Hallmark Channel

Infobox TV channel
name= Hallmark Channel
logosize=200px
logofile= Hallmark Channel.svg
logoalt= Hallmark Channel Logo
Slogan= Make Yourself At Home
launch= August 5, 2001| headquarters= Newark, New Jersey, United States
share=0.6%
share as of= 2006-01
share source= [http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/monthreports.cfm?report=monthgmulti]
owner= International: NBC Universal Global Networks
United States: Crown Media Holdings,The Jim Henson Company
former names= ACTS, VISN; Faith and Values Channel;Odyssey Network
replaced names=
sister names= Hallmark Movie Channel
timeshift names=
web= [http://www.hallmarkchannelint.com/ Hallmark Channel International]
[http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/ Hallmark Channel United States]
availability note
sat serv 1=Dish Network
sat chan 1=Channels 185, 896
sat serv 2=DirecTV
sat chan 2=Channel 312
sat serv 3=Sky Angel
sat chan 3=Channel 9729
sat serv 4=Astro (Malaysia)
sat chan 4=Channel 702
sat serv 5=TrueVisions (Thailand)
sat chan 5=Channel 16
sat serv 6=Digiturk
sat chan 6=Channel 13
sat serv 7=Dialog TV
sat chan 7=Channel 38 (Testing)
sat serv 8=Dream (Philippines)
sat chan 8=Channel 18
sat serv 9=TotalTV (Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia)
sat chan 9=Channel 61
sat serv 10=SKY Latin America
sat chan 10=Channel 420
sat serv 11=Sky Italia
sat chan 11=Channel 136
sat serv 12=Dstv
sat chan 12=Channel 108
sat serv 13=Yes (Israel)
sat chan 13=Channel 5
sat serv 14=NTV Plus
sat chan 14=
sat serv 15=Showtime Arabia
sat chan 15=
sat serv 16=Cyfra+
sat chan 16=Channel 44
cable serv 1=US cable systems
cable chan 1=Check local listings
cable serv 2=now TV (Hong Kong)
cable chan 2=Channel 123
cable serv 3=Starhub (Singapore)
cable chan 3=Channel 17
cable serv 4=SkyCable Gold (Philippines)
cable chan 4=Channel 37
cable serv 5=Global Destiny (Philippines)
cable chan 5=Channel 38
cable serv 6=TrueVisions (Thailand)
cable chan 6=Channel 16
cable serv 7=First Media (Indonesia)
cable chan 7=Channel 299
cable serv 8=Hot (Israel)
cable chan 8=Channel 19
cable serv 9=UCS (Bangladesh)
cable chan 9=Channel 47
adsl serv 1=Sky Angel
adsl chan 1=Channel 301

The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts in over 100 countries. They specialize in series and movies that are appropriate for the whole family. In all countries except the United States they are owned by Sparrowhawk Media Group. The Hallmark name is licensed from Hallmark Cards, Inc. [http://www.sparrowhawkmedia.com/ Sparrowhawk Media ] ]

The Hallmark Channel in the United States is owned by Crown Media Holdings, in turn majority-owned by Hallmark Cards.

The Hallmark Channel USA

In the United States, the network began as a merger between VISN (the Vision Interfaith Satellite Network), and the ACTS (American Christian Television Station) Network. The combined network initially ran under both names, but was later named the Faith and Values Channel, and originally broadcast religious programming only. More secular programming was started in 1996 when the channel was renamed the Odyssey Channel, using the domain name Odysseyfamily.com for posting TV listings. Hallmark Entertainment and The Jim Henson Company bought stakes in Odyssey in November 1998.After Odyssey Network shut down Henson's half of the channel Hallmark took over.The channel was officially renamed on August 5, 2001.

Today, Hallmark specializes in airing past segments from their parent company's "Hallmark Hall of Fame" anthology series, which features made-for-television movies and miniseries, most of them from the series' CBS run. Older shows, such as "The Waltons", "7th Heaven", "Little House on the Prairie", "M*A*S*H", "Gilligan's Island", "Matlock", "The Brady Bunch", "Diagnosis Murder", "Murder, She Wrote", and "Walker, Texas Ranger" are rerun many times a day and replaced the religious programming that aired on the channel for over a decade. Other shows, such as "JAG", "Hogan's Heroes", "Family Ties", "Nanny and the Professor", "Gunsmoke", "Bewitched", "Perry Mason", and "Judging Amy", have rerun briefly on the network. Hallmark began airing its own weekday morning show entitled New Morning in 2002 and added a Sunday morning version hosted by Naomi Judd entitled Naomi's New Morning in 2005.

In October 2006, Henry Schleiff was appointed the new CEO, overseeing all of the networks’ divisions. Prior to this position, Schleiff was Chairman and CEO of Court TV. [ [http://www.unicefusa.org/about/leadership/board/henry-schleiff.html Unicef contributor's profile] ]

In January 2007, Hallmark Channel dropped the Hallmark crown from its logo, but still uses it in certain places on-air, and in other countries.

In February 2008, the Hillary Clinton campaign purchased an hour of Hallmark Channel's primetime under a paid programming arrangement on February 4, 2008, the day before the multi-state "Super Tuesday (2008)" primaries. [ [http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/cabletv/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003705031 Clinton Buys Block on Hallmark] Mediaweek 2008-01-31]

Current programming

* "7th Heaven"
* "Diagnosis Murder"
* "Little House on the Prairie"
* "M*A*S*H"
* "Matlock"
* "Murder, She Wrote"
* "Touched by an Angel"
* "Walker, Texas Ranger"
* "The Waltons"
* "Adoption Stories" (on Hallmarkchannel.com only)

Hallmark Channel Around the World

Hallmark Channel Australia

In Australia, the channel supplements its United States programming with drama from Australia's largest producer of TV drama, Southern Star Group.

Hallmark Channel South-Africa

In South-Africa, the channel supplements mostly movies.

Hallmark Channel UK

The British version of Hallmark runs mostly United States imports, including TV movies and drama such as "House", "Judging Amy", "The District" and the Law & Order franchise. The channel also runs the BBC drama "Spooks". Also, the Australian drama series "McLeod's Daughters" has aired on the channel since its launch in 2001.

Hallmark Channel Italy

The Italian version of "Hallmark Channel" channel broadcasts mostly United States imports, like Judging Amy and 7th Heaven and McLeod's Daughters.

Hallmark Channel Asia

COLOUR KEY : Drama, Variety, News / Current Affairs , Reality, Comedy, Talk Shows

See also

* Hallmark Movie Channel
* List of programs broadcast by Hallmark Channel

Notes

External links

* [http://www.hallmarkchannelint.com International site]
* [http://www.hallmarkchannel.com US site]
* [http://www.shbroadcastservices.com/default.asp Sparrowhawk Broadcast Services - Hallmark Service provider in all countries]