Slogan We Get Family Language English Founded 2004 | Country United States Owned by InterMedia Partners Motto We Get Family | |
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Launched October 30, 2004 (2004-10-30) Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
480i (SDTV) Formerly called Gospel Music Channel (2004–10)
GMC TV (2010–13) Headquarters College Park, Georgia, United States Profiles | ||
Up TV (short for "Uplifting Entertainment" and stylized as UP), formerly GMC TV and originally Gospel Music Channel, is an American satellite and cable television network that was founded to have a focus on gospel music. It has expanded into family-friendly original movies, series, and specials.
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Up TV is owned by InterMedia Partners.
As of February 2015, the channel is available to approximately 67.6 million pay television households (58.1% of households with television) in the United States.
History
The Gospel Music Channel was founded in 2004 by Charles Humbard, the son of televangelist Rex Humbard. It was devoted to gospel music. With Brad Siegel, former president of Turner Broadcasting's Turner Entertainment Networks, as vice chairman, Humbard launched GMC on October 30, 2004. Gospel Music Channel programmed gospel/Christian music, featuring all styles, including traditional and contemporary gospel, Christian rock and pop, southern gospel, and Christian metal. Each weeknight, the network's lineup featured a different genre of music.
In addition to music video blocks, the network began to produce original shows, such as Faith and Fame (artist biographies), Front Row Live (concerts), and America Sings (singing competition). The network continues to broadcast Gospel and Christian music industry award shows, including The Stellar Awards (urban gospel) and The GMA Dove Awards.
The network was re-branded on June 1, 2013 (the re-branding had been scheduled to occur on September 1, 2013).
Programming
In the transition before the name-change, in 2010, the channel began carrying popular syndicated series such as Cosby; Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman; and The Waltons. The channel also has aired films such as The Secret Garden, The Trial, and Pay It Forward, as well as Christian movies such as Facing the Giants, The Perfect Summer, and Fireproof. On Christmas Eve and Day, the network airs a Yule Log loop with holiday songs from Contemporary Christian artists. Similar to competing family networks such as FreeForm and Hallmark Channel, UP now programs multiple weeks of family-friendly Christmas movies through the holidays in December. Easter movies also populate the programming schedule through April.
The channel continues to air popular syndicated series such as Growing Pains, Everybody Hates Chris, Touched by an Angel, and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. On December 3, 2014 Up announced it's first original scripted series Ties That Bind. Ties That Bind starred Kelli Williams, Jonathan Scarfe, Dion Johnstone, Matreya Scarrwene, Rhys Matthew Bond, Natasha Calis, Mitchell Kummen and guest stars Luke Perry and Jason Priestly. Other original series include Bringing Up Bates and the Canadian import Heartland. Up original movies include Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio (starring Kelly McGillis), The Town That Came A-Courtin' (starring Valerie Harper), Finding Normal, My Mother's Future Husband, Raising Izzie, and Saving Westbrook High. Up original specials include K-LOVE Music City Christmas (hosted by Candace Cameron Bure).
On October 7, 2014, Up pulled their airings of repeats of the television drama 7th Heaven, due to allegations of child molestation against the series lead actor, Stephen Collins. 7th Heaven briefly returned to Up in December 2014; however, it was quickly removed from the schedule. Up CEO Charley Humbard stated, "We brought the show back because many viewers expressed they could separate allegations against one actor from the fictional series itself. As it turns out, they cannot". In late May 2015, Up resumed weekday airings of two episodes of 7th Heaven, at 5-7 p.m. ET; by September 2015, marathon and daily airings of the series had resumed.
In September 2015, the network acquired the rights to Gilmore Girls and began to air it in both daily and marathon forms of scheduling, including a full-series marathon on Thanksgiving week 2016 to lead into the series' Netflix revival. It also acquired the repeat rights to NBC's 2010 drama Parenthood a year after the demise of Viacom's NickMom, complementing Gilmore Girls, as both series starred actress Lauren Graham.
In April 2016, the channel picked up the rerun rights to the Tom Bergeron era of America's Funniest Home Videos.