HALLMARK CHANNEL ANNOUNCES NEW ORIGINAL SERIES PREMIERES FOR HALLMARK CHANNEL HOME IN JANUARY 2011
Beginning First Quarter, Daytime Lifestyle Block Highlighted By Debut of Martha Stewart's First-Ever Baking-Only Series, "Martha Bakes"
A New Docu-Series Featuring Pet Guru Marc Morrone;
New Episodes of "Mad Hungry With Lucinda Scala Quinn"
Original Martha Stewart-Hosted Primetime Special, "The Men Who Make Us Laugh" Premieres In January; Hour-Long Talk Show, "Whatever With Alexis & Jennifer" and New Episodes of Fan Favorite, "Whatever, Martha!" to Air Saturday Nights
New York and Los Angeles, November 17, 2010 -- Hallmark Channel will ring in the New Year with style with all-new Hallmark Channel Original Series for the network's growing Hallmark Channel Home block, beginning January, 2011. The first quarter 2011 schedule will also feature new episodes of Martha Stewart-produced programs "The Martha Stewart Show" and "Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn" (airing weekdays 10 a.m.-11 a.m. ET/PT, 9C and 11:00 a.m.-12 p.m. ET/PT, respectively). The announcements were made today by Bill Abbott, President and CEO, Hallmark Channels, and Charles Koppelman; Executive Chairman, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. The new Hallmark Channel Original Series joining the lineup this January include:
'MARTHA BAKES'
This January (launch dates tbd) marks the highly anticipated launch of Martha Stewart's first-ever baking series. "Martha Bakes" is sure to be the definitive resource for the actual or would-be baking expert. It is comprised of 13 episodes that fulfill Martha's Stewart's long-time dream of creating a valuable and visual teaching course that features the best of the best in home baking. Based on her many years of experimenting, teaching and research, this Baking 101 destination delivers a thoughtfully edited collection of Martha's personal favorites, from savories to sweets, and demystifies everything from how to make the perfect cheesecake without a crack to how to create the ultimate devil's food cake. What distinguishes the series is that each installment, covering themes from pound cake to pate brisee, will begin with a recipe's basic foundation and will explore how the addition of certain ingredients or the use of a new technique will result in not one, but multiple dishes in each half-hour.
'MAD HUNGRY WITH LUCINDA SCALA QUINN'
Hallmark Channel has picked up "Mad Hungry With Lucinda Scala Quinn" for an additional 80 episodes, which will begin production in January.
'MARTHA STEWART PRESENTS: THE MEN WHO MAKE US LAUGH'
In January, Martha Stewart showcases her keen and frequently self-deprecating sense of humor in the premiere of "Martha Stewart Presents: The Men Who Make Us Laugh." In this hour-long primetime special, Martha meets up with three famous comedic craftsmen and engages in lively and candid conversation, discussing her guests' inspirations, work lives and how they balance their very busy profession with personal pursuits. During the course of these revealing and entertaining interviews, Martha gets to the heart of three comedians for a terrific, laugh-filled hour of primetime viewing.
'PETKEEPING WITH MARC MORRONE'
This is a new series where people seek advice and practical information from Martha's favorite petkeeper, Marc Morrone, and leading experts from all areas of the animal world. From learning how to keep your family safe and happy when pets and kids live under the same roof to revealing the most common misconceptions and myths about our animal friends, each half-hour features a specific theme. Marc is joined by top veterinarians and animal behaviorists to explore every possible topic about the world of pets. First, the characters bring their pets to Marc's establishment, Parrots of the World in Rockville Center, New York. Marc is there to offer advice to visiting dogs, cats, parrots, gerbils, turtles, spiders...you name it...and their human counterparts. Then the viewer is taken into a more studio-like setting where Marc's trademark menagerie of animals interact with him, his experts and each other. Here, viewers learn valuable information and skills needed for responsible and enjoyable petkeeping through detailed dialogue and demonstrations. This fun, energetic, family-friendly show is a must see for all animal lovers.
'WHATEVER WITH ALEXIS & JENNIFER' AND 'WHATEVER MARTHA' LIVEN UP LATE NIGHT
Also in Q1 (premiere date/time TBD), Hallmark Channel's topical talk show, "Whatever With Alexis & Jennifer," will air on Saturday nights at 11 p.m. ET/PT, 10C. During each episode, Alexis Stewart and Jennifer Koppelman Hutt offer their insights into the daily headlines and explore how viewers are dealing with everyday issues. Filmed in New York in front of a live studio audience, the show features a variety of in-studio guests, from headline makers to celebrities to people who just have something to say.
Then, at 12 AM ET/11 PM C, Hallmark Channel is the new and exclusive home to 26 original episodes of the critically acclaimed series, "Whatever, Martha!" Now in its third season, this wickedly funny half-hour, which Entertainment Weekly called "juicier than any steak the domestic diva ever cooked up", features the Sirius radio hosts in their
element: providing their personal take on vintage episodes of the Martha Stewart Living TV show. The unscripted format provides a platform for the co-hosts to showcase their colorful, witty and sometimes shocking opinions about Martha's performance, appearance and approach to projects. The MSLO-produced series, which was created by Martha Stewart after watching old episodes of "Mystery Science Theatre," was a critical hit at launch, receiving raves from publications across the country including TV Guide, The New York Times, and New York magazine among others.
ABOUT HALLMARK CHANNEL
Hallmark Channel, owned and operated by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., is a 24-hour basic cable network that provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment programming available in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) to a national audience of 90 million subscribers. The top tier program service is distributed through more than 5,450 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading network in providing quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies, general entertainment and home and lifestyle content. Hallmark Channel's sibling network is Hallmark Movie Channel, also available in HD and SD, which focuses on the family-friendly movies with a mix of classic theatrical films, presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library, original Hallmark Channel movies and special events.
ABOUT MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) is a diversified media and merchandising company, inspiring and engaging consumers with unique lifestyle content and distinctive products. The Publishing segment encompasses four magazines, including the company's flagship publication, Martha Stewart Living, periodic special issues and books. The marthastewart.com website provides consumers with instant access to MSLO's multimedia library, search and find capabilities, recipes, online workshops, community and personalization, as well as wedding-planning tools powered by WeddingWire and digital invitations with pingg.com. The Broadcasting segment produces the Emmy-winning, daily television series, "The Martha Stewart Show," and other original programming on Hallmark Channel, including "Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn" and "Whatever with Alexis & Jennifer." Broadcasting also encompasses Martha Stewart Living Radio on SIRIUS channel 112 and XM channel 157 as part of "The Best of SIRIUS." In addition to its media properties, MSLO offers high-quality Martha Stewart products through licensing agreements with carefully selected companies, including the Martha Stewart Collection exclusively at Macy's, the Martha Stewart Living line of home-improvement products at The Home Depot, Martha Stewart Crafts with EK Success at Michaels and independent retailers, the Martha Stewart Pets line at PetSmart and more. In 2008, Emeril Lagasse joined the Martha Stewart family of brands; MSLO acquired the assets related to Lagasse's media and merchandising business, including television programming, cookbooks, and emerils.com website and his licensed kitchen and food products. For additional information about MSLO, visit www.marthastewart.com
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