Businessweek

Crown Media Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary, Crown Media United States, LLC, owns, operates, and distributes pay television networks for adults and families primarily in the United States. Operations The company operates Hallmark Channel and the Hallmark Movie Channel, each of which is dedicated to entertainment programming for adults and families. The Hallmark Channel is a 24-hour television destination for family-friendly programming and produces original movies. Hallmark Channel features popular television series, as well as original movies with compelling stories and internationally recognized stars. Hallmark Movie Channel is a 24-hour cable network dedicated to offering movies appropriate for the entire family, consisting primarily of original movies, classical theatrical films, and presentations from the Hallmark Hall of Fame collection as well as other long form television programming. Reaching approximately 87 million subscribers, Hallmark Channel is an independent network in the United States. Hallmark Movie Channel is a cable network reaching approximately 45 million subscribers. The company distributes Hallmark Channel through approximately 5,369 cable, satellite and other pay television distribution systems; and Hallmark Movie Channel through approximately 2,680 such systems. Its pay television distributors include Cablevision; Charter; Comcast; Cox; DIRECTV; Dish Network; NCTC; Mediacom; Time Warner; and Verizon Communication (FiOS). Programming The company’s channels offer a range of entertainment programming for adults and families, including popular television series, movies, miniseries, theatricals, romances, literary classics, and contemporary stories. Sources for programming on its channels include programming (both movies and series) licensed from Buena Vista Television, CBS Television Distribution, Hallmark Hall of Fame, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, MGM, Paramount Pictures, RHI Entertainment Distribution, Twentieth Television, and Warner Bros. Sales and Marketing The company’s primary target demographic is women aged 25 to 54 and its secondary target is adults aged 25 to 54. Its programming is targeted to adults, but is generally appropriate for viewing by the entire family, which is important to viewers, advertisers, and affiliates. Competition The company's networks compete with other general entertainment programming from broadcast networks, including TNT, TCM, USA Network, HGTV, TV Land, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, OWN, and ABC Family. History Crown Media Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1999.