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During Hallmark Media’s panel at the 2024 TCA (Television Critics Association) Summer Press Tour, journalists asked about Hallmark’s competition with GAF (Great American Family) and whether the network might push more into “racier” films as GAF pushed further right in its political leanings.
Bill Abbott, former CEO of The Hallmark Channel, launched Great American Family (formerly called GAC Family) after leaving Hallmark.
Hallmark executives shared that they weren’t interested in making their movies racier, and they weren’t focusing on what GAF is doing.
Here’s what you need to know.
Hallmark’s CEO Said They Don’t ‘Obsess’ Over Competition
During the TCA panel, journalists asked Hallmark executives about Hallmark’s competition with GAF and how it might factor into their choices. One journalist asked how Hallmark felt about GAF sometimes “poaching” talent, shared Kate O’Hare, who attended the event.
Hallmark Cards, Inc. President and CEO, Mike Perry, replied, “We don’t obsess over the competition,” O’Hare shared.
Two other TCA attendees confirmed the response, with each having a slightly different version of the quote with the same meaning. Jay Bobbin, TCA member, said that Perry replied: “We don’t obsess about the competition. We obsess over our fans.”
Matt Mitovich of TVLine, who attended the same event, shared a similar quote worded just slightly differently.
“We really do not obsess over the competition,” he quoted Perry as saying. “We obsess over our viewers.”
TCA attendee Philiana, who writes for publications like The Wrap, said the responses from Hallmark about GAF were diplomatic.
Perry was appointed president and CEO of Hallmark Cards, Inc. in June 2019 after working at Hallmark since 1989, according to a Hallmark press statement. Perry stepped in to lead the day-to-day operations of Hallmark Media also in August 2023, after Hallmark announced that the previous President & CEO, Wonya Lucas, was stepping down.
Lucas said at the time that she felt like she had done “all the things I set out to do” and fulfilled Perry’s mission for her, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Hallmark Also Said It Wouldn’t Lean Into Racier Movies
During the same panel, Lisa Hamilton Daly, EVP of Programming for Hallmark Media, said they wouldn’t consider making some of their holiday movies racier as GAF moves more to the right.
Emily Longeretta of Variety tweeted: “When asked whether they’d consider more ‘racy holiday movies’ or plan to ‘move more to the left as GAF moves more to the right?’ EVP Lisa Hamilton Daly answers straight-forward: ‘No.'”
Meghan O’Keefe of Decider, who also attended the TCA panel, shared the same response on her X account, noting that Daly said “no” when asked if Hallmark might move more politically left.
Maxwell McGuire, who’s directed a number of Hallmark films including the recent “Falling Like Snowflakes,” shared on X that Lifetime has a good opportunity to lean into spicier holiday films to carve out a different niche than Hallmark.
The reply came after the X account SleepyKittyPaw tweeted that Netflix and Lifetime shouldn’t just duplicate Hallmark, but “put your own spin on” holiday movies and make them “just a smidge racier.”
McGuire replied: “I totally agree. Specifically lifetime. I think it’s a great opportunity to add some spice that they allow on their thrillers (sexual tension, not murders) into their Christmas. Awesome opportunity to claim the territory and have viewers who already like that!”
Hallmark Announced a New Streaming Service with New Shows
During the TCA panel, Hallmark made a number of big announcements. They shared that they’re launching a new streaming service that will replace Hallmark Movies Now. The new service will be called Hallmark+ and is launching sometime in mid-September.
The service will also have a game-ified element to it, Emily Longeretta of Variety shared.
The platform will also feature a number of unscripted reality series, including ones hosted by Lacey Chabert, Jonathan Bennett, Wes Brown, Ashley Williams, and Luke Macfarlane, Variety reported.
Bennett’s show will be a reality competition that picks the new Hallmark hunk holiday star. Hallmark Media announced that Melissa Peterman will help Bennett judge the 10 contestants for the show called “Finding Mr. Christmas,” EW reported. The series will be filmed on a ranch in Utah.
The winner will get a leading role in a 2024 Countdown to Christmas movie, TVLine reported.
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