The Odyssey cable network, best known for showing religious programming, reruns of Muppets Tonight and ALF, will change its name to the Hallmark Channel and shuffle the programming to slightly reduce
its religious fare. The new Hallmark Channel will start Aug. 6. The basic cable channel is available in just under 30 million homes, but it suffers from a lack of identity, admitted network President
Margaret Loesch. "One of the most often-asked questions is, 'Odyssey, gee, is that a travel channel or a sci-fi channel?'" she said. "I think this will end some of the confusion." Hallmark Inc.
recently bought a majority stake in the company that owns the network, Crown Media. Hallmark, which usually produces more than 50 made-for-TV movies a year, will continue supplying other networks with
programming along with the new Hallmark Channel.
Odyssey is the third cable network to change its name over the past few months. The Nashville Network became The National Network, dropping the
country music orientation but keeping the initials, and Romance Classics became WE: Women's Entertainment.
- Adam Bernard
