Great American Media Completes Merger With Sony’s Pure Flix

Great American Media, the family and faith-based company started by former Hallmark Channel head Bill Abbott, said it completed its merger with Sony Pictures Television’s Pure Flix.

GAC Media CEO Bill Abbott — Bill Abbott (Image credit: GAC Media)

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Great American Media retains a majority interest in the merged company and Abbott will be CEO, reporting to a board of directors.

“The merger marks a significant milestone for our company, our employees, our business partners and our fans as we take an important step in our mission to become the leader in trusted faith-and-family entertainment for a large and under-served market,” Abbott said. “We are extremely excited that Sony Pictures has chosen to partner with us, and we look forward to combining these two dynamic organizations to accelerate Great American Media’s growth strategy.”

Pure Flix is a streaming service providing faith and family-friendly movies and series. Great American Media’s flagship network Great American Family is available in 50 million pay TV homes. It has been the fastest-growing network for seven consecutive months, according to Nielsen.

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.