HALLMARK CHANNEL ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH INCLUSION AND ANTI-BULLYING NON-PROFIT, CIRCLE OF FRIENDS - THE PATH TO INCLUSION

Partnership Designates Network as National Sponsor

Hallmark Channel, the Heart of TV, announced today that it will be the national sponsor for Circle of Friends - The Path to Inclusion, a project of Community Partners that creates social inclusion programs for students with and without disabilities. The organization, which originated in 2005 and has launched nearly 200 school chapters nationwide, focuses on building a community for those who have special needs as well as decreasing bullying. The program also sets out to create safer school environments for everyone. As a part of the network's partnership, Hallmark Channel will provide support to the organization in order to expand upon its school inclusion programs and reach new campuses.

"After learning more about the number of students who benefit from Circle of Friends' incredible inclusion programs, we felt compelled to support this cause and help spread the message of acceptance in schools across the country," said Bill Abbott, president and CEO, Crown Media Family Networks. "This partnership is a natural fit with Hallmark Channel, which prides itself on offering quality, family-friendly entertainment for everyone to enjoy. We look forward to working alongside this organization in order to continue making a positive impact on those who live with disabilities."

"Circle of Friends is excited and honored to be partnering with Hallmark Channel, a highly respected, quality entertainment TV network for families, known for celebrating life's special moments," said Barbara Palilis, founder and executive director of Circle of Friends. "They have demonstrated great 'heart' and support for our mission to provide social inclusion and decrease bullying, developing friendships between students with and without disabilities. Together, we will make a lasting positive impact on school campuses and within communities nationwide."

ABOUT CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

Circle of Friends (CoF) is a social inclusion program for students with special needs of all grade levels, building genuine friendships between those with disabilities, such as autism and Down Syndrome, and their non-disabled peers. This occurs at lunch in the natural environment. As the understanding and acceptance of differences increase, bullying decreases. As of Fall 2015, Circle of Friends has launched nearly 200 chapters and positively impacted the lives of more than 65,000 students with and without disabilities.

ABOUT HALLMARK CHANNEL

Hallmark Channel is Crown Media Family Networks' flagship 24-hour cable television network, distributed nationwide in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) to 91 million homes. The country's leading destination for quality family entertainment, Hallmark Channel delivers on the 100-year legacy of the Hallmark brand. In addition to its signature original movies, the network features an ambitious lineup of other original content, including scripted primetime series, such as Cedar Cove, Good Witch, and When Calls the Heart; annual specials like Kitten Bowl and Hero Dog Awards and; a daily 2-hour lifestyle show, Home & Family. Additionally, in November 2014, Hallmark Channel became the exclusive home to world premiere presentations of the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame franchise. Dedicated to helping viewers celebrate life's special moments, Hallmark Channel also offers such annual holiday programming events as Countdown to Christmas and Countdown to Valentine's Day. Rounding out the network's diverse slate are television's most beloved sitcoms and series, including The Golden Girls, The Middle, Little House on the Prairie, and Frasier. Complementing Hallmark Channel's light-hearted and comedic fare, sibling network Hallmark Movies & Mysteries presents a unique mix of content that is more dramatic in tone, including original movies and such acquired series Matlock, Murder She Wrote, and Hart to Hart.

Crown Media Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWN), owns and operates Crown Media Family Networks.