Several new Hallmark movies and shows are coming out soon but don’t look for them on cable.
Some Hallmarkies have gone on social media to protest the fact that the new material, including the new series The Chicken Sisters and Celebrations with Lacey Chabert, will initially air only on the company’s streaming platform and not on its TV channels.
“So now you want me to pay for another app on top of what I pay for cable?” one viewer wrote on Facebook.
“It’s not broken and doesn’t need fixing,” wrote another.
New Hallmark movies and shows
Hallmark Media recently announced that its subscription streaming platform, Hallmark Movies Now, will be changing names in September. The new service, Hallmark + will feature Hallmark movies and shows that have aired on the company’s networks. It will also feature original content that has not aired on Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, or Hallmark Family.
Cost for the service will be $79.99 annually or $7.99 if paid on a monthly basis. Hallmark Movies now costs $59.99 annually or $5.99 if paid on a monthly basis.
The new service will also include retail perks including coupons for use in Hallmark stores, free shipping on some online purchases, and free greeting cards.
Hallmark fans
Some current subscribers have no problem with the price change and have said the extra cost will be worth it.
“Every new announcement about an upcoming movie or series on Hallmark Plus makes me even more excited for the official launch,” one fan wrote on Facebook.
But others are angry that they are hearing all about these new shows and movies when they cannot afford a subscription to Hallmark+.
“I already pay for cable,” one viewer wrote. “I don’t have the money for anything else.”
Streaming service
Though Hallmark has had a streaming platform for years, the relaunch reflects an attempt to lean into new trends that see viewers fleeing cable packages and instead streaming content from services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
According to Nielsen, a company that tracks television viewership, about 50 percent of TV fans are watching content on streaming platforms rather than on broadcast and cable networks. Some viewers have been put off by the rising cost of cable packages. Others say they don’t want to pay for a bunch of channels they will never watch.
What to watch where
According to social media posts, Hallmark+ will feature movies and shows that have aired on the company’s television networks. It will also air shows and movies that are not scheduled to air on its networks.
This includes the new series The Chicken Sisters, as well as Celebrations with Lacey Chabert and Finding Mr. Christmas, a new reality series featuring Jonathan Bennett.
“Hallmark+ sets itself apart from the Hallmark channels by providing distinctive content that rarely overlaps with what is airing on the Hallmark channels,” reads a response to fan’s question on Hallmark Movies Now’s Facebook page. “The Hallmark Channels premiere live content where Hallmark+ offers unlimited on-demand viewing of content exclusive to Hallmark+ along with Crown Rewards benefits.”
What is not clear yet is whether any of the original content set to air on Hallmark+ will ever find its way onto the cable networks.
This is an ongoing news story. We will continue to update it as more information becomes available.
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