HALLMARK CHANNEL LAUNCHES A NEW HOLIDAY TRADITION: A CHRISTMAS TV RATINGS SYSTEM FOR ALL ORIGINAL PROGRAMS IN THE NETWORK'S ANNUAL "COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS" CAMPAIGN

Hallmark Channel's COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS: More True Holiday-Themed Programming Than any Other Network

Hallmark Channel's annual COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS campaign is the anticipation of celebrating timeless holiday traditions. Enduring traditions are indigenous to the storytelling in every Hallmark Original holiday program. Today, the network announces it will begin a new Christmas tradition in 2011: the Christmas TV ratings system. The Christmas TV ratings system highlights which holiday traditions viewers will observe within the program's story. The Christmas TV ratings include: S for Santa, T for Christmas Tree, J for Joy, F for Family Meal, G for Gathering, P for Presents and C for Caring. The Christmas TV ratings system is included in customized feature film opens for all new Hallmark Channel Original Movies and Specials. For example, "Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas" is rated T for Christmas Tree, J for Joy and G for Gathering. Hallmark Channel's COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS features more true holiday-themed programming than any other network.

Some Hallmark Channel Original Movies and Specials Christmas TV ratings include:

"Lucky Christmas" Premieres Saturday, November 12 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"Cancel Christmas" Premieres Sunday, November 13 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"A Christmas Wedding Tail" Premieres Saturday, November 19 (6p.m. ET/PT, 5C)

"The Case for Christmas" Premieres Saturday, November 19 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"A Christmas Wish" Premieres Sunday, November 20 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"Jingle All the Way" Premieres Friday, November 25 (8 p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas" Premieres Saturday, November 26 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"Holiday Engagement" Premieres Sunday, November 27 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"A Princess for Christmas" Premieres Saturday, December 3 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"Annie Claus is Coming to Town" Premieres Saturday, December 10 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"The Christmas Pageant" Premieres Sunday, December 11 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"Christmas Comes Home to Canaan" Premieres Saturday, December 17 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

"Christmas Magic" Premieres Sunday, December 18 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)

Hallmark Channel, owned and operated by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., 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 87 million subscribers. The top tier program service is distributed through approximately 5,492 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country.

Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading network in quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies, lifestyle and general entertainment content, and is the home of "The Martha Stewart Show", which anchors the channel's daytime original programming block. Hallmark Channel's sibling network is Hallmark Movie Channel, also available in HD and SD, which focuses on the 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.