Actress Maria Conchita Alonso attends the Los Angeles premiere of “God Is Not Dead: We The People” held at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal Studios Hotel on September 21, 2021 in Universal Studios, CA Mode.
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Sony Pictures Entertainment and its streaming service Pure Flix are making room on cable TV.
The company’s streaming service, known for its faith-based content, is merging with Great American Media, an upstart cable rival to Hallmark Channel.
The combination will give Pure Flix content a leg up on traditional television viewers. It will also strengthen the slate of Great American’s television networks Great American Family and Great American Living.
Content from Pure Flix and Great American Media will cross each other’s platforms as part of a deal that hasn’t yet closed.
sony acquired Pure Flix was sold in December 2020 for an undisclosed sum. The service, which features content such as the “God Is Not Dead” movies and the “Chosen One” series, costs $7.99 a month and has about 1 million subscribers in the United States and Canada.
The deal will also provide streaming services for Great American’s fledgling television network.
Great American Media and its two cable networks were launched in 2021 by Bill Abbott, former CEO of Hallmark Channel’s parent company, Crown Media. During his tenure at Hallmark, he helped turn the network into a Christmas movie powerhouse that went on to attract some of the highest cable ratings during the holiday season.
Lori Loughlin is seen in Los Angeles, CA on December 31, 2018.
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Abbott left Hallmark in 2020 after facing backlash over a commercial featuring same-sex weddings. The network pulled the ad after facing pressure from a conservative group, then reversed course shortly after a gay rights advocacy group attempted to launch an ad boycott.
Soon after, Abbott roll out Great American Media and signed agreements with some of these companies top star Known for its Hallmark Channel films and series.
Familiar faces from Great American Media
- Danica McKellarPlayed Winnie Cooper in the original “Wonder Years”
- Candice Cameron Braythe longtime queen of the Hallmark holiday movie that recently found herself in trouble dispute Comments on same-sex couples
- Lori Loughlinformer “Full House” cast member, has Dismissed from Hallmark For her role in the 2019 college admissions scandal
Abbott will continue to serve as CEO of the combined company and report to the Board of Directors. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Great American Media will hold a majority stake in the combined company.
Great American Media took the step of distributing its content on traditional cable networks rather than streaming services at a time when more and more customers were fleeing cable bundles in favor of streaming services. Cable churn continued to accelerate in the latest quarter.
While the company’s network is available in 50 million pay-TV households, and sell Although it’s the fastest-growing TV network based on Nielsen ratings, it has yet to launch its own streaming service.
Instead, these networks have appeared in Internet TV bundles such as Frndly TV and Fubo. Great American Media also offers a free, ad-supported channel for its content.
