While networks like G4 struggled to gain an audience of 1 thousand viewers in 2022, Great American Family becomes the fastest-growing network on cable despite opposition from progressives are upset at the lack of LGBTQ programming.
Great American Family was birthed after Hallmark Channel CEO Bill Abbott left the network in 2020 and joined Great American Media in order to push back against the new direction taken by his former company, which began to prioritize “Diversity and Inclusion” over family-friendly entertainment.
George Zaralidis, vice president of network programming for Hallmark Media subsidiary Crown Media Family Networks, told NBC in 2020, “Diversity and inclusion is a top priority for us and we look forward to making some exciting programming announcements in the coming months, including announcements about projects featuring LGBTQ storylines, characters, and actors.”
The fallout of Hallmark caving to the GLAAD lobby caused a revolt within the company and many of their top stars decided to sign elsewhere. One of the biggest names to jump ship from Hallmark Channel was Candace Cameron Bure who thanked the fans of Great American Family for tuning in making the network “the fastest-growing network” in cable.
On social media, the official Twitter account for Great American Family wrote, “Great news for Great American Media’s #GreatAmericanFamily to end 2022 & an even better way to start 2023. Happy New Year to everyone who helped make this happen, from people on-camera & off, but especially our viewers!”
The post included a screenshot of Great American Family’s press release, wherein the network’s CEO, Bill Abbott, shared the news as the company closed out Fourth Quarter 2022 as the fastest-growing network in all of cable television.
“In only its second year, the emerging leader in original Christmas movies ranked #1 in Total Day ratings growth in Households (+113%), People 18-49 (+100%) and Total Viewers (+116%), and #1 in Primetime ratings growth in Households (+128%) among all cable networks,” Abbott revealed.
He went on, “In only its second year, the emerging leader in original Christmas movies ranked #1 in Total Day ratings growth in Households (+113%), People 18-49 (+100%) and Total Viewers (+116%), and #1 in Primetime ratings growth in Households (+128%) among all cable networks.”
“Fourth Quarter 2022 viewership growth was driven by the network’s Great American Christmas franchise which featured 18 original Christmas movies and fan-favorite stars including Candace Cameron Bure, Danica McKellar, Gladys Knight, Jen Lilley and more,” he further explained.
Abbott elaborated, “The expanded slate of 18 films marked a 50% increase in the network’s holiday movie offering in year two and further established Great American Family as a destination for original Christmas movies.”
“In addition to the fast-growing Great American Christmas franchise, the network features year-round seasonal programming events, including Autumn Harvest and Great American Winter, which feature original movies celebrating faith, family and country,” the statement concluded.
Candace Cameron Bure — actress and recently appointed chief creative officer of Great American Family — reacted to the news on social media, thanking viewers for helping the network grow. “Thank you for finding us and watching Great American Family Channel,” Bure simply wrote in an Instagram story, as reported by Christian Post.
Bure was the target of progressive left-wing outrage after stating that GAC was unlikely to air any programming featuring same-sex couples.
“I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core,” the actress told The Wall Street Journal last November.
Bure further explained that we know the core audience and what they love is exactly how Bill originally built the Hallmark Channel.
“That was Christmas and those traditional holidays, so that’s what the focus is going to be,” she asserted in a separate interview with Variety. “You’ve got to start somewhere. You can’t do everything at once.”
Bure’s comments sparked outrage from progressives within the entertainment industry such as former fellow Hallmark star Hilarie Burton Morgan, who took to Twitter lashed out by calling Bure a ‘bigot.’
“Now they’re just openly admitting their bigotry,” wrote Burton. “I called this s—t out years ago when Abbott was at Hallmark. Glad they dumped him.”
She then added, “Being LGBTQ isn’t a ‘trend’. That guy and his network are disgusting. You too Candy. There is nothing untraditional about same-sex couples.”
Bure responded to the backlash on her comments by saying GAC entertainment is needed now more than ever.
“It breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone,” she said in a fairly lengthy post on Instagram. “It saddens me that the media is often seeking to divide us, even around a subject as comforting and merry as Christmas movies.
She added, “But, given the toxic climate in our culture right now, I shouldn’t be surprised. We need Christmas more than ever.”
Great American Family is building a platform with notable stars such as Danica McKellar, Jen Lilley, Jessica Lowndes, Cameron Mathison, and Debbie Matenopoulos who have made the jump from Hallmark Channel in the last couple of years.
What are your thoughts on GAC growing it’s viewer base?