HALLMARK CHANNEL IS HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS; NETWORK IS TOPS AMONG WOMEN 25-54 AND TOTAL VIEWER DELIVERY SINCE LAUNCH OF "COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS"
New Original Premieres, A Christmas Melody and Christmas Land, Steal the Weekend
Hallmark Channel is unbeatable this holiday season, remaining the reigning champ in cable as the most watched network in primetime and total day among women 25-54, as well as #1 in primetime among total viewers (excluding sports and news), since the October 30th launch of Countdown to Christmas. The network was also the #1-rated and most watched on cable this past weekend among households and total viewers, boosted by the premieres of its latest original movies, A Christmas Melody and Christmas Land, and the special, Mariah's Merriest Christmas.
Saturday's world premiere of A Christmas Melody - starring and directed by multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Mariah Carey - sang to the tune of a 3.3 HH rating and 3.9 million P2+. The film also made Hallmark Channel the highest HH rated cable network on Saturday in both primetime and total day. Following the movie, the bow of the Hallmark Channel music special, Mariah's Merriest Christmas, garnered a 1.9 HH rating and 2.2 million total viewers, becoming the most watched holiday special in network history. The special was also the 2nd highest rated and 2nd most watched program in the Saturday 10-11p time period.
This merry momentum continued into Sunday with the debut of Christmas Land pulling a 3.5 HH rating and 4.2 million p2+, making Hallmark Channel again #1 on cable in primetime and total day among household rating. The movie also owned the 8-10p time period as the most watched and highest rated among households and total viewers.
In addition to tuning in, viewers also engaged on social media. A Christmas Melody became the #1 Tweeted movie of the week across cable and broadcast and was Hallmark Channel's most social original movie premiere of 2015 to-date among Unique Authors and Audience and Tweets. In addition, Christmas Land reached the second highest Unique Audience of the week's movie premieres across cable and broadcast.
Collectively the 17 new Countdown to Christmas holiday premieres this year averaged a 3.0 HH rating and reached more than 26.3 million unduplicated viewers and 5.5 million W25-54. The 2015 Countdown to Christmas stunt has also reached more than 58 million unduplicated viewers to-date.
A Christmas Melody revolves around Kristin (Lacey Chabert), a beautiful, stylish divorcee who is a talented clothing designer and her young daughter. Kristin has just had to close her small Manhattan boutique to return to her Ohio home town and live in her parents' former home. It's an adjustment for Kristin and Emily - especially when she runs into her former high school rival Melissa (Mariah Carey). Melissa is president of the PTA and tries to make Kristen feel as unwelcome as possible. Kristen and Emily struggle to find their new normal with the help of the music teacher Danny (Brennan Elliott) and Kristin's Aunt Sarah (Kathy Najimy), the local coffee shop owner. With a little holiday magic and music, Kristin and Emily find that home is where the heart is. Please see here for cast information and synopses for A Christmas Melody, Mariah Carey's Merriest Christmas, and Christmas Land.
In Christmas Land, Jules Cooper (Nikkie DeLoach) is a successful New York businesswoman who seemingly has everything: a rapidly growing career in marketing and a handsome boyfriend. Jules soon learns her beloved late Grandmother Glinda has left her 'Christmas Land,' a magical Christmas-themed village and Christmas tree farm in the countryside. Much of Jules's favorite childhood memories revolve around Christmas Land and the holiday's her family spent there in her youth. Upon arriving in Christmas Land to claim the property, she meets handsome and charming Tucker Barnes (Luke Mcfarlane), the lawyer handling the estate. Christmas Land has seen better days since Glinda's tragic passing and Jules is forced to make many complicated decisions. Should she sell Christmas Land to real estate tycoon Mason Richards and get back to her busy city life? Or should she stay and bring Christmas Land back to its former glory? With decisions to be made in both life and love, this Christmas for Jules
Source: Nielsen, December 14-December 20, 2015; Nielsen Social Guide Twitter TV Ratings, 12/14-12/20/15.
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 90 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 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.
Crown Media Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWN), owns and operates Crown Media Family Networks.
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