Hallmark Channel Proves Family-Friendly Shows Sell

The company that owns the Hallmark Channel saw a huge increase in profits last year. Might there be a message here for other TV networks? Crown Media, the company that owns both Hallmark Channel and its spin-off network, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, saw a huge increase in its profits the last quarter of 2014. As reported by Broadcasting & Cable, the company’s income almost doubled. They especially received more revenue from advertisers – likely a reflection of the fact that viewers pay more attention to ads aired during positive programs than during dark, depressing, explicit or violent ones. Crown said the main reasons for the increase were higher ratings for the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel, and the popularity of Hallmark Channel’s original series Cedar Cove and When Calls the Heart. The PTC congratulates Crown Media for its success, and poses this question: why would other networks want to risk driving viewers away and losing money on violent and sexually explicit programs, when its clear that family-friendly programming is making more money and outpacing the rest of the entertainment industry?