ABC Family Becomes Freeform: Worst Network Name Changes of All Time?

Yahoo TV Staff
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Update: ABC Family has announced that it will officially change its name to Freeform on January 12, 2016.

It’s been a long time since the programming on ABC Family has lived up to its name — see all the sex, drugs, murder on Pretty Little Liars — and the network is finally addressing that issue with a name change. Today ABC Family president Tom Ascheim announced that the network will be "renamed and rebranded" as Freeform starting in January 2016. "Freeform evokes the spirit and adventure of our audience,“ he said in a statement, adding that his network will appeal to "Becomers,” a demo group he defined as spanning ages 14-34. (So no, you don’t have to feel guilty about watching The Fosters as a grown-up.)

Network name changes aren’t uncommon — what is rare, however, is a network name change that results in this unified cry from viewers: "Yes, that name is so much better!“ Which leads us to our next question: Where does "ABC Family to Freeform” rank in the history of bad network name changes? Personally, we’d say it’s better than "Sci-Fi to SyFy" but worse than "Military Channel" to "American Heroes Channel.“ But what we think isn’t important: Let us know your picks for worst network name change of all time. Just a few thought-starters:

  • ABC Family to Freeform

  • Sci-Fi to SyFy

  • TV Guide Channel to Pop

  • Court TV to truTV

  • PAX to ion

  • Other (specify in comments)