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The impasse in the negotiations between AT&T U-Verse and Crown Media, the parent company of the Hallmark Channel and the Hallmark Movie Channel, over a new carriage agreement resulted in the two channels gong dark for 2.3 million subscribers at 12:01 AM EDT tonight when the two sides’ previous deal expired. Here are the statements by AT&T and Hallmark Channels:
AT&T: We are very disappointed that Hallmark has refused to provide AT&T and its customers with a fair deal one that is no worse than similarly-sized and smaller providers and refused to adhere to key obligations under our current deal. We offered to extend the current deal while talks continued, and Hallmark rejected that offer. We don’t want customers to lose their programming, but we believe strongly that our customers should not have to pay more than their fair share for Hallmark’s channels, which is exactly what Hallmark is demanding.
AT&T U-verse will replace the two Hallmark channels with a free preview of programming from Starz Kids & Family and Turner Classic Movies. According to Crown, negotiations hit a standstill as of Aug. 26.
Hallmark Channels is willing to re-start negotiations toward the distribution agreement as long as they are fair and in good faith. “I was stunned by the apparent disregard for the facts in AT&T’s recent statement regarding our negotiations,” said Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Hallmark Channels. ”However, if they are really serious, my team and I are ready for truly fair negotiations.”
Hallmark Channel plans to launch a daytime lifestyle programming block from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia on Sept 13 with the sixth season premiere of The Martha Stewart Show. In July, AT&T U-Verse was in a similar carriage dispute with AMC parent Rainbow Media, which threatened the current fourth season of Mad Men, but the two companies ultimately reached an agreement without dropping channels. At midnight tomorrow night, the deal between Disney and Time Warner Cable expires but the two sides over the weekend made it clear they are very close to a deal, so no blackout is expected their either.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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I can’t believe we are going into the Christmas Holiday’s without Hallmark movies. As much as I detest Comcast, I might have to give them a call.
I have been with U-Verse for about 5 years now. I am truly disappointed about the loss of the Hallmark Channel. This is one of my favorite channels especially this time of year. I am always bragging and telling my family and friends to switch to U-Verse now I am not so sure about U-Verse. I cannot believe this channel is still gone from their service, there are so many other channels they could remove and make up that difference. If Hallmark is brought back soon, I will be forced to cancel and find another provider and will never come back to U-Verse again. ATT&T will lose my business forever. I hope someone with some clout is listening to us!!!!!!!!!
I wonder if they are still in talks? My wife if very upset that she can not watch the Christmas programming they always show this time of year. This was her favorite channel to watch at night (any time of year)!
One of the reasons I switched to AT&T was because of Hallmark. I am very disappointed. Hallmark has great family as well as Christmas movies. I feel that if you can’t give us back the Hallmark channel at least reduce the cost we pay for uverse. The channels we were given to replace Hallmark do not even come close the Hallamrk movies.
Hallmark is an exceptional TV program and I am extremely disappointed that it is not available to u-verse customers. I used to highly recommend u-verse to others; however, I can no longer be an advocate until hallmark is returned. Hallmark is one of the few channels on TV that continues to be a very respectable and family oriented program. I would rather you get rid of many of the “dumbing of America programs” (and there are many.) I switched from comcast to u-verse but I migh have to switch back. What are the chances of hallmark being returned?
I am sure that there are many channels that most of us would drop to get Hallmark back. Since AT&T says that Hallmark is expensive, I called them and asked what the dollar amount of compensation we will receive if Hallmark is not brought back. Her response was that it would be very small–too small to even consider, probably pennies. So, we are talking pennies–not even a dollar. I then asked what the increase would be if AT&T paid Hallmark their asking price and she said that she did not know but it could be ten dollars more. Something doesn’t sound right to me. Plus, figure what AT&T has saved since August.
We miss the Hallmart Channel. Would be nice if Hallmart &Att would consider what is best for their customers and reach an agreement that would benefit all. Is that a hope for a perfect world? Guess I watched too many Christmas movies!
I am consisering going to Uverse direct tv and Dish have raised there rates as Uverse now has but still for all 3 services phone and internet and tv are still cheaper than everyone elses.Im not sure that hallmark will make a deal with Uvesre that is the only thing that has kept me from switching so far though Dish lost a local sports channel that they were in a dispute with they never got back and they never replaced it with another channel so these disputes with tv services and and the companiesthat provide there channels has become a big problem because no matter which service you decide to go with which you pay lots of money each month for there is no guarantee that we wont lose another major channel in another dispute sometime in the future it could be tommorrow or in another 3 or 4 months or a year or 2 so there isnt any clesr answer so in the mean time im thinking about switching to uverse without hallmark because they are still the lowest rates and whose to say they wont get hallmark back still or if i stay with my current tv service i pay more and still may lose lifetime or another popular channel in a dispute there isnt much that can be done over dispites no matter which tv service you are with.
We were another example of switching to U Verse within days of the channels being pulled, without being informed of this decision by ATT. We specifically asked if Hallmark was included and they said “YES”, when in reality, it had already been pulled a couple of weeks before our service was installed. Not very cool ATT! I have internet and and a 4 cell phone account with you. Verizon is beating at my door to get my phone business and Cox is beating at my door to get the cable business. Honesty and really caring what a customer wants. That is who will get my business. ATT carries so many sports & news channels, I can’t count them all. I pay for these and NEVER use them. So, why can’t I have Hallmark instead? Is your business based soley to maintain and keep happy the sport fanatic and news hound? I understand everyone is greedy in this wonderful world we live in.. Hallmark wants MORE money…ATT wants more money too for their services all the way around, but ONLY for what THEY want to provide. Hallmark..shame on you! You are supposed to be a WHOLESOME FAMILY channel and should want to encourage people to watch that instead of all the filth on tv today ( those channels must be FREE to air! ) . But by demanding more money and causing people to lose your channel, you aren’t setting a very good example, are you? ATT…choose your battles for the customer. Ask THEM what they want. Give them an option. Don’t make the decision for the PAYING customer who, apparently from this blog, have YOUR service to watch HALLMARK. Yes, losing one customer…maybe 100, won’t hurt you, but the once reputable ATT is becoming more and more controversial. Greed. One of the 7 deadly sins. Bring back wholesome tv for the family… bring back HALLMARK..BOTH of you!
It has been almost 6 months now since AT&T Uverse has dropped Hallmark and Hallmark Movie Channel. These channels are missed
very much as they were wonderful channels for the family and
content suitable for children. Has there been any other attempts
by AT&T to resolve this matter and bring these channels back to their customers? I like many others subscribed to the U300 package just to be able to watch both Hallmark Channels. Holidays weren’t the same without Hallmark .
I would sure like to have Hallmark on my AT@Tu-Verse.
Hope you will consider this.
Thank you kindly,
Jane
I am so disappointing. I can’t believe that At&T doesn’t have Hallmark channel! I am calling At&T and also putting this in facebook. I hope they can resolve a deal. I like Hallmark channel. It brings home home.
I’ve been with one cable Company for 31 years (Comcast). I was supposed to get more,
by switching to AT&T. Should have known better, new service yesterday. Last night was a big disappointment, Hallmark & cooking channels are gone.
I totally agree!!
HALLMARK NOW.What are the AT&T Uverse people thinking not working this problem out.I really think comcast wins .at&t uverse now.Hallmark movies are a part of our Christmas Holidays.We are going nuts waiting for its return.PLEASE PLEASE work out a deal real soon.You are destroying our holiday season.
At&t has a lot of lousy programs we get and don’t want Not every one wants shopping shows,fights,mtv,some of the reality shows
.
I just got u-verse installed in my home yesterday. I am VERY unhappy that I do not get Hallmark!!!! I would have never cancelled my local cable provider. Is there any hope of u-verse getting it back???????????????
I joined AT@T FROM A AT@T PROVIDER. convinced us that we would have the same channels as the dish and more. promised we would have hallmark family shows just like the dish
But cheaper in price with a bundle. And have the same channels as the dish and more. Then you took hallmark away right after I joined. Well they LIED
to us.. VERY DECEIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
iF I KNEW YOU WOULD NOT HAVE HALLMARK. I WOULD OF NEVER JIONED
I just changed to uverse today and I am very disappointed that Hallmark is not in the lineup. If I had known this I would never have changed and am thinking of going back to Direct TV. Hallmark is the one channel I watch everyday and I do not appreciate not having it.
I have just changed from cox to uverse thinking that we could get the hallmark channel. When we checked it as not taken off the list for uverse. When our contract of a year is up we are going back to cox so I can get the hallmark channel unless uverse get the channel back. Very disappointed. Halllmark is a great family channel with very good movies.