wfn.org | Odyssey Channel to Partner with Hallmark,

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5-August-1998 
98223 
 
    Odyssey Channel to Partner with Hallmark, 
    Jim Henson Company 
 
    by Religion News Service 
 
WASHINGTON--Two well-known entertainment companies - Hallmark Entertainment 
and 
The Jim Henson Co. - have signed a letter of intent to invest $100 million 
in the Odyssey Channel, a faith-and-values television network based in New 
York.  The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is one of 70 faith groups 
participating in the Odyssey Channel. 
 
    The arrangement would involve the two companies and two existing 
shareholders, the National Interfaith Cable Coalition (NICC) and Liberty 
Media Corp.  The NICC, a consortium of Protestant, Jewish, Roman Catholic 
and Eastern Orthodox faith groups, founded the network in 1987. Liberty 
Media, the programming arm of Tele-Communications Inc., joined in a 
partnership with NICC in 1995. 
 
    After the investment and some restructuring, NICC will retain 22.5 
percent, Liberty will own 32.5 percent and Hallmark and Henson will each 
own 22.5 percent of the common equity of the channel. 
 
    In a statement released  June 29, Odyssey Channel officials spoke of 
the benefits of the partnership. 
 
    "The Odyssey Channel will be greatly enhanced when it is relaunched 
with programming from The Jim Henson Company and Hallmark Entertainment," 
the statement said.  "Hallmark and Henson will make available 
cable-exclusive airings of both original and existing programs that feature 
the unique combination of high entertainment values and meaningful content 
that have been the trademark of both companies for the past several 
decades." 
 
    Originally called VISN (Vision Interfaith Satellite Network) and later 
known as the Faith & Values Channel, Odyssey includes faith-related 
programs ranging from "The New Inspiration, Please!" religion quiz show to 
an evangelical debate program called "Hashing It Out."  It also features 
family dramas, such as "Brooklyn Bridge" and "Our House," Catholic masses 
and other worship services, and "CeCe's Place," a gospel and contemporary 
Christian music program hosted by singer CeCe Winans. 
 
    Odyssey is available to more than 30 million U.S. households through 
1,500 cable systems, the Primestar direct-to-home satellite service 
(Channel 84) and C-Band dish owners. 
 
    Hallmark Entertainment, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards Inc., is a 
leading distributor and producer of miniseries and made-for-TV movies. The 
Jim Henson Co. is an independent multimedia production company that has 
focused on family entertainment for more than four decades. 

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