GAC Media A photo from GAC Family's Love in Bloom movie.
GAC Media is making a lot of changes this summer and fall. Its changing the names of two of its TV networks, launching a third new network, a new social media app, and kicking off a new series of Saturday night movies.
GAC Media is headed by Bill Abbott, the former CEO of the Hallmark Channel. Some Hallmark stars, including Candace Cameron Bure and Danica McKellar, have signed contracts with the network.
‘Retreat to Paradise’ Kicks Off the Saturday Night Movies
GAC Family is kicking off a series of new movies every Saturday night through October 21, starting on August 20. A new movie will premiere weekly for two months, leading up to GAC Family’s Christmas movie kickoff. A Hallmark star will be leading one of the first two movies kicking off the season.
“Retreat to Paradise” starts the event. The movie was made in 2020 and has aired on some streaming platforms. However, GAC Media noted in its press release that this is the movie’s “US Cable Television Premiere.” The movie stars Melanie Stone, Casey Elliott, and Brian Krause.
The synopsis reads: “Ellie Vaughn (Stone) tends to cantankerous and injured international tennis star Jordan Greer (Elliott) as he heals from a potentially career-ending shoulder injury. Jordan’s fear of being in even more pain and his lack of motivation has Ellie desiring to leave him in his misery, though longtime coach Neal (Krause) is not ready to throw in the towel on the idea that Jordan will recover and return to the courts.”
GAC Family’s second new movie is “Love in Bloom” premiering August 27. According to a press release, the movie stars Julian Haig and Susie Abromeit.
The synopsis reads: “Amelia (Abromeit) has the perfect life; a successful floristry in Chicago and a boyfriend who is about to propose. When her soon-to-be-married little sister and fiancé become marooned at a mountain retreat days before their wedding in Primrose River Australia, Amelia and the Best Man, Grayson Tanner (Haig), are tasked with stepping in to save the wedding. Amelia finds new meaning in the town’s beautiful gardens, and love when she least expects it.”
GAC Family will kick off its second season of new Christmas movies on October 28. The network has already announced one movie in the lineup: “The Christmas Farm,” starring Jill Wagner and Cameron Mathison.
Bill Abbott Is Renaming 2 of GAC’s TV Networks
Abbott is also renaming two of GAC Media’s TV networks, NextTV reported. GAC Living will be renamed Great American Living. GAC Family will be renamed Great American Family. The change will take place in August.
A New Streaming TV Channel Is Launching
GAC Media is also launching a third TV network in the form of a free streaming TV channel supported by ads, NextTV reported. The channel, called Great American Adventures, will be hosted on Comcast’s Xumo streaming service.
The channel will have 500 hours of scripted and unscripted TV, including “Southern Fried Skinnyfied with Paige Duke” and “Patti LaBelle’s Place,” NextTV reported.
Erin McIlvain, chief officer, distribution and content strategy for GAC Media, said about the new channel: “The launch of Great American Adventures is a new growth milestone for GAC Media as the company expands into the FAST TV sector. This new partnership with Xumo will broaden the viewing ecosystem for our content allowing us to reach a new audience while further serving our existing fans with entertaining programming that celebrates Americana.”
GAC Media Is Also Launching a Social Media App
As Heavy previously reported, the network is also launching a social media app. The app is launching in September 2022 in all mobile app stores, and it’s called Great American Community.
It will feature “short-form lifestyle, seasonal and holiday content.” So far, more than 200 hours of original content have been commissioned for the app.
Abbott said in a press statement about the app: “Since launching GAC Family original programming last October, fans have been asking us for more opportunities to engage with our roster of talent, which we believe is the best in the business. Great American Community will serve as a stand-alone app delivering a completely new experience for consumers hungry for trusted, family-friendly content that is relevant to their lives. We’re thrilled to be rolling out the app in time for the fall season, and look forward to working closely with brand partners as we offer this groundbreaking opportunity to align with our talent and connect with GAC’s passionate fans.”