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A funny thing happened on the way to Woketopia…an appreciable slice of the key cable-watching demographic opted for the scenic route and embraced traditional values as TV ratings closed out the fourth quarter of 2022.

We’ve covered previously the launch of Great American Family as an alternative/competitor to the Hallmark Channel. In April of 2022, former Hallmark queen/mainstay Candace Cameron Bure announced she’d be joining GAF (formerly known as “GAC Network“). As Alex Parker wrote at the time:

As reported by Newsweek, the Fuller House star has joined the GAC Network in a “prominent executive role” to produce quality family entertainment.

As some of you may know, Candace has been quite the Hallmark Channel fixture. Now, it seems, GAC will be competing with Hallmark head-to-head.

The family foray’s being led by President and CEO of GAC Media Bill Abbott. Perhaps not coincidentally, Bill formerly served as CEO of Hallmark parent company Crown Media.

As Teri Christoph covered, in November, Bure caused a bit of a stir after explaining her move to GAF was spurred by a desire to promote traditional values, telling the Wall Street Journal:

“My heart wants to tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them. I knew that the people behind Great American Family were Christians that love the Lord and wanted to promote faith programming and good family entertainment. I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core.”

Kira Davis’ “A Very Merry Podcast” has also branched out from Hallmark and embraced GAF:

Did you think @hallmarkchannel Christmas movies were a little off this year?
So did we.
But you know who nailed it? @GAfamilyTV.
Kira and Amelia discuss in the latest episode. https://t.co/YaXbTLqHVP?
i=1000591209269#Hallmark #CountdowntoChristmas #greatamericanfamily pic.twitter.com/GK5v0JsLii

— A Very Merry Podcast (@AVeryMerryPod) December 30, 2022

It’s new episode day!

Kira and Amelia headed over to @GAfamilyTV for this one – and it felt like coming home. https://t.co/exe4t0Pvvj pic.twitter.com/Gt78L9TpkC

— A Very Merry Podcast (@AVeryMerryPod) January 9, 2023

I also shared recently how I’d migrated to GAF (though not abandoned Hallmark), and the unexpectedly sweet role GAF and “CCB” played in my reconnecting with my church.

As it turns out, we’re not alone in this migration. Fourth Quarter TV ratings are in and they reveal that GAF is now “the fastest-growing network in all of cable television.”

Great news for Great American Media's #GreatAmericanFamily to end 2022 & an even better way to start 2023. Happy New Year to everyone who helped make this happen, from people on-camera & off, but especially our viewers! 🎉#GreatAmericanChristmas #WelcomeHome #GreatAmericanWinter pic.twitter.com/HwCtF021II

— Great American Family (@GAfamilyTV) January 3, 2023

GAF issued a press release to acknowledge the growth, noting:

Great American Family closed out Fourth Quarter 2022 as the fastest-growing network in all of cable television.  In only its second year, the emerging leader in original Christmas movies ranked #1 in Total Day ratings growth in Households (+113%), People 18-49 (+100%) and Total Viewers (+116%), and #1 in Primetime ratings growth in Households (+128%) among all cable networks.

I see that Number 1 ranking in the 18-49 demographic as particularly key. That means it isn’t just the Boomers and Gen-Xers (like me) who find GAF’s content appealing. There’s an audience and an appetite for wholesome content. And at a time when there’s so much gloom and doom in the world, it’s refreshing to see that sunnier fare has a place and appeals to so many.

Ironically, GAF’s slogan is “Welcome home.”  The same goes for NewsTalkSTL, where I’m a frequent contributor. On Tuesday, I guest-hosted the “Colombo & Katie Show” with Katie Fitzpatrick, and we discussed (at around the 33:00 mark) the ratings success of GAF and what it means in the larger context of today’s culture wars. I invite you to give it a listen.