A Christmas Day lineup of NBA and NFL games highlights a holiday weekend schedule of live TV sports events.  

Christmas Day will feature three NFL games, beginning with CBS and Nickelodeon’s simulcast of the Las Vegas Raiders-Kansas City Chiefs game, followed by Fox’s coverage of the New York Giants-Philadelphia Eagles contest and ABC’s primetime telecast of the Baltimore Ravens-San Francisco 49ers game.

On the basketball court, the NBA has five games scheduled for December 25, including Milwaukee-New York Knicks (ESPN), Golden State-Denver (ABC), Boston-Los Angeles Lakers (ABC), Philadelphia 76’ers-Miami Heat (ESPN), and Dallas-Phoenix (ESPN).

The NFL also has a doubleheader matchup on Saturday featuring the Cincinnati-Pittsburgh (NBC) and Buffalo-Los Angeles Chargers (Peacock) games. On Sunday, Fox and CBS will air regional NFL coverage, while NFL Network will air a primetime AFC conference matchup between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos. 

College football continues its bowl season Saturday with seven games across ABC and ESPN, while NBC, Peacock, and USA Network will feature six Premier League soccer games. 

Also on Saturday, DAZN will distribute a pay-per-view boxing card featuring former heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder in separate bouts. The afternoon fight card will retail at $39.99.

BET Plus leads the list of networks and streaming services delivering holiday TV movie cheer to viewers during the 12 days before Christmas as programmers tie a bow around a robust lineup of original holiday programming that launched in October. 

BET Plus over the next two weeks will distribute the final three movies of its slate of 12 original holiday films and specials that featured several high-profile celebrities and producers, including Jasmine Guy, Tamar Braxton, Vivica A. Fox, Debbie Allen, Tichina Arnold, Jackee Harry, and Michael Colyar, according to BET Plus officials. 

BET Plus VP of content programming, strategy and original movies Marvin Neil said holiday programming has become a yearly staple for the four-year-old African American-targeted streaming service as it looks to offer more family fare.

“The holiday season is about families and togetherness, and I feel like that’s an opportunity that’s been taken up by major networks for decades,” Neil said. “The problem is major networks weren’t really showcasing the black holiday experience the way we felt we deserved, so we were very intentional about really targeting the holiday season as a moment to tell relatable stories for our viewers and for a broader audience.” 

Neil said the appeal of original holiday content attracted actors, directors and writers of color to the streaming service. On the docket for BET Plus holiday films premiering through Christmas are films starring actress/producer Robin Givens (Christmas Rescue); musicians MC Lyte and Tank (Favorite Son Christmas); and actress/singer Kandi Burruss (Whatever It Takes).

Holiday Movie Sampler

A partial list of remaining holiday-themed movies debuting on linear networks and streaming services, along with their premiere dates:

December 14

• Heaven Down Here (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
• Christmas Rescue (BET Plus)
• Favorite Son Christmas (BET Plus)

December 15

• The Secret Gift of Christmas (Hallmark Channel)

December 16

• Designing Christmas With You (Great American Family)
• Sealed With a List (Hallmark Channel)
• The Holiday Proposal Plan (Lifetime)
• The Christmas Detective (OWN)
• A Christmas Intern (Lifetime)

December 17

• Dial S for Santa (UPtv)
• Merry Magic Christmas (Lifetime)
• 12 Games of Christmas (Great American Family)
• Friends and Family Christmas (Hallmark Channel)

December 21

• Miracle in Bethlehem, PA (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
• Whatever It Takes (BET Plus)
• The Christmas Break (Fox)

December 23

• A Royal Christmas Holiday (Great American Family)
• Mom’s Christmas Boyfriend (Lifetime)
• Christmas Revisited (OWN)

December 24

• A Christmas Letter (UPtv)

TruTV will turn back the clock over the holiday weekend by airing marathons of two 1990s comedy sitcoms.

The network will launch a Christmas weekend marathon of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, which aired on ABC from 1992 to 1997. The series — which starred Mark Cooper as a former NBA star turned substitute teacher and also featured Holly Robinson Peete, Omar Gooding and Raven Symone — will air on truTV from December 23 to December 25, according to network officials.

Also: Wonder Women of Los Angeles 2022: Holly Robinson Peete

TruTv will offer a New Year's Day weekend marathon of the ABC sitcom Step by Step. The series starred Suzanne Somers and Patrick Duffy as parents of a blended family. Step by Step, which ran on ABC from 1991-1997 and CBS from 1997-1998, will launch on truTV December 30 and conclude on January 1, said the network. ■

Disney Plus is giving viewers an early Christmas gift with the renewal of its holiday-themed series The Santa Clauses for a second season.

The announcement comes on the heels of the December 14 season one finale streamed on Disney Plus. Series star Tim Allen will reprise his role as Santa/Scott Calvin during the second season along with Elizabeth Mitchell who will return as Mrs. Claus/Carol, said the service.

“This franchise has had a lasting impact for so many families, truly becoming part of their annual holiday traditions,” said Disney Branded Television President Ayo Davis said in a statement. “Bringing it back as a series has been a true gift, and I’m grateful to our producing partners at 20th Television and, of course, Tim Allen and team, that we have yet another reason to celebrate this holiday season.”

According to Disney Plus, in the series' first season Scott Calvin returns after being Santa Claus for nearly 30 years, and he’s as jolly as ever. But as Christmas declines in popularity, so does his Santa magic. Scott struggles to keep up with the demands of the job, as well as being there for his family. Upon discovering there is a way to retire from his post, Scott considers stepping down as Santa Claus and finding a worthy successor so that he can become a better father and husband.

The Santa Clauses is executive produced by Allen, Jack Burditt, Kevin Hench, Richard Baker, Rick Messina, Jason Winer and Jon Radler.■

Cable networks and streaming services are entering the last phase of its nearly three-month run of original holiday films, with more than 50 movies scheduled to debut over the next 25 days from such cable services as Lifetime, Hallmark Channel, VH1, Great American Family and UPtv as well as streaming services BET Plus, HBO Max and Shudder.

Below is a partial list of remaining holiday-themed movies debuting on cable and streaming services, along with their premiere dates.

December 1 

Rolling into Christmas (BET Plus)

Serving Up the Holidays (Lifetime)

A Hollywood Christmas (HBO Max)

December 2 

Christmas with the Campbells (AMC Plus)

A Big Fat Family Christmas (Hallmark Channel)

Cloudy With a Chance of Christmas (Lifetime)

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (Netflix)

Christmas in the Wilds (Uptv)

December 3

Christmas on Candy Cane Lane (Great American Family)

A Fabled Holiday (Hallmark Channel)

A New Orleans Noel (Lifetime)

The Great Holiday Bake War (OWN)

The Holiday Stocking (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)

Christmas on the Slopes (UpTV)

December 4

B&B Merry (Great American Family)

Undercover Holiday (Hallmark Channel)

Merry Textmas (Lifetime)

Christmas on the Rocks (UPtv)

December 8

A Miracle Before Christmas (BET Plus)

Scentsational Christmas (Lifetime)

December 9

Aisle Be Home For Christmas (Great American Family)

The Most Colorful Time of the Year (Hallmark Channel)

A Recipe for Joy (Lifetime)

Something From Tiffany’s (Prime Video)

Christmas Bloody Christmas (Shudder)

December 10

Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas (Lifetime)

A Prince For the Holidays (Great American Family)

Christmas Class Reunion (Hallmark Channel)

The Gift of Peace (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)

A Christmas Fumble (OWN)

A Royal Christmas Match (UPtv)

December 11

The Holiday Sitter (Hallmark Channel) 

Single and Ready To Jingle (Lifetime)

Santa’s Got Style (UPtv)

A Christmas Prayer (TV One)

December 12

A Nashville Country Christmas (Paramount Network)

December 15

A Blackjack Christmas (BET Plus)

Record Breaking Christmas (Lifetime)

December 16

Holiday Heritage (Hallmark Channel)

A Christmas to Treasure (Lifetime)

The Apology (Shudder)

December 17

A Brush With Christmas Romance (Great American Family)

Five More Minutes: Moments Like These (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)

The Holiday Dating Guide (Lifetime)

Sappy Holiday (UPtv)

December 18

The Art of Christmas (Great American Family)

Hanukkah on Rye (Hallmark Channel)

Wrapped Up in Love (Lifetime)

A Vintage Christmas (UPtv)

December 19

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (Hallmark Channel)

December 21

Fuhgeddabout Christmas (VH1)

December 22

A Christmas Gift (BET Plus)

December 24

The Snowball Effect (UPtv)

December 25

Christmas in Wolf Creek (UPtv)

MeTV's "A Very Merry MeTV" programming event starts Sunday, November 20, and continues through Christmas Day. The event has both Thanksgiving- and Christmas-themed episodes of vintage series, including Gilligan's Island, My Three Sons and The Beverly Hillbillies, with the Christmas fare beginning November 27.

Commemorating what would've been Charles Schulz's 100th birthday (November 26), MeTV has movies A Boy Named Charlie Brown on Sunday, November 20 and Snoopy Come Home on Sunday, November 27. A Boy Named Charlie Brown, from 1969, sees Charlie enter a spelling bee, while Snoopy, Come Home!, from 1972, sees Snoopy sneak off to visit a girl in the hospital, only to find dogs are not all that welcome in many public places. MeTV said the two films are the only Peanuts holiday specials on broadcast TV this year.

Part 1 of episode "The Thanksgiving Story," from The Waltons, airs November 23, and Part 2 is on Thanksgiving Day.

On Saturday, December 3, original horror series Svengoolie features movie The Raven, followed by a special one-hour Sventoonie Christmas special, It's a Wonderful Loss of Life featuring the movie The Great Rupert.

Morning show Toon In with Me has a primetime special December 5 when Tiny Toony's Christmas Carol airs, featuring Bill the Cartoon Curator (Bill Leff), Toony the Tuna (Kevin Fleming) and the gang as they present classic holiday shorts.

The Waltons also airs on Christmas Day, including episodes "The Best Christmas," "The Children's Carol" and "Grandma Comes Home," among others. ■

Disney Plus in November will stream a holiday special based on Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy movie franchise, according to the show's official trailer.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which premieres November 25 on the streaming service, showcases the Guardians, who head to earth on a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for one of its members, according to Disney Plus.

The special stars Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker and Kevin Bacon.

Executive producers for The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special include Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Gunn, Sara Smith and Simon Hatt, said Disney Plus.■

Family-targeted UPtv is celebrating Easter with a lineup of original and acquired programming that includes two primetime, faith-based movie premieres this Sunday. 

The original movies, Faith, Hope & Love, which follows a divorced dance studio owner’s journey of faith, and Small Group – in which a faith-doubting documentarian infiltrates a church congregation –  are part of the network’s “Easter Lives Here” week-long programming stunt which launched on April 10 and has included such acquired films as The Passion of the Christ and The Ten Commandments. Also on Easter Sunday the network will debut a gospel music special, Stellar Music of Hope.

With UPtv’s annual Easter and Christmas programming stunts – along with digital expansion through the network’s $5.99 per month SVOD service UP Faith and Family and FAST channels Aspire TV Life and Spanish language-based Cine Romántico – the network over the past two years has delivered its best revenue numbers ever, according to UPtv founder and CEO Charley Humbard.  

Humbard spoke to Multichannel News about the network’s Easter programming focus as well as the growing appeal of the network’s faith and family-based offerings. An edited version of the interview appears below.  

MCN: What is driving UPtv’s viewership and audience appeal? 

Charley Humbard: I think our programming was well situated for the unfortunate circumstances we all dealt with going through COVID. We came off our two best years for the business, and a lot of that does speak to the stress of the world around us today and looking for that safe haven to go where people celebrate family and faith. Our programming helps affirm your beliefs in family, relationships and faith, so it has a unique appeal. We're well suited to program to these holidays that really celebrate that like Easter and Christmas.

MCN: Why doesn’t Easter doesn’t generate a lot of original programming from other networks?

CH: I find it interesting that they haven’t, but Easter is something we’ve celebrated for years. We were the first cable network to air the Passion of the Christ in 2014 and it remains the highest rated content we’ve ever had. There’s an audience there for this time of the year that celebrates the family and faith aspect of this holiday. Easter for us is like Christmas, and we bring the faith aspect to Easter that maybe others tend to stay away from. But Easter is about faith, renewal and forgiveness, and the story of Easter can be adapted into contemporary themes. Our [Easter weekend] movies have a faith piece to them, but they are also relationship stories that have much broader appeal.  

MCN: What role has the network’s UP Faith and Family streaming service played in the network’s recent business success? 

CH: Our subscription service is now crossing one million subscribers, and we have a really strong programming offering there with both faith and family-friendly content. I like to say it's Netflix without the dark stuff – it's programming for every generation. That has really helped our business grow. ■ 

The Christmas weekend sports lineup starts on the basketball court as ABC and ESPN offer five National Basketball Association games on December 25.

ESPN will televise the Atlanta Hawks-New York Knicks game and the Dallas Mavericks-Utah Jazz games, while ABC airs the Boston Celtics-Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors-Phoenix and Brooklyn Nets-Los Angeles Lakers contests. 

The NFL will offer two games on Christmas Day, starting with the Cleveland Browns-Green Bay Packers game as well as the Indianapolis Colts-Arizona Cardinals matchup. On Sunday, NBC will air live The Washington Football Team-Dallas Cowboys Sunday Night Football game. 

On the college football bowl front, ESPN on Saturday will televise the Camellia Bowl between Georgia State and Ball State. 

In the ring, Fox will televise a primetime Christmas boxing match between welterweights Vito Mielnicki Jr. and Nicolas De Lomba. On the soccer field, NBCSN and USA Network will combine to televise four live Premier League games on Sunday. ■ 

It’s the heart of summer, but CBS has Christmas on the brain. The network is at work on two Christmas movies. Production began on Christmas Takes Flight in British Columbia earlier this month, and A Christmas Proposal is also in the works. 

When they air in December, the projects will be the first original television movies to air on the network since 2012.

Motion Picture Corporation of America is producing both. 

Made-for-TV movies were a staple on broadcast TV many years ago. Kelly Kahl, CBS Entertainment president, described the return as “one of those creative-meets-business-opportunity models that comes along every once in a while.” CBS found the right producer, and “it turned out to be a good financial deal for us. We loved the creative and we said, let’s get back in the movie business.”

Christmas Takes Flight centers on a battle of wills between pilot Jenny (Katie Lowes) and CEO Matt (Evan Williams), who purchases Jenny’s family-owned, regional airline. 

“Matt’s cost-cutting initiatives threaten Christmas when he cancels the airline’s annual holiday charitable benefit for underserved children,” said CBS. “Determined to show Matt that the sweetest things in life are worth any price, Jenny rallies the community to help save the event and unexpectedly finds herself falling for the magnate in the process.” 

Andrew Airlie, Kyra Leroux, Erik Gow and Keisha Haines are also in the cast. Brad Krevoy, Eric Jarboe, Amanda Phillips and Amy Krell are executive producers for Motion Picture Corporation of America. Nancy Bennett, Susanne Belzberg and Doran S. Chandler also executive produce. 

A Christmas Proposal has Adam Rodriguez and Jessica Camacho in the cast. A down-on-her-luck chef who dreams of starting a line of food trucks agrees to pose as the girlfriend of a hotshot Seattle attorney as he visits his family for Christmas. Working together, they try to prove he’s the ideal candidate to take over the family firm, but the duo’s business arrangement is complicated when sparks begin to fly. 

Holiday specials on CBS include Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. 

Sports fans will have a lot of TV sports content to choose from during the Christmas holiday weekend. 

ESPN and ABC will offer a combined five NBA games as part of the league’s traditional Christmas Day offering. ESPN will air the New Orleans Pelicans-Miami Heat at noon, followed by ABC’s Golden State Warriors-Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets-Boston Celtics games. ESPN’s primetime coverage will include the Dallas Mavericks-Los Angeles Lakers telecast and the Los Angeles Clippers-Denver Nuggets contest. 

The NFL will also take the field on Christmas Day for a week 16 matchup between  the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints, which will be aired by Fox and NFL Network, as well as streamed by Amazon Prime Video. 

On Saturday, Prime Video will exclusively stream the San Francisco 49ers-Arizona Cardinals NFL game, while NFL Network will telecast the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Detroit Lions game as well as  the Miami Dolphins-Las Vegas Raiders contest. NBC’s Sunday Night Football game will feature the Tennessee Titans against the Green Bay Packers. 

Also Read: Amazon Gets Exclusive for NFL's Dec. 26 49ers vs Cardinals Game

College football will continue its run of Bowl games this weekend with Friday's Camellia Bowl (Marshall vs. Buffalo) on ESPN, and Saturday’s First Responder Bowl (Louisiana vs UTSA) on ABC, Lending Tree Bowl (Western Kentucky vs Georgia State) on ESPN and Cure Bowl (Liberty vs Coastal Carolina) on ESPN.

Other sports events include CBS' college basketball telecast on Saturday featuring top-ranked Gonzaga against Virginia and NBC's Saturday afternoon Chelsea-Arsenal Premier League soccer telecast.

HBO Max has greeenlit a second season of holiday dating series 12 Dates of Christmas.

The series follows singles as they go on 12 dates in hopes of finding a partner to bring home for the holidays, said the network. The eight episode first season debuted Nov. 26, and a reunion episode, 12 Dates of Christmas: Unwrapped, premiered Dec. 17. 

12 Dates of Christmas is produced by Objective Media Group America, an All3Media America company, with Jilly Pearce and Layla Smith serving as executive producers. 

Also read: Delivering The Holiday Gift of Unscripted Romance

“12 Dates is the escapist holiday treat we all need right now,” said Jennifer O’Connell, HBO Max executive vice president of non-fiction and live-action family in a statement. “In season one, we wanted to shake up the snow globe to combine everything we love about holiday romcoms with a clever dating show format and a wink at our audience. We look forward to doing more of the same in season two, with a continued emphasis on casting to represent diversity of experience!” 

Also read: Cover Story: Holiday Cheer 

HBO will premiere a special episode of its Emmy-winning drama series Euphoria this Sunday (Dec. 6).

The episode -- one of two specials slated for the freshman drama series -- will follow lead character Rue (played by Emmy-winner Zendaya) as she celebrates Christmas. Jules (Hunter Schafer) will also appear in the episode, said the network.

HBO Max subscribers can currently stream the episode, according to the streaming service. 

Euphoria is created and written by Sam Levinson, who also serves as executive producer along with Ravi Nandan, Kevin Turen, Drake, Future the Prince, Hadas Mozes Lichtenstein, Ron Leshem, Daphna Levin, Tmira Yardeni, Mirit Toovi, Yoram Mokady and Gary Lennon.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, a movie about a toymaker who finds new hope after his granddaughter enters his life, starts on Netflix Nov. 13. Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Hugh Bonneville, Phylicia Rashad, Justin Cornwell and Anika Noni Rose are in the cast. 

David E. Talbert wrote and directed the project, which is in select theaters in addition to appearing on Netflix. 

The movie opens as a grandmother, played by Rashad, tells her grandchildren about Jeronicus Jangle, played by Cornwell, an inventor whose apprentice steals his most prized invention, an animatronic bullfighter voiced by Ricky Martin. Jeronicus is distraught and becomes estranged from his daughter. Years later, his granddaughter, played by Madalen Mills, comes to visit. His attitude changes. 

The film is rated PG and runs for just under two hours. 

As more families are staying at home due to the coronavirus outbreak, linear-based, family-friendly networks are lining up original content to offer audiences on digital platforms.

Crown Media Family Networks announced Thursday (March 26) that it would make its Hallmark Movies Now subscription video on demand service available free for 30 days. Along with a slate of original movies and series from its linear cable channels Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the SVOD service -- which retails at $4.99 per month -- will also feature a lineup of popular Christmas movie offerings, said the company.

The Hallmark linear channel is reprising its We Need a Little Christmas holiday movie marathon this weekend beginning March 27. Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is also kicking off a weekend holiday event, Miracles of Christmas Movie Marathon, beginning March 27, said the network.

The move follows a similar free SVOD offering from UpTV. The family-themed network is offering a select number of original movies, series and specials for free on its UpTV Faith and Family OTT service. 

Among the original UpTV series streaming previous seasons for free include Growing Up McGhee, Jo Frost: Nanny On Tour and The Last Hope, according to network officials. 

Given our tough times, Hallmark Channel hosts a “We Need a Little Christmas” marathon March 20-22. The special will feature “Countdown to Christmas” movies.

Christmas is scheduled for Dec. 25.

Stars in the movies include Candace Cameron Bure, Lacey Chabert, Holly Robinson Peete and Danica McKellar.

A Christmas Detour airs March 20 at noon ET/PT. Candace Cameron Bure and Paul Greene star. Other movies include Crown for Christmas, with Danica McKellar and Rupert Penry-Jones, on March 20 at 10 p.m. McKellar played Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years.

Saturday morning features A Very Merry Mix-Up, with Alicia Witt and Mark Wiebe. Sunday offers The Sweetest Christmas with Lacey Chabert and Lea Coco.

Hallmark Channel premieres of In the Key of Love, 2020 Spring Fling Preview Special and 2020 Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Preview Special will air at their originally scheduled times March 21.

Cable networks’ original holiday movies will deliver the gift of diversity, with many of this year’s offerings featuring actors of color in lead roles.

From OWN’s first-ever original movie, One Fine Christmas, to Lifetime’s A Sweet Christmas Romance to UP TV’s Snowbound for Christmas, these movies will aim for viewers who are underserved by the popular seasonal genre.

“There’s a formula to holiday films: You have a nice-looking couple, they end up falling in love, there’s a happy ending, fa la la la la,” Marc Berman, editor of TV industry website Programming Insider, said. “What’s always been missing from that formula are people of color — there has been an enormous lack of diverse holiday programming.”

As cable networks ramp up the number of original holiday films — nearly 90 will debut between the last week of October and the end of December — network executives said they’ve made a more concerted effort to diversify the characters and storylines.

RELATED: Hallmark Celebrates a Decade of Yule Countdowns

With African-Americans in particular watching more than 50 hours of live and time-shifted television per week during the first quarter, per Nielsen, holiday-themed scripted programs — which touch on traditions of family, food and gifts — will play well with diverse audiences, TV One senior vice president of original programming and production Brigitte McCray said.

“Black audiences are not monolithic and storytelling for this audience should be as diverse as they are, including holiday programming,” McCray said. TV One in December will air Dear Santa, I Need a Date, starring Ray J, Reagan Gomez-Preston and Anna-Marie Johnson.

“African-Americans and people of color love all types of genres and it’s no surprise that feel-good content is appealing during the holiday season,” McCray added.

BET and BET Her will simulcast four Christmas- themed movies across four straight Saturdays beginning Nov. 30: Christmas Belles, Hip Hop Holiday, ’Twas the Chaos Before Christmas and Holiday Heist.

“At BET, we know that binging on holiday movies can be comfort food for the soul, and our audience is no exception to this viewing phenomenon, so we’re proud to present our new original holiday programming to bring that holiday cheer to our audience,” said Maureen Guthman, BET senior vice president, content strategy.

OWN, which targets African-American women, will jump into the original movies arena for the first time with three holiday-themed movies debuting in November: One Fine Christmas starring Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams; Carole’s Christmas, featuring Jackée Harry and Kimberly Elise; and Baking Christmas, starring Tim Reid.

“We’ve created scripted programming that’s relatable and reflective of the lives of our African-American female audience, and we feel that it’s a natural extension for us to go into the holiday movies space,” OWN president Tina Perry said. “We will be telling the same stories that are relatable, that reflect her life and experiences at that time of the year.”

Networks targeting more general audiences are also diversifying their holiday fare. Nearly half of Lifetime’s 28 planned movies will star people of color, including Tatyana Ali (The Christmas Hotel), Kim Fields (You Light Up My Christmas), Kelly Rowland (Merry Liddle Christmas), Loretta Devine (A Sweet Christmas Romance) and Keshia Knight Pulliam (Radio Christmas).

Hallmark Channel will offer four holiday films with lead actors of color, including the Tamera Mowry-Housley starrer A Christmas Miracle, Crown Media Family Networks CEO Bill Abbott said.

Viewers had a nice attraction to Hallmark Channel's latest programming stunt.

The family-friendly service's "Countdown to  Valentine's Day" fare reached over 30 million unduplicated watchers, inlcuding 6.7 million women 25 to 52 during its two-week run.  Topped by original telefilm All of My Heart on Cupid's night,  Countdown to Valentine's Day showcased over 300 hours of romance-themed fare from Jan. 31 through Feb. 15, inlcuding a quintet of original telefilms.

Those original movie premieres garnered 8.7 million unduplicated viewers, including 1.6 milion of the aforementioned demo. As a result, Hallmark, which pushed for its heartfelt strategy in the wake of another sterling Nielsen performance with its traditionsl "Countdown to Christmas" gambit, registered an 83% rise among households in the 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. time slot, when measured against the same time period a year ago.  The network also rang up an 87% jump among viewers and 113% against women 25 to 54.

Countdown to Valentine’s Day culminated with top ratings for the Feb. 14 world premiere of All of My Heart, which earned a 2.7 rating. and 3 million viewers to become the highest-rated telecast of the day among total viewers and households and most-watched among the latter, excluding sports.

Starring Lacey Chabert, Brennan Elliott and Ed Asner, it also stands as the second-highest-rhousehold-rated original telefilm bow in all of  cable thus far in 2015.

.

“Between the immense popularity of Countdown to Christmas and now these results for our inaugural Countdown to Valentine’s Day, it is resoundingly clear that our viewers gravitate toward Hallmark Channel’s celebratory programming events,” said Michelle Vicary, executive vice president, programming & network publicity. “We look forward to giving our audience more of what they want and to building on our foundation of annual franchises celebrating a variety of special occasions and holidays throughout the year.”

Nielsen families placed gifts under TNT's viewing tree, as the network scored the most-viewed game and primetime doubleheader on Christmas in cable history.

Viewers were also attuned to the trio of games that aired on The Walt Disney Co.-owned ABC and ESPN, each of which scored gains over the 2013 holiday.

Event without the NBA's version of Father Christmas, Kobe Bryant, TNT averaged a 2.0 rating and 3.9 million viewers with its coverage of Derek Rose (pictured) and the Chicago Bulls' 113-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers to rank as the highest-rated and most-viewed primetime cable game ever on Christmas, according to Nielsen data. 

The telecast, which likely would have scored bigger numbers if the Lakers star would have extended his record Christmas appearance run to 16 consecutive yuletides,  peaked with 4.2 million total viewers in the 10 p.m. half hour.

The nightcap --  the Los Angeles Clippers surged past the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter -- averaged a 1.7 rating and nearly 3.08 million viewers, gains of 70% and 96%, respectively, over the comparable Christmas telecast on TNT in 2008.  The Warriors-Clippers game peaked with 4.1 million total viewers from 10:45 p.m. -11:15 p.m.

Together, the Thursday night twinbill averaged 3.5 million total viewers to become the most-viewed primetime doubleheader on Christmas in cable television history., while propelling TNT to win the night across all of cable television. 

The doubleheader was up 94% over the 1.8 million watchers in 2008, the last time TNT aired a primetime doubleheader on Jesus' birthday. 

The 2014 Christmas Day doubleheader also generated significant audience advances across all key demos, including a 92% increase in persons and men 18 to 34, as well as 74% amelioration against people 18 to 49.

The holiday NBA fare also played well for Disney's outlets. ABC’s late afternoon/early evening coverage of the Miami Heat's win over old mate LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers posted up a 4.7 rating from 5  p.m. to 7:50 p.m.. a 12% bounce from Heat-Lakers in the same window last year. ABC's audience averaged 9.3 million viewers, up 19% from 2013.

Earlier on the Alphabet network, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 114-106 win over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of the 2014 Western Conference Finals generated a 3.3 rating, 10% higher than the corresponding window on Christmas 2013. That translated into 5.99 million watchers on average -- also a 10% increase.

ESPN tipped off the day’s NBA action at noon with the game between the Washington Wizards and the New York Knicks, which netted a 1.8 rating and 3.05 million viewers, growth of 13% and 9%, respectively,

While fans can only hope that Santa leaves them a win under the tree when their team square off against the Washington Wizards on Christmas Day, MSG Network is bringing back “Knicksmas” for a third year.

Tipping off at noon on Dec. 24, the stunt, featuring 24-hours of non-stop New York Knicks programming, is hosted by Walt “St. Knick” Frazier.  Shot in his New York City apartment, brimming with holiday trimmings and graced with a roaring fireplace, Frazier will share the spirit of  the season with a local children’s choir and the Knicks City Dancers.

The programming ranges from Knicks seasons, championships and great games past -- plus a few from the current campaign -- and profiles of present and former players, including "Santa Clyde" himself. 

Click here at MSG.com to hear Christmas“Clyde-isms” at the site's new holiday soundboard.

The programming serves as a lengthy lead-in to the Knicks' pregame show on MSGN at 11:30 p.m.; ESPN will cover the contest from MSG, as the Knicks play for a 67th time on Christmas.

“KNICKSMAS” ON MSG NETWORK

12:00PM         KNICKS IN 60: KNICKS VS. CHARLOTTE (11/2/14)

1:00PM           THE GAME: 365: WALT FRAZIER: WINING AND DINING

1:30PM           MSG COUNTDOWN: 21ST CENTURY KNICKS

2:00PM           KNICKS IN 60: KNICKS VS. DENVER (11/16/14)

3:00PM           BEGINNINGS: MICHEAL RAY RICHARDSON

3:30PM           PROFILES: CARMELO ANTHONY

4:00PM           BEGINNINGS: IMAN SHUMPERT

4:30PM           THE GAME 365: CLYDE’S ISLAND OASIS

5:00PM           KNICKS IN 60 #3: KNICKS VS PHILADELPHIA

6:00PM           LOST AND FOUND: THE ’73 CHAMPIONSHIP KNICKS

7:00PM           PROFILES: PHIL JACKSON 

7:30PM           PROFILES: AMAR’E STOUDEMIRE

8:00PM           KNICKS IN 60 : KNICKS VS. CELTICS  

9:00PM           BEGINNINGS: J.R. SMITH

9:30PM           PROFILES: CARMELO ANTHONY

10:00PM         KNICKS IN 60

11:00PM         FOUR COURSES S1 # 1 (LJ, SALLEY, FRIEDLANDER, TARIQ)

11:30PM         FOUR COURSES S2 #5 (STARKS, MACCHIO, NORTON, CENAK)

12:00AM         KNICKS IN 60: KNICKS VS. CHARLOTTE (11/2/14)

1:00AM           BEGINNINGS: IMAN SHUMPERT

1:30AM           3-60s: BERNARD KING’S 60-PT. GAME

2:30AM           3-60s: CARMELO’S 62-PT. GAME

3:30AM           BEGINNINGS: MICHEAL RAY RICHARSON

4:00AM           KNICKS IN 60 #2: KNICKS VS. DENVER (11/16/14)

5:00AM           KNICKS IN 60 #3: KNICKS VS. PHILADELPHIA

6:00AM           THE GAME 365: J.R. SMITH

6:30AM           BEGINNINGS: J.R. SMITH 

7:00AM           BEGINNINGS: WALT “CLYDE” FRAZIER

7:30AM           THE GAME 365: CLYDE’S ISLAND OASIS

8:00AM           KNICKS IN 60: KNICKS VS. CELTICS

9:00AM           FOUR COURSES S1 #2 (LJ, SALLEY, FRIEDLANDER, BREUER)

9:30AM           FOUR COURSES S2 #4 (MASON, CARTER, SCOTT, FRIEDLANDER)

10:00AM         BEGINNINGS: MICHEAL RAY RICHARDSON

10:30AM         KNICKS IN 60 #5

11:30AM         KNICKS PREGAME

Say what you will about the exalted status of SEC football and the not-so-glorious present for UT on the gridiron. 

But when it comes to Christmas morning viewing, it says here you have to steer the remote toward Longhorn Network, ESPN’s 24-hour service devoted to the University of Texas.

SEC Network will accompany Santa’s bounty with a four-hour run, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. (ET), of the Yule Log, favored by channel 11 over the years in these parts of the Big Apple. Although the service will play holiday favorites like “Oh Christmas Tree”, “Jingle Bells” and the “12 Days of Christmas,” all commercial-free, the glad tidings to the men, women and children of the SEC Nation will truly come in the form of the school’s fight songs, like “Fight For LSU” and Auburn’s “War Eagle.”

The other 12 conference members’ songs will also sound nicely against the backdrop of the burning log: “Yea Alabama,” “Arkansas Fight,” “Orange & Blue” (Florida), “Glory, Glory” (Georgia), “On! On! U of K” (Kentucky), “Forward Rebels” (Ole Miss), “Hail State” (Mississippi State), “Fight, Tiger” (Missouri), “Step to the Rear” (South Carolina), “Down the Field” (Tennessee), “Aggie War Hymn” (Texas A&M) and “Dynamite” (Vanderbilt).

If one has to give the aural edge to SEC Network for its more diverse playlist, no bull it’s UT on the visuals on Christmas morning: Longhorn Network is going all Bevo -- the school’s mascot (pictured)-- all the time, or at least from 7 a.m. to noon (CT).

The special, Bevo Home for the Holidays, driven by the first-ever Bevo cam, will enable fans to watch the longhorn roam his natural habitat with friends, while also enjoying songs of the season.

The commercial-free event will be brought to viewers courtsy of  the Bevo Fan Club and Neighborhood Longhorns Program, which is partnering with the Austin Independent School District “to help little Longhorns Dream Big”.

“Bevo holds a special place in Texas fans’ hearts, so what better gift for our viewers than to have him join the family at home for the holidays” said Jill Husak, LHN’s director of marketing. “Beloved Bevo on his scenic ranch, combined with holiday music, will make the perfect television background when Texas fans gather on Christmas morning.”

Eat your heart out Mike The Tiger.

On Epix, it's all about unwrapping Bond, James Bond, on Dec. 24 and 25.

The premium service will serve up a two-day marathon on the famed spy franchise on Christmas Eve and Christmas. With apologies to George Lazenby and Pierce Brosnan, viewers can see Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Daniel Craig portray Ian Fleming's celebrated 007.

The event will also feature an encore presentation of Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007, the documentary chronicling the evolution and impact of the Bond movies.

MARATHON SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014

5:50 AM EST - NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN

8:05 AM EST - FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

10:05 AM EST - EVERYTHING OR NOTHING: THE UNTOLD STORY OF 007

11:50 AM EST - A VIEW TO A KILL

2:05 PM EST - NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN

4:20 PM EST - FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

6:20 PM EST - EVERYTHING OR NOTHING: THE UNTOLD STORY OF 007

8:00 PM EST - SKYFALL

10:30 PM EST - LIVE AND LET DIE

12:35 AM EST - FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

2:35 AM EST - A VIEW TO A KILL

4:50 AM EST - SKYFALL

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2014

7:15 AM EST - YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

9:15 AM EST - FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

11:25 AM EST - GOLDFINGER

1:15 PM EST - LIVE AND LET DIE

3:20 PM EST - SKYFALL

5:45 PM EST - THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS

8:00 PM EST - GOLDFINGER

10:00 PM EST - FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

12:15 AM EST - YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

2:15 AM EST - THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS

4:30 AM EST - GOLDFINGER

When it comes to sports, if Thanksgiving is the NFL’s day, then Christmas is all about roundball.

For the 67th year overall and the first under Santa Silver, here’s a spirit-of-the-season Dec. 25 programming guide for the NBA.

Jimmy Dolan’s Madison Square Garden manger may need Phil Jackson’s Zen more than frankincense and myrrh, but the gold will be in the house as the New York Knicks mark their 50th Christmas appearance, dating all the way back to 1947 against the Providence Steamrollers.  This year’s noon (ET) encounter on ESPN may take Clement Moore to the top of the porch, to the top of (John) Wall, where the Washington Wizards look to dash away, dash away, dash away all from Carmelo Anthony’s struggling crew.

ABC at 2:30 may summon the ghosts of NBA future with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, as the Oklahoma City visit the ghosts of NBA championship present, the San Antonio Spurs, and Gregg Popovich’s three wise men, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

For those who prefer their Christmas in more Frosty climes say like in Akron, Ohio, South Beach may not necessarily be the place to celebrate. Still, at 5 p.m. on the broadcaster LeBron James will bring his new Cleveland Cavalier courtiers Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to the place where he hung his stocking the last four seasons: Miami’s American Airlines Arena. Hopefully, a nagging calf injury won’t throw coal on former Big Three running mate Chris Bosh, or The King only will be left to engage season’s greetings with Dwayne Wade and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.

At 8 p.m., TNT showcases the Los Angeles Lakers and their “Father Christmas,” Kobe Bryant, who will play for a league record 16th time on the holiday. Holly may be the flower of the season, but there is no better gift for Chicago Bulls fans than having a (Derek) Rose in bloom at the United Center.

The 10:30 nightcap on TNT may be the top matchup on the Christmas list with the league-leading Golden State Warriors invading the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples. But given their dustup last Christmas and animus after the Clippers edged the Warriors in Game 7 of opening round of the 2014 playoffs, there may not be glad tidings as this could turn out to the Grinch game.

Ho, ho, ho.