Hallmark Channel - History

History

In the United States, the network began as two separate religious cable channels, the American Christian Television System (ACTS) and the Vision Interfaith Satellite Network (VISN). These two networks shared time on the same channel beginning in 1992. Under the original timeshare agreement, the network was called VISN/ACTS. Each station was provided time for its programming blocks, and would use its own logo.

VISN began broadcast in 1988 aired about 16 hours a day and had religious programs from mainline Protestant denominations like the United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, United Church of Christ, and others. Roman Catholic, LDS Church, Jewish and Islamic faiths also provided programming. VISN aired in mornings and evenings. ACTS commenced operations in 1984, owned by the Southern Baptist Convention. It aired programming from evangelical and fundamentalist non- charismatic Christian groups like the SBC, Christian Reformed Church, Association of Regular Baptist Churches, as well as well known evangelists like Jerry Falwell, Charles Stanley, D James Kennedy, among others. Both channels had several hours a week of religious children's programs, some of which overlapped. These shows included Sunshine Factory, Joy Junction, Davey and Goliath, Jot, and others.

In 1993, the network was renamed "The Faith and Values Channel". It began adding a few secular shows during this time, such as exercise shows, health and cooking shows, and family-friendly dramas and movies. In 1995, cable giant Tele-Communications Inc. bought a 49 percent stake in Faith and Values and took over operational control of the network. It added more secular programming to the network and reduced religious programming to about 10 hours a day. Faith And Values was then renamed "The Odyssey Channel" in 1996, using the domain name Odysseyfamily.com for posting TV listings.

Crown Media Holdings and The Jim Henson Company bought majority stakes in Odyssey in November 1998. The Hallmark/Henson version of Odyssey launched on April 4, 1999, and the airing of religious programs went down to four hours a day. Some classic sitcoms, children's programming, and more family movies were added. Henson sold its interest in the channel to Crown Media Holdings in 2000. Odyssey then dropped much of the children's programming and cut back the religious shows to a few hours on Sundays.