NBCUniversal's Peacock announced an unusual deal with Hallmark Media under which Peacock will stream Hallmark’s linear channels and offer its content on demand.

Beginning Wednesday, Peacock’s homepage will include a dedicated hub where viewers can find Hallmark’s offerings.

The hub will feature live simulcasts of Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama, making Peacock into a mini multichannel video programming distributor.

"As we continue to make Peacock a premium streaming destination, Hallmark is exactly the type of brand we want to align with," Kelly Campbell, NBCUniversal president of Peacock, and direct-to-consumer, said. "Through this groundbreaking partnership, we're giving Hallmark viewers a unique viewing experience while continuing to grow our audience, boosting engagement across both brands."

In addition to the live Hallmark channels, Peacock subscribers have on-demand live and next-day access to Hallmark movies and series, including When Calls the Heart.

Classic Hallmark holiday movies will also be available via Peacock.

NBCUniversal said Peacock now has about 15 million subscribers. In the third quarter, the service lost $614 million on revenue of $5.6 million. NBCU has been moving next-day availability of programming from NBC and the company's cable channels, including Bravo, to Peacock this year with the expiration of a distribution agreement with Hulu. NBCU owns a minority stake in Hulu, which is controlled by The Walt Disney Co.

As an independent, Hallmark faces headwinds in streaming. The Hallmark Channels are already available to stream over outlets including YouTube TV and FrndlyTV. Frndly TV also offers its subscribers Hallmark's VOD service Hallmark Movies Now as an add-on.

Hallmark also launched an AVOD channel on Xumo in 2020.

"We're proud to enter this partnership with Peacock and bring our widely beloved Hallmark content to their subscribers," Hallmark Media president and CEO Wonya Lucas said. "The opportunity to provide our devoted fanbase access to all three of Hallmark’s linear networks will allow our audience to continue to grow and connect in meaningful ways." ■

Streaming service Philo will continue to offer Hallmark Channel to its subscribers as part of a carriage agreement renewal reached with Crown Media Family Networks.

The multi-year partnership deal also includes carriage of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama, according  to both parties. The agreement follows on the heels of a recently announced Crown Media renewal deal with NCTC.  

“Our movies are currently leading Philo’s viewership charts, so we know there is great demand on the service for our content,” said Crown Media President & CEO, Wonya Lucas in a statement. “With this renewal agreement, we look forward to continuing to entertain Philo subscribers and bringing them more of the positive, feel-good Hallmark programming they know and love.”

Also: Lisa Hamilton Daly Wraps Up Hallmark Channel's Programming Gifts to Viewers

The deal keeps Hallmark's current holiday movies schedule in front of Philo.  Hallmark movies have become the most-watched on the platform for the month-to-date, according Philo COO and Head of Content and Distribution Mike Keyserling. 

“Philo viewers are huge fans of Hallmark holiday programming, so we are thrilled to extend our partnership with the Crown Media Family Networks to continue to offer their content to our community,” he said. “With family-friendly entertainment and 41 original movies this season, Hallmark is clearly synonymous with the holidays on our platform and beyond.” ■ 

Also: Philo to Carry Former Hallmark Head Bill Abbot's GAC Family, GAC Living

National Cable Television Cooperative members will continue to receive Hallmark Channel and Crown Media Family Networks’ other services as part of a new multiyear carriage deal between the two companies.

Along with Hallmark Channel, NCTC members will continue to carry Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Hallmark Drama and Crown Media’s TV everywhere service Hallmark TV as part of the renewal agreement. The NCTC represents more than 700 small and midsized independent cable and broadband operators.

Financial terms were not disclosed. 

Also: Lisa Hamilton Daly Wraps Up Hallmark Channel's Programming Gifts to Viewers 

“Our longstanding partnership with NCTC’s member operators has allowed us to garner an audience of loyal viewers who value Hallmark’s unique brand of feel-good, heartwarming content,” Crown Media president and CEO Wonya Lucas said in a statement. “NCTC is an esteemed partner in elevating the breadth of our programming efforts year-round, and we look forward to continuing to provide their member operators and subscribers with access to our signature programming destinations in the years to come.”

Added NCTC EVP of programming Judy Meyka: “Hallmark provides quality programming that our members are pleased to share with their subscribers. We truly value our partnership with Hallmark and look forward to our continued relationship for many years to come.” ■ 

Also: New Disney Deal with NCTC Includes Disney Plus, ESPN Plus 

Crown Media has struck a deal with YouTube TV to launch its suite of networks on the streaming service.

YouTube TV already streams the company's VOD offering, Hallmark Movies Now, as an option, but it will now offer Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama over the top.

The move comes as Hallmark continues to score with its Countdown to Christmas marathon that began even before Halloween.

“Our content, rooted in celebration, joy, optimism, and human connection, has never been more in demand, and we are confident the addition of Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama adds tremendous value to YouTube TV’s offerings and will be instant favorites among subscribers,” Crown Media president Wonya Lucas said.

“We’re excited to partner with Crown Media Family Networks to deliver all three of Hallmark’s linear channels to our YouTube TV members, including Hallmark Channel,” said Paul Snow, co-head of YouTube TV content partnerships. “We know that our members love this content, and it's the perfect time to introduce these channels to YouTube TV as we head into the holiday season.”

Crown Media Family Networks said Hallmark Drama, the company’s third linear cable network, launched today (Sept. 10) on Comcast's Xfinity X1 platform. Customers who have the Digital Preferred package can say “Hallmark Drama” into the Xfinity Voice Remote to live tune to the network or tune to channel 1460. Crown launched the network in 2017, with the first breakthrough coming on launch on Dish Network. Other distributors of note include DirecTV, Cox Communications and NCTC affiliates, along with virtual pay-TV providers including Fubo, Philo and Sony PlayStation Vue. Charter Communications also includes Hallmark Drama in its TV Essentials offering for broadband-only customers, according to Crown distribution executive Erin McIlvain. She said the Xfinity launch brings the channel up above the 25-million subscriber mark.

Hallmark Drama is soon to launch its first proprietary original shows, including holiday specials Christmas Cookie Matchup (pictured above) and Project Christmas Joy plus new installments in the “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” movie franchise and the sequel to the 2016 original movie JL Family Ranch starring Jon Voight, Teri Polo, James Caan, Bo Derek and Dylan Walsh. Hallmark Drama also features series and movies from Crown Media’s library. Crown's other two linear channels are Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

Related: Hallmark Drama Channel Launches Into Headwinds for Linear Networks (2017)

“With the kick-off of our beloved holiday programming right around the corner and the imminent rollout of brand-new original content on Hallmark Drama, the timing for this launch could not be better,” Erin McIlvain, executive vice president, content strategy and distribution for Crown Media Family Networks, said in a release. “We have built a strong partnership with Comcast over the years and with the addition of Hallmark Drama to Xfinity X1’s suite of Crown Media offerings, Xfinity customers will now have a unique new way to enjoy more of the Hallmark-branded entertainment they know and love.”

In an interview, McIlvain credited Comcast. "They're a good partner and they see the value in our networks and they understand that there's an appetite for Hallmark content," she said. Comcast carries all three linear channels and the Hallmark Movies Now subscription VOD service.

Upstart network Hallmark Drama has reached a distribution agreement with Dish Network, according to network executives.

The agreement puts the service --which launched on Oct. 1 and features a mix of acquired content and Hallmark-themed original movies -- in nearly 10 million households, according to network officials. 

RELATED: Hallmark Drama Channel Launches Into Headwinds For Linear Networks

Crown Media Family Networks executive vice president of strategy and distribution Erin McIlvain told Multichannel News that the network has been well received by distributors, although she would not comment on any potential future deals.

“Overwhelmingly we’ve received positive feedback from distributors,” she said. “I think that’s based on our brand and the value proposition that they know we bring.” 

Layer3 TV has added Crown Media’s newest network, Hallmark Drama, to Platinum allHD, the Denver-based MVPD’s base package.

RELATED: Hallmark Drama Channel Launches Into Headwinds for Linear Networks

Hallmark Drama, launched October 1, features a library of titles such as Touched by an Angel, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and originals that included Signed, Sealed, Delivered, A Kiss at Midnight and When Duty Calls.

Layer3 TV also offers Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

Notably, Hallmark Drama does not feature any programming currently available on Hallmark or Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, drawing instead on Crown Media’s library of original movies and series, including decades of “Hallmark Hall of Fame” films, Crown Media CEO Bill Abbott told Multichannel News in a recent interview.

Layer3 TV currently offers service in Los Angeles; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Dallas/Ft. Worth; and Longmont, Colo., and has plans to extend service to New York.

Even as pay TV operators mull removing channels from the traditional cable bundle, Crown Media Networks hopes Sunday’s (Oct. 1) launch of new linear channel Hallmark Drama shows there’s still life in the old bundle.

Hallmark Drama, like its sister networks Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, will offer a mix of acquired content and Hallmark-themed originals aimed at fans of the brand, according to Crown Media CEO Bill Abbott.

Related: Why Hallmark Is Betting It Can Create a New Cable Network

Abbott said Hallmark Drama will not feature any programming currently airing on Hallmark or Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, drawing instead on Crown Media’s library of original movies and series, including decades of “Hallmark Hall of Fame” films.

Distribution deals with several undisclosed pay TV providers will put Hallmark Drama in 5 million households at launch, the company said. Sister network Hallmark Movies & Mysteries deals do not include a license fee, according to industry sources, though Abbott and Crown officials would not discuss carriage terms, citing confidentiality.

“We still have quite a few deals that we have to complete and we will have significant distribution by first quarter 2018,” Abbott said.

Hallmark Drama follows another recent, sizable linear channel launch: NBCUniversal’s July debut of the Olympic Channel. Overall, though, channel launches run against the trend of distributors dropping networks where possible in an effort to offer cheaper, slimmed-down cable packages to consumers.

Abbott said there’s still appeal in the traditional cable bundle and is pitching Hallmark Drama as adding value to distributor packages.

“It’s our view that the ecosystem is still very strong and the big package of multiple cable networks is still a value and provides a great television option,” he said. “The skinny bundle is great if you’re maybe a single person or not that big a fan of TV, but if you’re in a household with more than one person and those people have a variety of interests, the skinny bundle doesn’t do it.”

Hallmark Channel has enjoyed strong ratings momentum, finishing among the top 15 cable networks in primetime during the third quarter of 2017, averaging 884,000 viewers, according to Nielsen. That was more than the 813,000 viewers posted during the second quarter, Nielsen said.

Hallmark will also step into the OTT arena Oct. 10 with the debut of the Hallmark Movies Now subscription streaming service. The offering, which will cost $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year, will also feature unduplicated content.

“For the passionate Hallmark fan who is engaged toward our content in a big way, we’re offering the service as an add-on that really punches up their engagement with Hallmark and [lets them] experience content they won’t see on the other three Hallmark services,” he said.