Hallmark Channel Offers Comfort and Escape During Uncertain Times

The world is on lockdown. Schools are closed, sporting events suspended, movie theaters shuttered (well, in most states anyway), and virtually every form of out-of-home entertainment and socializing prohibited. It's a small wonder Americans are spending more time than ever watching television. Under these extraordinary circumstances, people seem to predominantly want one (or both) of two things: information and escape. And with that, two very different genres of programming are winning in the ratings game. On one end of the spectrum, a desire to stay informed as this situation unfolds is driving a surge in viewership for cable and broadcast news. At the other end of the continuum, tried and true destinations for good-old fashioned feel-good programming are thriving. In this latter category, Hallmark Channel has risen to the top as one of the country's strongest performing networks. In fact, Hallmark Channel closed out First Quarter as the highest Household-rated entertainment cable network in Primetime, in addition to having a banner April, during which the channel ranked as the #2 most watched non-news network among Households and Women 18+ in Total Day.