OPINION: Hallmark Hall of Fame and Social Conservatism

Hallmark Hall of Fame is an anthology series sponsored by Hallmark Cards, which has origins dating back to 1951. It still has new episodes airing, and in production today, making it the longest running scripted television franchise in American history. Since that time, the program has been very consistent in its subject matter, putting out inspiring and feel-good made-for-TV movies the whole family can enjoy. Its long run, not to mention repeats of wholesome seasonal TV fare such as the Peanuts specials, should teach the entertainment industry elites the obvious, people are hungry for programming they can watch with the whole family, and have grown tired of the profanity, explicit sex, senseless violence, and far-left propaganda the broadcast networks continue to shove down our throats.

Apparently Hallmark knows this, because now after 63 years on broadcast television, they’re moving this iconic family-friendly anthology program to their own Hallmark Channel this November, starting with the upcoming television film One Christmas Eve. The film, starring Emmy-winner Anne Heche, focuses on a newly-divorced mom who wants her two children to have their first Christmas “without dad” to be perfect. There are a series of mishaps that happen along the way, but in the end, the audience will find out that “best” Christmas ever in this case, will be the most memorable and heartwarming. What a great premise! I’m also sure that they’ll show the audience how painful a divorce can really be. Despite what other recent dramas and situation comedies tell you otherwise, divorce is a really painful experience, and no one should be proud of it.

Anyway, back to the program itself, Hallmark Hall of Fame is one of those programs, not to mention entertainment institutions, that has remained true to its mission of bringing out television programming the whole family can watch together. The consistency of this franchise is unprecedented in the entertainment industry. The last network it aired on, ABC, has thrown it under the bus because of this fact (leading to low ratings), and has marketed garbage like the rabidly anti-conservative drama series Scandal, and the latest sex-filled filth fest, How to Get Away with Murder, which promises a lot of gay sex scenes. That unfortunate fact alone is what I believe made Hallmark make the decision to move Hall of Fame to their own Hallmark Channel. I believe they made a smart business decision. They, along with other traditional-minded people and organizations, have got to get into the culture. As I said in a previous column, if we want to bring traditional values back to American television, we have to make the ratings fantastic for programming like this.

Hallmark Hall of Fame has continuously done very positive things for television, and in a rapidly declining culture like we’re in today, programs like this are needed more than ever. I have no doubt the Hallmark Channel will have very high ratings for their first Hall of Fame broadcast this coming November, and I’m sure with this very significant move, the family of the late Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz will move all of the TV specials based on their patriarch’s comic strip, including the faith-based A Charlie Brown Christmas, to the Hallmark family once ABC’s broadcasting rights to those specials expire next year.

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