Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries

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@taxnegotiator wrote:

Someone sent me a cruel e-mail last night - it said that Hallmark channels (both of them) were back in the uVerse line-up.  Well, that was a nasty hoax!   I checked their line up - no sign of Hallmark anywhere.  For a moment, I thought reason had prevailed and I had reason to switch back to uVerse Digital TV (I have their internet only at the moment).  Too bad.

 

I get 3-4 e-mails a week from ATT encouraging me to come back to their TV service.  The pricing they offer is great, along with VISA cards to help pay my cancelation fee with DISH.  But I reply to each inquiry the same way - bring back UVerse and we will come flying back to their TV service. Several on this forum have even suggested having UVerse offer Hallmark channels as a premium subscription.  I am ok with that.  If that is the only way to get Hallmark with ATT, then let's move forward with that option until a larger deal can be worked out for one of the packages (like U300).  Everyone wins with a premium offering. Those of us who want it can pay for it and enjoy superior TV service.  The few who have made negative comments on this forum about not liking Hallmark can continue on their own merry way without subscribing.  Anyway, maybe someone from ATT who might actually read our comments and suggestions will actually forward the concept to upper management and a deal can be struck with Crown Media.  Again, I see this as a win-win for both ATT (they get back subscribers) and Crown Media (the get more money for subscriptions).  I personally know of a number of families who bailed from ATT when they lost Hallmark who - like us - would return in a flash if they could get Hallmark Channels (both of them) again on UVerse.

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I am sure upper management is well aware of the desires of current and former U-verse subscribers to return the Hallmark channels to the U-verse lineup either on a basis as they formerly were or on a subscription basis.

However, coming to a conclusion that satisfies both parties is another thing. From what we have heard, U-verse made a proposal to Crown Media, the owner of the Hallmark channels, late last year, and Crown Media is still sitting on the proposal. I would contact Crown Media, and ask why they are not doing anything about returning the Hallmark channels back to U-verse.

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@taxnegotiator wrote:

Someone sent me a cruel e-mail last night - it said that Hallmark channels (both of them) were back in the uVerse line-up. 

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Just curious @taxnegotiator, who is the "someone" that sent you the email?

Negotiations are a two way street and Crown Media haven't budged in something like 4 years.   I mostly see why AT&T had to stay strong way back in 2010, as many channel providers used to push them around at contract re-up time but I have also heard that Crown Media has the ball in their court.

NoLimitz80 (Teacher) posted a new Reply in U-verse Applications on 06-22-2015 9:07:16 PM :

The above was the source of the e-mail.  I will paste the actual comment below:

Re: When will Hallmark Channel be back on ATT UVerse?

Hallmark channel will return June 23rd 2015.

Maybe it was a typo - and "Teacher" meant to say 2016.....not 2015

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@taxnegotiator wrote:

NoLimitz80 (Teacher) posted a new Reply in U-verse Applications on 06-22-2015 9:07:16 PM :

 

 

The above was the source of the e-mail.  I will paste the actual comment below:

 

Re: When will Hallmark Channel be back on ATT UVerse?

Hallmark channel will return June 23rd 2015.

 

Maybe it was a typo - and "Teacher" meant to say 2016.....not 2015

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I looked up NoLimitz80 's account. He made his first post on June 27, 2008 and his last post (most recent) was on August 29, 2013. His account showed that he did log on yesterday, June 22, 2015 but there is no evidence of any post.

Perhaps the post you saw and are showing was deleted since the moderators knew that it was false information.

@NoLimitz80

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That link from the e-mail would take you to the post, if it weren't deleted/hidden.

Two things here: I've had U-Verse since 2008. When a new channel is added, I've noticed it goes on the guide in one of two ways. You'll see the channel pop up on the guide and it's live, bada-bing, bada-boom. Alternatively, you'll see a blue screen with a "COMING SOON" message, although this blue screen seems to be more rare in recent years in favor of channels going live.

Until one of those two things happens, no one knows anything about Hallmark except the offer made to Hallmark late last year.

Second note: I'm sure AT&T would love to add it as a premium channel for $10 or so per month (along with Hallmark Movies.) However, Hallmark has contracts with a ton of other providers for placements in certain tiers where all subscribers to that tier get charged a certain amount. If AT&T had an "ala carte" deal with Hallmark, then the other providers would get mad and want that same thing.

You appear to be the only person who thinks that is true.

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@baseballisback wrote:

Two things here: I've had U-Verse since 2008. When a new channel is added, I've noticed it goes on the guide in one of two ways. You'll see the channel pop up on the guide and it's live, bada-bing, bada-boom. Alternatively, you'll see a blue screen with a "COMING SOON" message, although this blue screen seems to be more rare in recent years in favor of channels going live.

 

Until one of those two things happens, no one knows anything about Hallmark except the offer made to Hallmark late last year.

 

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I have also heard that once in a while TitanTV will get wind of a new channel and add a placeholder. 

I got stung last year, thinking that the channels were coming back.  Last Fall, U-Verse added 4 channels (two SD, two HD) "Rent this movie now," fluff channels.  They were added right where the channels used to be .  I had a strong hunch that they were placeholders but in the end, they were not.

I wouldn't be surprised if U Verse added Hallmark Channel after they close the DirecTV deal.  Then they can use the same price that DTV pays.  I doubt if anything will happen before that time.   

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@mitchflorida wrote:

I wouldn't be surprised if U Verse added Hallmark Channel after they close the DirecTV deal.  Then they can use the same price that DTV pays.  I doubt if anything will happen before that time.   

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and I also would bet thatt they add the channels in the Fall, not in mid Junem, to capitalize on the draw of the Holiday specials and movies.....

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mitchflorida wrote:

 

I wouldn't be surprised if U Verse added Hallmark Channel after they close the DirecTV deal.  Then they can use the same price that DTV pays.  I doubt if anything will happen before that time.   

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That has crossed my mind as well.

The details in contracts between providers and programmers are ones we, more than likely, cannot know.

Speculation about a la carte may be more applicable to having Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (formerly Hallmark Movie Channel) on the same package as, say, Sony Movie Channel. That is the case with DirecTV's carriage. The two Hallmarks are in separate subscription packages.

This really should penetrate: Given likely approval for AT&T's purchase of DirecTV, and then looking to what becomes of the channel lineups of the current status of both companies, it is unlikely that Crown Media can afford to not make a deal with AT&T [DirecTV].