Syfy Rebranding Sci Fi Wire as Blastr.com

Syfy is rebranding its popular Sci Fi Wire blog, changing the name to Blastr.com and adding more content. Sci Fi Wire had served primarily as a news site focusing on science fiction, the new site will expand the range of subjects covered. Blastr will officially launch tomorrow, July 15, and will feature a "daily curated smorgasbord of news, features, images, popular science, videos and guest bloggers," according to the network. The new site will feature guest bloggers and writers, including Jewel Staite from Firefly and "Stargate: Atlantis," as well as Phil Plait, the author of the popular Bad Astronomy blog, who will write about the intersection of science and science fiction. It will also feature enhanced social networking connectivity, letting users share their favorite articles on Twitter and Facebook more easily. "Blastr.com is the next step in the evolution of Sci Fi Wire, which has grown from a site solely about news to a daily curated experience about all things related to science fiction, fantasy, horror and the imagination," said senior VP and GM of Syfy Digital Craig Engler. "We've been testing new features and ideas, crowd-sourcing concepts with our readers and lining up some fantastic guest writers, all of which will culminate with the launch of Blastr.com on July 15." The press release is after the jump POPULAR SCI FI WIRE EXPANDING AS BLASTR.COM RECORD GROWTH CONTINUES WITH A NEW SOCIALLY CONNECTED SITE, A HOST OF NEW GUEST BLOGGERS AND REGULAR WRITERS, AND TREND-SETTING NEW FEATURES New York, New York - July 14, 2010 Ã¢â‚¬" Following a record-setting year featuring traffic growth of more than 50%, Sci Fi Wire, the premiere online destination for entertainment news about science fiction, fantasy and horror, is poised to get even bigger. Sci Fi Wire will relaunch as Blastr.com on July 15, expanding its scope from a news site to a daily curated smorgasbord of news, features, images, popular science, videos and guest bloggers, it was announced by Craig Engler, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Syfy Digital. "Blastr.com is the next step in the evolution of Sci Fi Wire, which has grown from a site solely about news to a daily curated experience about all things related to science fiction, fantasy, horror and the imagination," Engler said. "We've been testing new features and ideas, crowd-sourcing concepts with our readers and lining up some fantastic guest writers, all of which will culminate with the launch of Blastr.com on July 15." The new Blastr line-up will include: * A series of guest writers starting with fan favorite actor Jewel Staite from Firefly and Stargate: Atlantis, and another Atlantis alum, actor and director David Hewlett * A regular guest blog by well-known astronomer and Discover Magazine writer Phil Plait, who will write about the intersection of popular science and science fiction * A regular feature where Syfy executive Craig Engler tells viewers who Syfy works behind-the-scenes and answers their questions * A series of in-depth looks at popular trends, such as a "remake tracker" that keeps tabs on 135+ sci-fi, fantasy and horror TV and film remakes that are in the works, and the definitive list of "101 sci-fi things you have to do before you die" * New social networking tie-ins that let Blastr visitors read and share stories on sites like Facebook and Twitter, and on devices like Android phones and iPhones. The launch of Blastr will continue the momentum of record-setting growth Sci Fi Wire has enjoyed in the first half of 2010. In May, Sci Fi Wire capped three months of increases by reaching one million unique visitors for the first time in history. Then in June, Sci Fi Wire shattered that record by growing another 40% to reach 1.4 million unique visitors, along with a 31% increase in page views. Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in 95 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. Syfy. Imagine greater.

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Syfy Rebranding Sci Fi Wire as Blastr.com

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