Who Is Bill Abbott? 5 Things to Know About the GAC Media President and His Former Hallmark Career

Credit: MediaPunch/Shutterstock

Who Is Bill Abbott? 5 Things to Know About the GAC Media President and His Former Hallmark Career

Feel good film guru! Bill Abbott made Hallmark Channel the go-to hub for all-things holidays for 20 years before his departure in 2020 and launching GAC Media in 2021. Abbott turned heads in January 2020 when his exit as the CEO of Crown Media Family Networks (Hallmark’s parent company) was announced after 11 years in the role and two decades with the group. His step down came after the company received backlash in December 2019 over how it handled a commercial featuring a same-sex couple. At the time, Hallmark pulled a Zola.com ad that showed two women exchanging vows and sharing a kiss on their wedding day once a conservative group claimed the commercial was not “family-friendly.” The choice to drop the ad caused even more controversy from viewers, alleging Hallmark Channel had a lack of diversity and LGBTQ+ story lines, a criticism that Abbott claimed “wasn’t fair” while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter a month before the commercial controversy. The cable channel eventually changed their tune and put the clip back on the network and Hallmark issued an apology. The following month president and CEO of Hallmark Cards, Inc. announced that Abbott was moving on, saying in a statement, they “wish him continued success.” [jwplayer wMdRuQfE-zhNYySv2] In wasn’t long before Abbott was back on his feet. He acquired GAC, originally called Great American Country, in June 2021. The network's two channels, GAC Family and GAC Living, launched three months later and quickly began giving Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries a run for their money. “We want to be the leader and family television,” Abbott said on a March episode of the “Up Next with John Contratti” of his new empire. “We think that we’ve assembled a terrific team, not only at our networks, but also on the talent side; people who are well known to the audience and the audience loves.” Hallmark staples Danica McKellar and Jen Lilley were among the first stars to make the switch to GAC Media, helping to create wholesome content for the channels. The “Queen of Christmas” herself Candace Cameron Bure joined GAC Media in April, vowing in a statement to “develop heartwarming family and faith-filled programming and make the kind of stories my family and I love to watch.” The following month, GAC Media announced it is going digital with the creation of the Great American Community app. The virtual experience will launch in September 2022 and connect the network’s talent with viewers, including a lifestyle hub with former Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family hosts Debbie Matenopoulus and Cameron Mathison as contributors. Scroll down to learn more about Abbott: [podcast_block]

Credit: MediaPunch/Shutterstock

Who Is Bill Abbott? 5 Things to Know About the GAC Media President and His Former Hallmark Career

Feel good film guru! Bill Abbott made Hallmark Channel the go-to hub for all-things holidays for 20 years before his departure in 2020 and launching GAC Media in 2021. Abbott turned heads in January 2020 when his exit as the CEO of Crown Media Family Networks (Hallmark’s parent company) was announced after 11 years in the role and two decades with the group. His step down came after the company received backlash in December 2019 over how it handled a commercial featuring a same-sex couple. At the time, Hallmark pulled a Zola.com ad that showed two women exchanging vows and sharing a kiss on their wedding day once a conservative group claimed the commercial was not “family-friendly.” The choice to drop the ad caused even more controversy from viewers, alleging Hallmark Channel had a lack of diversity and LGBTQ+ story lines, a criticism that Abbott claimed “wasn’t fair” while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter a month before the commercial controversy. The cable channel eventually changed their tune and put the clip back on the network and Hallmark issued an apology. The following month president and CEO of Hallmark Cards, Inc. announced that Abbott was moving on, saying in a statement, they “wish him continued success.” [jwplayer wMdRuQfE-zhNYySv2] In wasn’t long before Abbott was back on his feet. He acquired GAC, originally called Great American Country, in June 2021. The network's two channels, GAC Family and GAC Living, launched three months later and quickly began giving Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries a run for their money. “We want to be the leader and family television,” Abbott said on a March episode of the “Up Next with John Contratti” of his new empire. “We think that we’ve assembled a terrific team, not only at our networks, but also on the talent side; people who are well known to the audience and the audience loves.” Hallmark staples Danica McKellar and Jen Lilley were among the first stars to make the switch to GAC Media, helping to create wholesome content for the channels. The “Queen of Christmas” herself Candace Cameron Bure joined GAC Media in April, vowing in a statement to “develop heartwarming family and faith-filled programming and make the kind of stories my family and I love to watch.” The following month, GAC Media announced it is going digital with the creation of the Great American Community app. The virtual experience will launch in September 2022 and connect the network’s talent with viewers, including a lifestyle hub with former Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family hosts Debbie Matenopoulus and Cameron Mathison as contributors. Scroll down to learn more about Abbott: [podcast_block]

Credit: Mandatory Credit: Photo by AFF-USA/Shutterstock (10100622a) William J. Abbott Hallmark Channel, TCA Winter Press Tour, Los Angeles, USA - 09 Feb 2019

1. Where Is He From?

The businessman grew up in Long Island, New York, and currently resides in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, according to his LinkedIn profile.

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2. How Long Has He Worked in Entertainment?

Abbott has been part of the TV industry for more than 30 years having served as senior vice president of advertising sales for Fox Family Worldwide for 12 years before moving to Crown Media Family Networks in 2000. He worked as the executive vice president of ad sales for the company before earning the title of president and CEO of Crown Media Networks during his 20 years with the group.

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3. Where Did He Go to School?

Abbott earned a bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts’ College of the Holy Cross in 1984.

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4. How Many Kids Does He Have?

The media guru is the father of four children, three of whom he shares with his wife, Shannon. His eldest daughter is from his first marriage.

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5. Is He an Animal Lover?

Abbott shows his love of animals by serving on the board of the Animal Humane Society. He also has a history of honoring pets and trying to get viewers to adopt through the creation of Hallmark’s Kitten Bowl, Hero Dog Awards and American Rescue Dog Show lineup. Through GAC Media, he’s kept the positive animal program going with the K-9 Hero Awards and the Great American Rescue Bowl on GAC Family.