Hallmark’s Diversity, Inclusion-Focused CEO to Leave Network
By Movieguide® Contributor
Hallmark Media CEO Wonya Lucas recently announced that she will step down at the end of this year after her tenure focused on “diverse and inclusive storylines and characters.”
“I am honored to have led this company and am tremendously proud of the progress we’ve made by creating an evolved entertainment experience that inspires meaningful, emotionally connected moments for our audiences. My passion for the Hallmark brand has grown in deeply rewarding ways and will remain paramount as I continue to help guide Hallmark Media’s future in a more strategically focused capacity,” Lucas stated.
Lucas’ time at the network “transformed Hallmark to better reflect society with more diverse and inclusive storylines, characters and programming,” the Hollywood Reporter added.
As part of her diversity and inclusion efforts, Lucas’ Hallmark Media collaborated with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
“By the end of 2020, the Hallmark Channel had aired THE CHRISTMAS HOUSE, a movie about a romance between two men. Afterward, LGBTQ characters made regular appearances in Hallmark Channel movies,” The Blaze revealed. However, the reason for Lucas’s resignation has not been revealed.
Lucas became CEO in July 2020 after Bill Abbott, the previous CEO, “stepped down in January of that year following Hallmark Channel’s controversial handling of an ad featuring a same-sex couple kissing,” according to Deadline. “It capped longtime criticism over Hallmark movies’ lack of diversity.”
“According to people familiar with the internal discussions, many people at the network expressed their preference for restoring the ad quickly, while Abbott went against their wishes and kept it off the air,” Deadline added.
The Blaze reported that Abbott moved to the Great American Family network, and several Hallmark stars, including Trevor Donovan, Lori Loughlin and Candace Cameron Bure, followed him to the family-friendly platform.
If Hallmark wants to reach a larger audience, it should reject LGBTQ themes and focus on less agenda-driven content.
Movieguide® previously reported on Hallmark’s diversity-focused content:
Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas will feature their first holiday-themed homosexual storyline in a move that will surely alienate its Christian viewers.
The movie, titled THE CHRISTMAS HOUSE, stars Jonathan Bennet (MEAN GIRLS), Robert Buckley, Trent Williams, Sharon Lawrence, and Brad Harder.
According to the synopsis from PEOPLE, the Mitchell family’s mother and father are in the midst of making some difficult decisions, so they ask their two sons to come home for Christmas. The parents want to recreate the Christmas house in an effort to help them come to a decision, while making this holiday one to remember.
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