Hallmark Channel

[ShaneLinder]

I like the idea of having a family-friendly movie channel on SkyAngel but I am not sure Hallmark is the best fit. Hallmark movies are normally great but many of the westerns, Perry Mason, Matlock, etc. have enough violence in them that they are not safe for my young children to see. Yet they are not so graphic that the parental controls block them.

I would think that one of these big ministry channels like TBN or Daystar would come up with a Christian/Family-friendly movie channel if they knew they would have a spot on SkyAngel.

There are a lot of great family-friendly movies out there the channel could broadcast. I am not sure how the copyright laws are written in regard to broadcasting movies. If it is like music, Christian radio stations only have to pay a fraction of the royalties that secular stations pay because of their non-profit status.

 

[stilllearning]

In the old days, ABC Family channel used to be owned by Pat Robertson & Company (it was called The Family Channel back then). They used to show some excellent family oriented programming. Then ABC bought it. That was the end of the family friendly theme. I agree that a family friendly movie channel is desperately needed.

 

[rcwilcox]

Hallmark

I like the idea of having a family-friendly movie channel on SkyAngel but I am not sure Hallmark is the best fit. Hallmark movies are normally great but many of the westerns, Perry Mason, Matlock, etc. have enough violence in them that they are not safe for my young children to see. Yet they are not so graphic that the parental controls block them.

.

Hallmark may not be perfect but ti beats anything else out there. Even some of the "Chridstian" programming is not "safe". Parents must screen what heir hids watch. Don't leave it up to a ministry or TV channel to decide for you. I Think the Hallmark channels are a great fit for SA, you're not sure. I would rather see some of the "Christian" channels removed rather than the Hallmark pair. Just my 2 cents.

 

[stilllearning]

I'm not arguing that Hallmark isn't a good channel (although they repeat movies WAY too much). My wife and I watch it frequently. ShaneLinder was just pointing out that certain shows on Hallmark are not appropriate for certain age groups. I agreed with his statement. It would be nice to have a channel that shows strictly G rated movies. I used ABC Family as an example because at one time they did show only family friendly programming.

 

[MellowYBird]

It is a shame that there is not ONE single movie channel for a family to trust. (Hallmark channel is still blocked in our home.)
It would be nice to have just one movie channel that is totally G-rated without any inappropriate material or commercials, but for some reason that is not possible in today's world, not even with Sky Angel.

~MYB~

 

[RevJimbo]

FAITH TV has some excellent movies; most of them are Christian movies.

Although Hallmark shows some questionable programming, I pretty much allow my kids to watch anything on it, except for MASH. Why in the world they show MASH is beyond me.

I thoroughly enjoy HGTV, except for one program: they have a program involving astrology.

My local (over the air) PAX TV station (now called ION) has gotten pretty trashy on the weekend nights. I'm not sure if Guardian TV has a cleaner offering or not.

Anybody remember Doc and Sue Thomas:FBI? In my opinion, those were two of the best shows ever produced, certainly two of the best in the modern era. PAX no longer shows them. I've begun writing letters to some of the Sky Angel channels, asking them to please carry these shows.

 

[stilllearning]

Guardian used to show these two programs. I haven't seen them listed in a while so I have to assume they've been dropped on that station also. We used to love Doc. I wish someone would bring it back.

 

[MellowYBird]

I contacted GTN recently right after I cancelled our Sky Angel programming (although we have it back now) about NOT being impressed with some of their new programming like Magnum PI and A-Team (way the women dress, or more precise, NOT dress) and how I missed shows like Sue Thomas and Doc.
Dave Wilson Director of Programming and Operations replied back with a very informative, in depth email explaining why the change and how hard it is to find (purchase and budget) and edit programming for GTN Sky Angel. This is what he said about Sue Thomas & Doc:

"We have a secondary affiliation relationship with the Ion network (formerly PAX). They are the producers of Sue Thomas and DOC and it is that relationship that allowed us to bring you those shows. Unfortunately, they have chosen to take their network in a new direction and have discontinued both production and broadcast of those shows. I too was extremely disappointed when they ended."

I do miss both those shows! Especially Sue Thomas, that was my all time favorite!

~MYB~

 

[john262]

I think that most of you people who have posted to this thread are way too protective of your children. They are eventually going to be exposed to the real world whether you like it or not, and chances are they are going to be OK. You don't even think that innocuous shows like Perry Mason and Matlock are OK? Perhaps you should construct a big bubble and make your children live in it forever.

 

[damaged]

I think that most of you people who have posted to this thread are way too protective of your children. They are eventually going to be exposed to the real world whether you like it or not, and chances are they are going to be OK. You don't even think that innocuous shows like Perry Mason and Matlock are OK? Perhaps you should construct a big bubble and make your children live in it forever.

While what you say may or may not be true, they did not come to this particular forum to be berated for their child rearing abilities, this is the SkyAngel (a provider known for it's protective programming) forum, and one should expect to see such discussions, if this were The Pit, that would be a different story.

I know I would not want them coming to the D* forum and going on about how watching what we watch will get us sent to hell or whatever.

 

[MellowYBird]

Actually, my kids are grown and never really watched TV anyway. The "protection" is my own preference because I do not like to see or hear it. Will I be OK, of course I will. I just feel some of the content is not appropriate for a Christ-Centered, Family-Friendly satellite. Being exposed to the real world has nothing to do with programming I watch in my own home. I know it's out there, unfortunately it's everywhere. I don't need or want to watch it or hear it. That's just my own preference and I don't find it entertaining.

~MYB~

 

[jbmiller]

skyangel has angel1 and angel2 .skyangel could setup a movie channel using one of those channels.that would be alsome.
god bless
john

 

[RevJimbo]

I think that most of you people who have posted to this thread are way too protective of your children. They are eventually going to be exposed to the real world whether you like it or not, and chances are they are going to be OK. You don't even think that innocuous shows like Perry Mason and Matlock are OK? Perhaps you should construct a big bubble and make your children live in it forever.

Perry Mason is generally a good show for my kids to watch, since they are both teenagers. Matlock is usually good, but there are occasional moments when they present cohabitation as an acceptable thing, or when they use a bad word.

When my kids were young, they weren't allowed to watch any of that, and neither were they allowed to watch Diagnosis Murder (with Dick Van Dyke). Diagnosis Murder is a clean show, except that it shows a murder.

When PAX TV first came on the air in my city, it was a clean network. I felt safe allowing my kids to watch anything on it. Then they somehow became affiliated with NBC, and that's when they began to show inappropriate programs. Now that they are ION TV, they show trash like Victor Victoria. And the "good" programs they show usually are not very entertaining.

I'm happy to say that Guardian TV doesn't show the trash that is shown on ION.

ION dropped the ball BIG TIME when they quit showing DOC and Sue Thomas. I, too, wrote all of the likely networks on Sky Angel which might have an interest in showing DOC and Sue Thomas, and also LESEA Broadcasting, but so far, none of them have said that they'll show them. I'm really glad that I recorded a bunch of the episodes when it was broadcast.

But my kids know what they can watch and what they can't watch. Although they do sometimes watch inappropriate stuff, it is rare, and they know that they will be in trouble with me (usually a lecture, or maybe I'll turn the TV off for a while). But they generally watch TVU -- not my style, but they are getting the gospel.

 

[RevJimbo]

I contacted GTN recently right after I cancelled our Sky Angel programming (although we have it back now) about NOT being impressed with some of their new programming like Magnum PI and A-Team (way the women dress, or more precise, NOT dress) and how I missed shows like Sue Thomas and Doc.
Dave Wilson Director of Programming and Operations replied back with a very informative, in depth email explaining why the change and how hard it is to find (purchase and budget) and edit programming for GTN Sky Angel. This is what he said about Sue Thomas & Doc:

"We have a secondary affiliation relationship with the Ion network (formerly PAX). They are the producers of Sue Thomas and DOC and it is that relationship that allowed us to bring you those shows. Unfortunately, they have chosen to take their network in a new direction and have discontinued both production and broadcast of those shows. I too was extremely disappointed when they ended."

I do miss both those shows! Especially Sue Thomas, that was my all time favorite!

~MYB~

MellowYBird:

I mentioned in another posting that years ago, NBC and PAX began some sort of affiliation, and that was the time that PAX (now ION) began to show inappropriate programming. I am seriously wondering if NBC didn't like the fact that PAX was very popular (i.e. a competitor), and so they began a partnership with PAX so that they could begin slipping in inappropriate programs, so as to cause PAX not to be as popular, thereby eliminating a competitor.

I can't think of any other reason why PAX/ION would move away from family-friendliness and toward inappropriate programming.

Anyone have any thoughts about this?

 

[ShaneLinder]

Young children under 7 or 8 years old have a difficult time distinguishing what is real and what isn't. They should be protected from things on television such as murders. Some of the murders on programs on Hallmark are obviously fake but little children are not able to distinguish that.

Beyond that, I do not hold a standard for myself that is different than the one I hold for my children. If it is not appropriate for my children to watch, it is not appropriate for me either.

Recently I learned that the Dove Foundation has a movie channel for Children's hospitals. Some movies the Dove Foundation endorses are rated PG but they do not contain graphic violence, vulgarity or sexual content. I believe some Christian movies like "Facing The Giants" and "Unidentified" are rated PG.

 

[elder]

One problem with Hallmark Channel and HMC is too many repeats.