SCI FI'S 'VISIONS FOR TOMORROW' ANNOUNCES 'TOP THINGS TO READ, WATCH, AND DO TO SAVE THE WORLD' ONLINE POLL RESULTS
Blade Runner, Firefly, and 1984 Triumph in Their Categories
SCI FI Partners With Booksfree.com To Encourage Reading Voted The Number One Thing To Do To Save The World
New York, NY June 16, 2008 SCI FI's Visions For Tomorrow, a public affairs initiative utilizing the power of science fiction to positively impact the future, conducted the "Top Things To Read, Watch, And Do To Save The World" online poll to discover which works of science fiction film, television, and literature resonate most with people and the courses of action they inspire. As evidenced by the nearly 20,000 who cast their vote, science fiction's influence on popular culture is undeniable. Crowning the lists are: Blade Runner, the film depicting a dystopian Los Angeles in the year 2019; George Orwell's 1984, the novel that introduced the concept of "big brother"; and Firefly, the short-lived cult television series set in 2517, following the adventures of a renegade crew in a new star system.
Reading was identified as the number one course of action inspired by science fiction that can save the world. To encourage people to read, SCI FI has partnered with Booksfree.com, the largest online paperback and audiobook rental service. A special 20% discount will be given to members who sign up for the service from SCI FI's Visions For Tomorrow Web site (www.visionsfortomorrow.net).
SCI FI's Visions For Tomorrow "Top Things To Read, Watch, And Do To Save The World" are:
TOP 10 BOOKS TO READ
1984 by George Orwell v
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
The Stand by Stephen King
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
TOP 10 TELEVISION SHOWS TO WATCH
Firefly
Battlestar Galactica (2004)
The X-Files
Heroes
Stargate: SG-1
Doctor Who
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Babylon 5
Star Trek
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
TOP 10 FILMS TO WATCH
Blade Runner (1982)
The Matrix (1999)
The Terminator (1984)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Children of Men (2006)
Armageddon (1998)
TOP 10 THINGS TO DO
Read.
Recycle.
Register to vote! Cast your ballot in November.
Eat healthier.
Be kind.
Empower children and yourself through education.
Protect wildlife.
Conserve energy by switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).
Plant a tree and print less paper.
Give blood.
The final lists produced some interesting facts:
H.G. Wells, who some consider "The Father of Science Fiction", is the most celebrated author on the list with The War of The Worlds and The Time Machine.
Gene Rodenberry's invaluable contribution to science fiction on television is recognized twice with Star Trek, the original series, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Academy Award winning director Steven Spielberg has directed the most films on the list with Jurassic Park and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
SCI FI's Visions For Tomorrow is a multi-platform, public affairs campaign using the power of science fiction to inspire individuals, organizations, corporations and policymakers to meet the growing challenges of the future and advance the idea that individuals can affect positive change. Guided by an advisory board of 19 of the world's most relevant visionaries and innovators in science, technology, design, journalism, film, television, business, government and future studies, the campaign utilizes public service announcements, educational curricula, and an interactive Web site (www.visionsfortomorrow.net) to impact the future.
SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 93 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.
