or


[08/26/10 - 04:47 AM]
Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel Threatened with Removal from At&t U-Verse(R) TV's Nationwide Channel Lineup
Customers will lose access to both channels if a new carriage distribution agreement is not reached by Tuesday, August 31.

[via press release from The Hallmark Channel]

HALLMARK CHANNEL AND HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL THREATENED WITH REMOVAL FROM AT&T U-VERSE(R) TV'S NATIONWIDE CHANNEL LINEUP

America's Most Trusted Family Networks Will Be Dropped By AT&T U-verse If Carriage Agreement Is Not Reached

STUDIO CITY, CA - August 26, 2010 - AT&T U-verse(R) TV customers will lose access to Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel, the nation's most popular family-friendly cable television networks, if a new carriage distribution agreement is not reached by Tuesday, August 31 (midnight ET). AT&T U-verse sent postcards on August 1 informing its customers they may lose Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel if an agreement is not reached by that time. More recently, AT&T notified Hallmark Channels of the possible drop. Negotiations are currently at a standstill. Viewers are encouraged to call 1-888-MADE-4-FAMILY or go to www.donttakemyhallmarkchannels.com to request to keep the networks.

Bill Abbott, President and CEO, Hallmark Channels, said, "Hallmark Channels has been a good partner and supporter of AT&T U-verse since they launched their service, and we have been negotiating in good faith with them. We hope AT&T will recognize the extraordinary value of our channels and renew the carriage agreement. At the present time, however, talks are not progressing and it is looking more likely that Hallmark Channels will be dropped from AT&T. This would be a tremendous loss to viewers who look to Hallmark Channels, America's most trusted family networks, for programming that connects people emotionally."

Joan Gundlach, Executive Vice President, Distribution, added, "AT&T U-verse TV recently went through a notable carriage renewal and is implementing the scare tactics it used to negotiate with another programmer against Hallmark Channels, one of the nation's last surviving independent cable networks. It is disappointing that AT&T U-verse does not see the value we bring to their customers and that they would wield their power to strong-arm our channels."

Hallmark Channel, which among ad-supported entertainment cable networks, ranks second for its family-friendly viewing (February �10 Millward Brown Family Friendly TV Evaluation Study), recently announced a programming deal with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia to provide a daytime lifestyle programming block on the network which is slated to premiere on September 13. Additionally, Hallmark Channel is best known for its holiday-themed programming. The network's Original Movies are high-quality and highly rated. Last December, Hallmark Channel had the highest-rated cable television movies of the week three out of four weeks.

On September 7, Hallmark Channel will announce a Q4 original programming slate that includes 14 Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premieres with stars that include Shannen Doherty, Catherine Bell, Daphne Zuniga, Doris Roberts, and more; the US Television Premiere of "Hachi: A Dog's Tale," starring Richard Gere, Joan Allen and Jason Alexander; three original music specials; the World Premiere of a Hallmark Channel Original Animated Special; live coverage of "The 122nd Tournament of Roses Parade," and much more.

Hallmark Channel, owned and operated by Crown Media Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWN), is a 24-hour basic cable network that provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment programming available in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) to a national audience of 90 million subscribers. The top tier program service is distributed through more than 5,450 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading network in providing quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies, general entertainment and home and lifestyle content. Hallmark Channel's sibling network is Hallmark Movie Channel, also available in HD and SD, which focuses on family-friendly movies with a mix of classic theatrical films, presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library, original Hallmark Channel movies and special events.

For more information, please visit www.donttakemyhallmarkchannels.com





  [august 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[05/25/12 - 03:22 PM]
Production for Season Two of "Grimm" Commences on May 30
Repeats of the series will air Mondays at 10:00/9:00c this summer as a build up to the show's return in August.

[05/25/12 - 02:26 PM]
Interview: "Mrs. Eastwood & Company" Star Dina Eastwood
E!'s latest reality entry airs Sundays at 10:00/9:00c after "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."

[05/25/12 - 01:51 PM]
Thursday's Cable Ratings: Heat Clincher Puts ESPN in Front
Plus: numbers for Animal Planet's "Swamp Wars," TLC's "On the Fly" and "Tattoo School."

[05/25/12 - 12:58 PM]
TBS's New Original Sitcom "Men at Work" Scores More than 2.6 Million Viewers And 1.6 Million Adults 18-49 in Thursday Night Debut
TBS spins the numbers for Thursday, May 24.

[05/25/12 - 11:43 AM]
Celebrate Father's Day as SOAPnet Presents "A Veronica Mars Marathon: Who's Your Daddy?" on Sunday, June 17 3PM - 7PM
The four-hour marathon revolves around whether or not Keith Mars is Veronica's biological father.

[05/25/12 - 10:29 AM]
Video: Trailers from CBS's Upfront Presentation
The full previews are now available for the Eye's new fall series.

[05/25/12 - 09:39 AM]
ABC Family Celebrates Father's Day With an All Day Marathon of Movies Dads Love Sunday, June 17 Starting at 7AM
Highlights include the basic cable premiere of "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time."

[05/25/12 - 09:33 AM]
Return to a Galaxy Far, Far Away as Spike TV Launches Into Hyperspace With the World Premiere of the Next Big "Star Wars(TM)" Game Franchise
A first look at this top secret project will be revealed on Thursday, May 31, as a part of the pre-E3 episode of Spike's hit video game show "GTTV."

[05/25/12 - 09:33 AM]
Dierks Bentley Delivers His New Hits and Adds His Own Bluegrass Touch to an Adele Smash When CMT.com Premieres "Unplugged" on Tuesday, May 29
The episode will also air as a half-hour special on Palladia (Saturday, June 2) and CMT (Monday, June 25).

[05/25/12 - 08:41 AM]
ABC's "Duets" Tops Fox's "Dance"/"Rookie Blue" Marks Most-Watched Telecast Since Aug '10
ABC spins the numbers for Thursday, May 24.

[05/25/12 - 08:37 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: "So You Think You Can Dance" Opens Summer on Top
FOX's mainstay however is down 25% from last year's launch among adults 18-49.

[05/25/12 - 08:11 AM]
Wedding Season Replaces Football Season When "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Brides" Premieres Friday, June 2 on CMT
The one-hour special features Cassie Trammell, Sunni Cranfill and Trisha Trevino "as they juggle work, school and practice all while planning their dream wedding."

[05/25/12 - 07:05 AM]
ABC to Exclusively Broadcast Celtics-Sixers Game Seven
Mike Breen and analyst Jeff Van Gundy will call the game, which starts at 8:00/7:00c, with reporter Doris Burke.

[05/25/12 - 06:34 AM]
Lifetime's Major Program Event, "The Week the Women Went," to Premiere in August
The four-part series was previously slated to launch on Wednesday, June 6.

[05/25/12 - 06:00 AM]
2012 MTV Movie Awards to Feature Exclusive Footage From "The Dark Knight Rises" on Sunday, June 3 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on MTV
Plus: Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey, stars of the upcoming film "Magic Mike," will join its impressive line-up of presenters.