Hallmark fans are concerned about how the network's plans to revamp their channels will impact programming.
Why Is Hallmark Renaming Its Channels?
If it isn't broken, why fix it? Hallmark's popularity has exploded over recent years as more and more people have continued to turn to the brand for feel-good movies with happy endings. To meet the demand for entertainment that celebrates all seasons of the year, the company has consistently offered a full slate of new movies for New Year, New Movies, Loveuary, Spring into Love, Summer Nights, Fall into Love, and Countdown to Christmas and Miracles of Christmas events.
It's not uncommon for networks to rebrand to stay fresh and competitive and court different demographics for their viewership, but Hallmark brass points to another reason for the change.
Lisa Hamilton Daly, Hallmark programming EVP, says the goal is to "ensure that viewing experiences across all networks and platforms are uniquely authentic." It seems Hallmark wants to streamline its channels so that each one offers a genre-specific lineup with the appropriate feel.
What Are the New Names for Hallmark's Channels and When Will They Change?
It looks like Hallmark Channel itself will remain unaffected.
Hallmark Drama, however, will change to Hallmark Family on February 28. According to the channel's recent tweet (which was later deleted), viewers can expect to "continue to enjoy timeless storytelling for the whole family centered around faith, love, and community."
The word choices are very interesting. Great American Family (GAF), a channel birthed by former Hallmark Channel CEO, Bill Abbott, has branded his network as one that celebrates faith, family, and country. GAF has enjoyed a long winning streak of being the fastest growing network, which makes one question if Hallmark Drama's rebrand to Hallmark Family is in response to GAF's growing popularity. When Hallmark began introducing LGBTQ characters into their storylines, fans rejected the perversion and flocked to GAF for programs that reflected their morals and values, and GAF has continued to fill the void that Hallmark created.
Currently, syndicated shows comprise much of Hallmark Drama's schedule, with only one movie per weeknight and several on weekends. Hallmark's comment that viewers can "continue to enjoy timeless storytelling...." sounds like a nice way of saying the channel will primarily be playing oldies. We will have to wait and see.
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will become Hallmark Mystery on March 6. This means the channel will be focused on airing "fun and engaging mysteries," according to Daly.
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries has already been moving in this direction. After canceling older mysteries like Mystery 101, Garage Sale Mysteries, and others, the network has replaced them with new favorites, like Curious Caterer, The Dancing Detective, and Gilded Newport Mysteries.
Hallmark star, Paul Campbell, just announced that Hallmark has given the greenlight for a second movie in The Cases of Mystery Lane franchise. True Justice: Family Ties premiered earlier this year with Nikki DeLoach and Benjamin Ayres, and Crimetime: Freefall is set to air near the end of February.
Sleuthers have asked for more mysteries, and Hallmark is producing them--signed, sealed, and delivered!
Fans Are Concerned How Hallmark's Changes Will Affect Their Viewing and Have Questions
The biggest concern of fans is how the change will affect the annual Miracles of Christmas. This brand of holiday movie is typically more dramatic. Hallmark has indicated that Christmas movies will air on Hallmark Mystery, but they will be infused with more mystery. Does this mean the premieres will still be moving and dramatic but with added mystery, or will the heartfelt, tearjerkers now fall under the Hallmark Family umbrella? If so, this presents a problem for viewers. Hallmark Drama is available for streaming, but many basic cable packages don't include the channel. Fans who can't afford to purchase higher-tiered cable plans or add another streaming service are worried they will miss the movies.
Is Hallmark Family be branded as a "cleaner" more family-friendly channel to win back the viewers they lost to Great American Family due to their insistence on including LGBTQ characters?
Mystery fans seem to be the biggest winners in all of this. Plans for more mystery movies and series are in the works. Hallmark Channel will likely continue with light-hearted romcoms, but it remains to be seen where fans of drama will turn to when they want a movie with less fluff and more substance, if they aren't able to afford adding Hallmark Family to their plans.
