Interview by Paul Salfen
Great American Media is home to the portfolio of family-friendly brands, including linear TV networks, Great American Family and Great American Living; a free streaming app, Great American Community; and a FAST channel, Great American Adventures. As the company’s flagship network, Great American Family features original holiday movies, rom-coms and classic series celebrating faith, family and country.
Abbott co-founded Great American Media in June 2021 and led the company’s acquisition of Great American County Network from Discovery, Inc. and RIDE TV, which were rebranded as Great American Family and Great American Living. The following month, Abbott oversaw the debut of Great American Christmas, the portfolio’s signature franchise featuring 24/7 Christmas movies and fan-favorite stars like Candace Cameron Bure, Danica McKellar, Trevor Donovan, Lori Loughlin and more. In June 2022 Abbott launched Great American Adventures, the company’s first FAST (free ad-supporting streaming TV) channel and in September 2022 debuted Great American Community, the free direct-to-consumer app.
In First Quarter 2023, Great American Family extended its streak as the fastest-growing network on TV ranking #1 in ratings growth for the second consecutive quarter. The new leader in original Christmas movies, seasonal rom-coms and family-friendly series closed out the quarter with the highest increases for Total Day ratings in Households and Total Viewers, and the largest gains in Primetime ratings in Households and Total Viewers.
Network Releases Films and Stars, Premiere Dates Coming Soon
EMBARGOED UNTIL 9 A.M. EASTERN, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 — NEW YORK, NY – September 18, 2023 – Great American Family today announced the company’s highly-rated and highly-anticipated annual holiday program event, Great American Christmas, returns Friday, October 20, with the first premiere of the season, Saturday, October 21. The full slate of World Premiere dates will be announced soon so that holiday movie fans can mark premiere dates in the Great American Christmas Movie Checklist App. The 2023 edition of Great American Christmas features 20 high-quality original holiday movies and around the clock, 24/7 holiday films from the network’s library on Great American Family, the nation’s fastest-growing cable television network for the past 10 consecutive months.
Talent audiences know and love star in stories destined to become holiday classics will provide viewers an unparalleled entertainment experience that promises to make the season bright. Great American Christmas originals feature beloved stars such as Candace Cameron Bure, Danica McKellar, Chad Michael Murray, Trevor Donovan, and Jill Wagner, to name a few.
Great American Christmas Original World Premiere Movies 2023 Include:
12 Games of Christmas, starring Johnny Ramey and Felisha Cooper. In 12 Games of Christmas, a group of old friends and neighbors are transported into a Christmas-themed board game during a Christmas party.
A Christmas Blessing, starring Lori Loughlin, James Tupper, and Jesse Hutch. A TV chef (Loughlin) is divinely inspired to take over her late aunt’s charity with help from a new friend (Hutch) and handsome business associate next door (Tupper).
A Christmas Commission (wt), starring Sarah Fisher and Simon Arblaster. Two rival realtors (Fisher and Arblaster) are forced to work together to sell one special house before Christmas.
A Christmas for the Ages, starring Natasha Bure, Anna Ferguson, Kate Craven, and Cheryl Ladd. Prompted by their youngest granddaughter (Bure), four generations celebrate family and what Christmas was like in the 40s, 60s, 90s, and present day.
A Dash of Christmas, starring Broadway’s Laura Osnes and Christopher Russell. A marketing exec (Osnes) must learn a recipe to get her dream job and ends up entered in a holiday bakeoff with a dream baker (Russell).
A Model Christmas (wt), starring Ash Tsai and Joey Heyworth. While on a charity press tour, a model (Tsai) ends up stranded by the weather at the family home of the driver (Heyworth) she hired to assist her for the week.
A Paris Christmas Waltz, starring Jen Lilley and Matthew Morrison. A novice dancer (Lilley) pairs with a professional (Morrison) to enter a renowned dance competition…in Paris! The next story in The Christmas Waltz universe, the highest-rated Christmas rom com of 2020, from Michael Damian and Janeen Damian.
A Royal Christmas Holiday, starring Brittany Underwood and Jonathan Stoddard. In search of her big break, a reporter (Underwood) arranges a Christmas interview with a European Prince (Stoddard) visiting the states. Will the reporter’s big story become her love story?
A Royal Christmas Romance (wt), starring Danica McKellar and Damon Runyan. When a European Duke (Runyon) arrives in the US, he realizes that his bags have been lost in transit. He has no choice but to be styled, and ultimately inspired, by Bella (McKellar) the owner of a local boutique.
A Time Capsule Christmas (wt), starring Jillian Murray and Daniel Lissing. A father (Lissing) bonds with his daughter and stumbles upon an unexpected romance (Murray) while tracking down the original owner of a Christmas time capsule.
Bringing Christmas Home (wt), starring Jill Wagner and Paul Greene. A professor of military history (Wagner) teams with an antique store owner (Greene) to track down the original owner of a historic WWII uniform and the love letters left in its pockets.
Christmas on Windmill Way, starring Christa Taylor Brown and Chad Michael Murray. To save her family’s legacy windmill, a woman (Taylor Brown) must remind her ex-boyfriend (Michael Murray) of the best of their hometown.
Destined 2: Christmas Once More, starring Shae Robbins and Casey Elliott. In this sequel, Theo (Elliott) continues to miss connecting with his girlfriend, Kim (Robbins) as he attempts to propose at Christmas.
Mistletoe Moments, starring Susie Abromeit and Liam McIntyre. With her career on the line, a decorator (Abromeit) must work with an unexpected partner (McIntyre) to showcase a house for an upcoming Christmas gala.
My Christmas Hero, starring Candace Cameron Bure and Gabriel Hogan. An army reserve doctor (Bure) tracks down her family’s military history with the help of a new romance (Hogan).
Our Christmas Wedding, starring Holly Deveaux and Drew Seeley. In the sequel, roles reverse as Nicole’s boss plans newly engaged Nicole (Deveaux) and Michael’s (Seeley) wedding in two weeks at Christmas.
Peppermint & Postcards, starring Ella Cannon and Christopher Russell. When a Christmas letter concerning her love life goes viral, one mom discovers that romance might be right at her door.
Santa, Maybe (wt), starring Aubrey Reynolds. Can theater director Lila (Reynolds) rise to the challenge of putting on the perfect Christmas ballet, while also discovering her office Secret Santa in the process?
The Christmas Regift (wt), starring Erin Agostino and Marshall Williams. A city manager (Williams) recruits the help of a childhood friend (Agostino) in setting right his town’s Christmas Charity event, while she sets to work setting him up with her close friend.
‘Twas the Text Before Christmas, starring Merritt Patterson and Trevor Donovan. An unexpected text message sent to the wrong number (Patterson) sets into motion a Christmas tradition with a new family (Donovan) over three separate years.
