Friday timeslot, so they moved it to Tuesday; if both days can't help SGU then the show must have sucked bad.
 
Jason1983

Jason1983

GateFans Noob
Hmm

Well hopefully he gives the people what they want. I don't know why it is so difficult for TPTB network executives, writers, producers, etc to give us quality entertainment. Why don't they just emulate shows and movies that have worked in the past. I don't know it just surprises me that there isn't more good stuff out there these days. I mean networks re-run the same successful movies over and over again. Last night I was flipping back and forth between Meet the Parent, Transformers, Everyone Loves Raymond, Space Cowboys...all these Ive seen a million times...sigh...I just dont get why its so hard to write something good.
 
zzbeach

zzbeach

GateFans Noob
Where's the Science Fiction?

All these articles and yet no mention about the sci fi influences Stern may have. If I were being promoted at SyFy, there would be paragraphs about how I loved Star Trek, Star Wars, etc.... Yet every exec I've read about (Stern, Howe and Hammer) I have yet to read anything about any of the past tv shows or movies that influenced them. Is anybody at SyFy a fan of science fiction?

I just find it hard to believe that this last crop of execs inherited a Sci Friday line up that saw almost 3 million viewers every Friday and ruined it. And now many are being promoted. It doesn't make sence.
 
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