AT&T Drops Hallmark

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 at 1:00pm
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AT&T Drops Hallmark  

If you’re an AT&T Uverse customer, you may be forgiven for wondering what happened to the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel today. The answer is, of course, an argument over money.

Attempts to reach a new deal that would allow the carrier to continue running the two channels before their current deal ended at midnight last night failed and both channels have disappeared from Uverse listings already, replaced by previews of programming from Starz Kids & Family and Turner Classic Movies. Obviously, both sides are blaming each other. AT&T’s statement on the subject includes the lines “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,” while Hallmark’s president and CEO Bill Abbot said, “I was stunned by the apparent disregard for the facts in AT&T’s recent statement regarding our negotiations… However, if they are really serious, my team and I are ready for truly fair negotiations.”

The real loser in this breakdown? Martha Stewart, of all people; her Omnimedia family of programming moves to Hallmark in less than two weeks. If a deal can’t be reached before then, it’ll be an unhappy debut for the former queen of nice.

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  • Nolagregory

    I just got At&T and was assured by the salesman that I had Hallmark. Well guess what? I was obviously lied to. I had it the day they came out to install on Comcast and then I didn't with AT&T. So I believe I was mislead and lied to. I asked specifically about Hallmark as we watch it an awful lot. Correct this AT&T..this is not good PR for your company.

  • Ann

    It is now September 26, 2010, and the Hallmark channels have yet to return to AT&T U-Verse. I can't believe it! Are these channels ever coming back? We have everything in our home connected to AT&T. We even changed from Comcast to U-Verse because they would take away the Hallmark channels from a specific package and then we would have to pay more for another package in order to have the Hallmark channels. This seems to be even worse. We don't know what we are going to do yet, but continue to hope that we get those channels back.

  • esther

    i want hallmark channel back if we dont have it back by november we are packing it up and going back to cablevision, this is ridiculous cant you see how many people want this channel isnt the customer always right and should come first. we pay alot of money a month to just watch regular channels now hallmark is a great channel especially around the holidays and i and alot of people i know wont be without it

  • Twinsis

    ATT if it was the Dallas Cowboys who wanted more money that would not have been a problem you would have shoveled it out. It was only “the little Hallmark Channel” which you probably think is watched by women only. Well, big business ATT, we women have more money and influence that you think. Bring Hallmark back to U-Verse. You may think you are the company in town…..and you are dumb enough to act like it…….still!

  • Jkfreeman33

    Going to miss all the great Christmas movies on Hallmark. How much more would it cost to have Hallmarak?

  • Meraviles

    I would like to see if Hallmark can still work with ATT U-Verse to find a solution and allow the Hallmark Channels to be again part of the U-Verse lineup. This, I assure, will make lots of costumers happy not mentioning that many families will be able to watch a suitable programming. Thank you.

  • Sallykono

    Please, bring the Hallmark Channel back, it been to long now. Hallmark Channel is one of the best Channel and also AT&T your having us miss the holiday movies that come once a year. Martha Stewart rating are low may this is a factor. Just please could both side sit down and come up with a new deal for Hallmark & the AT&T Network. I’d hate go else-
    where but I will. Thank for you time

  • Billie

    I presently have Dish & was considering ATT Uverse until I read they don’t carry the Hallmark channels. That made up my mind for me. Guess I will stay with Dish even though I don’t like it.

  • Bobbie

    Oh poor Martha,come on Hallmark, you have just managed to put a black mark on your famous name. Calling yourself a family channel, right . now you need more money because you think you need Martha! really. So you take it out on your publc, your families???????? In any case you are a dissappointment, did you do this on purpose, right in time for the Christmas. Millions of people watched the Hallmark channels. It was a house whole name, now you have the joined the ranks of the money mongruls!!! SHAME ON YOU.

  • Ali

    Hallmark Channel needs to be readded to U-Verse!!! Its the Holidays, I want to watch their Holiday Movies. Hallmark is a Wonderful Family Network. Work It Out you guys!!!!

  • Joannerosetti

    Dear At&T customer Service
    I just found out on the Internet that you people dropped The Hallmark station will it come back on? because I enjoyed the movies on that channel this also happened on the food channel it came back on. I do not like what is happening concerning these channel’s please e-mail me at joannerosetti@att.net
    Mrs. Joanne Rose Rossetti

  • Joannerosetti

    Dear Customer Service
    I am very upset at At&T for canceling The Hallmark channel hope it comes back on. I enjoyed the movies on that channel. Please e-mail me and tell me if it will come back on. joannerosetti@att.net
    Joanne Rose Rossetti

  • Wanda Simpson

    I am so sorry tat AT&t dropped the hallmark channels, it was good family orianted movie and show information. One of the reasons that I chose AT&T uverse was bwcause of Hallmark. I am very fisapointed. Shame in you

  • Andy

    Bring back the hallmark station it was the best station you have get rid of HBO & Showtime you only play repeats over and over. A&TT dosent care what the custumers like or dislike because they make you sign a contract and they no if you cancel your account you will be penalized and charged for it.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EMQ2LEPV4UWRVNZWEGGITBZ4F4 Brendag

    This is ridiculous..to take away a clean movie channel and act like you are protecting your viewers from higher costs!!  That is bull!! At least let us have the option to pay extra. As soon as my contract is up Im going back to Charter!! and I know many that will do the same!!

  • Bcrpr_1

    Well it is now   October  2011 and still no Hallmark,   my contract won’t be up until June 2010
    but I will think very hard about not renewing it.     The only channel I  want is Foxnews and that
    they have and Hallmark.   I will search for the Hallmark somewhere else.

    BC

  • Hrobi

     i just recently got Uverse thinking I would get Hallmark Channels & then discovered I didn’thave them. I am telling them if I don’t get them in the next 3months with them I will switch services on all of mine. I really like Uverse but like Hallmark Channels more.

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