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2021’s Top Stories: Former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott Launches GAC Family to Create Wholesome Original Content

GAC Family/Instagram

2021’s Top Stories: Former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott Launches GAC Family to Create Wholesome Original Content

By Movieguide® Staff 

As 2021 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on our most popular stories of the year. The following article was one of our most read this year. Come back to movieguide.org in 2022 for more inspirational content!

Former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott will now compete with his former company for family-friendly content with GAC Media’s newest network channels. 

Fans of Hallmark may have a difficult decision ahead: stick with Hallmark or follow Abbott to GAC Family and GAC Living. 

Next TV reported that GAC Media became GAC Family as of Sept. 27 and featured the tagline, “Stories Well Told.”

Abbott, who helped Hallmark grow its streaming content and become one of the most popular family-friendly channels in the market, left in Jan. 2020 after the company came under fire after a commercial featuring a gay marriage.

“At GAC, we’re focused on creating strong brands, compelling programming and a consistent family friendly viewing experience across multiple genres,” Abbott said. “The launch of GAC Family and GAC Living is the next phase in our strategy to bolster the company’s portfolio with networks that deliver on the promise of safe and entertaining storytelling that enriches lives.”

GAC Media also acquired RideTV, which became GAC Living, featuring country-style, wholesome content.

GAC reportedly confirmed that their new channels look “like a page from the Hallmark Channel playbook under Abbott.”

Through GAC Media, Abbott plans to create family-friendly series and movies about “American culture, lifestyle, and heritage.” 

Movieguide® has credited the majority of Hallmark’s content as wholesome and uplifting. However, in recent years, the company has adopted mainstream media LGBTQ+ agendas into its content. 

Movieguide® previously reported: 

After significant pressure from the liberal agenda, Hallmark will debut its first Christmas movie with a gay storyline this weekend, Nov. 22.

The movie, THE CHRISTMAS HOUSE, stars MEAN GIRLS’ Jonathan Bennett as a gay man summoned home by his parents just in time for the holidays. The plot reportedly will focus on Bennett’s character and his husband’s journey to adopt a child.

While the actors praise the movie as “progress,” the reality is that storylines like this alienate one of Hallmark’s largest and most passionate audiences: Christian conservatives.

Before this year, the channel provided movies with wholesome storylines that often included strong biblical worldviews, mentions of Jesus and the nativity, and Christmas hymns that remind us of the reason for the season. Audiences could count on a formulaic, feel-good plot that was safe for families to watch.

It’s unfortunate that Hallmark felt bullied by gay advocacy groups into including plot points that appease the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community.