In a recent interview, Bill Abbott, CEO
of Crown Media Family Networks, which owns the Hallmark Channel, said
that Hallmark is “open” to making gay Christmas movies.
During the Christmas season, the cable
network broadcasts two dozen original Christmas movies around the
clock. Its “Countdown to Christmas” movie marathon largely
excludes LGBT characters and has no gay leads.
"In terms of broadening out the
demographic, it’s something we’re always thinking about, always
considering and we’ll continue to make the movies where the best
scripts are delivered to us and what we think have the most
potential,” Abbott told The Hollywood Reporter podcast TV's
Top 5.
“Where are the same-sex movies?”
Abbott
was asked. “Have you talked about incorporating stories about
same-sex couples at Christmas?”
“We're open to really any type of
movie of any type of relationship,” Abbott answered.
Abbott added that incorporating
inclusive holiday content isn't “easy.”
“The reality is when you produce as
much content as we do – which is 100 movies a year, five original
primetime series, a daytime lifestyle show that’s two hours a day,
52 weeks a year basically live to tape … and countless specials –
there’s only so much time in the day," Abbott said. "And
while we want to put on and we believe that we do create content that
is beloved really throughout the country it’s not always the
easiest process to make every situation fit the mold for every
individual who even wants to work with us or wants to watch a certain
segment of the audience on our channel."