HALLMARK CHANNEL BRINGS CHRISTMAS CHEER TO MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE(R) WITH DEBUT OF FIRST-EVER FLOAT, "HEARTWARMING HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN"

Hallmark Channel, the Heart of TV and home of beloved annual programming tradition, Countdown to Christmas, is introducing a new holiday custom this year with the debut of its own signature float in the 89th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade(R). Designed and built by the engineers at Macy's Parade Studio, Hallmark Channel's "Heartwarming Holiday Countdown" float will spotlight a special live performance and dazzle more than 3.5 million spectators lining the route in New York City and over 50 million viewers watching in homes across the country on Thanksgiving Day.

This announcement comes as Hallmark Channel gears up for its biggest holiday programming celebration ever with Countdown to Christmas, which will kick off on October 31st and feature 24/7 holiday fare, including 17 new original movie premieres. The network will also unveil its inaugural Thanksgiving Weekend Event featuring an unprecedented 5 consecutive nights of new original movie premieres from Wednesday, November 25th - Sunday, November 29th.

"For nearly 90 years, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been one of the most iconic holiday events on television," said Susanne McAvoy, executive vice president, marketing, creative and communications, Crown Media Family Networks. "It made perfect sense for Hallmark Channel to join the Parade lineup this year as we launch our first-ever Thanksgiving Weekend Event in conjunction with Countdown to Christmas, a cherished seasonal tradition in its own right."

"For decades, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been synonymous with holiday entertainment for millions of families and it's a natural fit for us to welcome Hallmark Channel to the line-up as they too help foster the excitement of the season with their entertainment programming," said Amy Kule, executive producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "We are so thrilled to welcome Hallmark Channel to the Macy's Parade with this spectacularly whimsical float that helps fans countdown to Christmas Day, after kicking off the holiday season at our world-famous celebration."

At approximately 36-feet long and 30-feet tall, the float evokes the spirit and anticipation of the Christmas season, with a multi-tiered, life-sized advent calendar theme. The design features a cascading tower of toy and package-filled compartments and pull-out drawers emblazoned with red and green numbers from 1-25 signifying the countdown to the big day. Both sides of the float include festive living room tableaus complete with stocking-hung fireplaces. At the top of the float, a large "December 25" sign will be the backdrop for the stage, where one of the nation's most popular recording artists will wow audiences.

The 89th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade airs nationwide on NBC-TV, on Thursday, November 26th, 2015 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. in all time zones.

ABOUT HALLMARK CHANNEL

Hallmark Channel is Crown Media Family Networks' flagship 24-hour cable television network, distributed nationwide in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) to 90 million homes. The country's leading destination for quality family entertainment, Hallmark Channel delivers on the 100-year legacy of the Hallmark brand. In addition to its signature original movies, the network features an ambitious lineup of other original content, including scripted primetime series, such as Cedar Cove, Good Witch, and When Calls the Heart; annual specials like Kitten Bowl and Hero Dog Awards and; a daily 2-hour lifestyle show, Home & Family. Additionally, in November 2014, Hallmark Channel became the exclusive home to world premiere presentations of the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame franchise. Dedicated to helping viewers celebrate life's special moments, Hallmark Channel also offers such annual holiday programming events as Countdown to Christmas and Countdown to Valentine's Day. Rounding out the network's diverse slate are television's most beloved sitcoms and series, including The Golden Girls, The Middle, Little House on the Prairie, and Frasier. Complementing Hallmark Channel's light-hearted and comedic fare, sibling network Hallmark Movies & Mysteries presents a unique mix of content that is more dramatic in tone, including original movies and such acquired series Matlock, Murder She Wrote, and Hart to Hart.

Crown Media Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWN), owns and operates Crown Media Family Networks.

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ABOUT Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

With more than 50 million viewers across the country and more than 3.5 million spectators that line up along the streets of New York City each year, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a national icon that has grown into a world-famous holiday event. For almost 90 years, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked the official start of the holiday season. Growing in size and scale, the Parade proudly marches down a more than 2-mile route in New York City with more than 8,000 participants in tow including Macy's employees, their families, celebrities, athletes, clowns and dance groups spreading holiday cheer. The Parade also features America's best marching bands, fabulous floats and Macy's signature giant helium character balloons. For spectator information on the Macy's Parade please visit www.macys.com/parade or call the Parade hotline at (212) 494-4495. For press information, please visit macysparadepress.com.