Martha Stewart moving show to Hallmark Channel; will it be a good thing?

Martha Stewart has struck a deal with the Hallmark Channel to move her daytime television lifestyle show from syndication to the cable network and develop new shows for the channel as well.

Stewart's syndicated talk show, "The Martha Stewart Show," had never been a strong ratings performer in daytime television. NBC Universal had distributed the show and carried it on the NBC-owned TV stations for several years. The show will go off NBC stations in the fall and then move to Hallmark Channel. As part of the deal, Hallmark will also carry additional original programming from Stewart's company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.

For Hallmark, which has built a strong audience in the 25-54 demographic with its movies, landing Stewart is a high-profile move that it hopes will broaden its appeal. While the channel gets decent ratings, it is not as strong in urban and wealthy markets as it is elsewhere. Stewart caters to an upscale audience that the channel hopes will translate to stronger advertising dollars.

-- Joe Flint

Comments

[Gina]

"The Martha Stewart Show," had never been a strong ratings performer in daytime television." Really? NBC sabotaged the show over time instead of promoting the show. With Hallmark, there will be no sabotaging act, and viewers will have a positive, healthy-living influence in their lives. NBC is a destructive network. The Martha Show is quality tv programming, it is the best show on mindless daytime tv. It had strong ratings until NBC started to systematically sabotage the show. Destructive NBC is delusional if they think the Nate Show is any match for the excellent Martha Show.

[Nell Murphy]

Has Hallmark lost it's mind? What is with Martha Stewart on from 11:00 until 6:00 every day? I cannot tolerate even a half hour show with her. Bring back Little House!