Hallmark Media doesn’t worry about losing talent from their roster. During Wednesday’s Television Critics Association press conference, President and CEO Wonya Lucas and EVP of Programming Lisa Hamilton Daly discussed the changes happening on the network, with talent moving to competitors including Great American Family (formerly GAC).
“We’ve kept a lot of our talent under options, aside from Christmas films. We are constantly looking for new talents. I think there’s a lot of talent that we’ve worked with in the past that GAC is working with now, but I think we’re also constantly trying to develop the talent pool that we’re working with,” Lucas said. “I think we kept almost everyone that we are really looking forward to. So
here we are.”
Daly noted that it also goes beyond Great American Family.
“Talent works with Netflix, Talent works with Lifetime and that’s how the industry works. I think one of the things that makes us unique compared to a lot of other places is that when I got here people said, ‘We’re a family.’ I didn’t quite get it, but our talent, they know each other. They have a great relationship and that’s the secret ingredient that we have as Hallmark,” she added. “That continues to this day. We have existing talent that has been with us for a long time, and we also have new talent that we are bringing in. And they all feel part of this Hallmark Channel love and so that will be consistent; that is constant in the past; that is consistent today.”
In April, longtime Hallmark star Candace Cameron Bure announced she was leaving Hallmark to join Great American Family, where she succeeds former Crown Media CEO Bill Abbott. There she will serve in a prominent leadership role, developing and producing original content. Trevor Donovan, Danica McKellar and Jen Lilly also recently signed overall deals with Great American Family.
During the presentation, the executives shared an update on the TV shows that will be broadcast on the channel. While Chesapeake Shores is currently airing its final season, When Calls the Heart returns with a 10th season in the making. While no premiere date has been set, they confirmed that new episodes will be released in mid-2023.
“As for ‘Good Witch’ which I think we’re always interested in thinking about what we can do with our most popular IP. I can’t announce anything specific,” Lucas said. “This also applies to ‘Signed, Sealed and Delivered’. don’t think we’re done with it.”
Daly added that Signed, Sealed and Delivered fans regularly send out letters that everyone on the network reads. “The fandom and passion for this franchise is common,” she said. “And that’s why we’re listening. We hear. I would say: wait!”
Additionally, the two announced that Crown Media Family Networks is making a change and officially changing its company name to Hallmark Media to align with the branding of parent company Hallmark Cards.