ABC Family announced Tuesday it will change its name to Freeform this January. The content will stay the same, but at least parents will no longer be misled by the name. The name change is good news! It would have been nice if the network had cleaned up the programming, but since that wasn’t going to happen, a name change was necessary.
Over the years there has been a public outcry because of the content aired under the family label. 1MM has warned parents numerous times that this so-called family channel was anything but that. There is nothing family-oriented about the network, and the name change is long overdue. It was misleading to parents and confusing for families.
ABC Family has seen a decline in viewership over the years and believes the name was a turnoff. However, 1MM believes the content is at fault for the loss in viewership. As parents, we know that viewership has gone down because the network has become known for shows that push the boundaries and do not match the channel’s family-friendly name. The network has been misleading families for several years, but most families are now aware that the programming does not match the name.
1MM has worked tirelessly over the years to alert parents to the content in the network’s programs such as “Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “Young and Hungry,” “The Fosters,” “Becoming Us,” and “Mystery Girls.” The network has also lost countless advertisers because of 1MM efforts.
Upcoming new shows will include “Shadowhunters,” about a girl who discovers on her 18th birthday she has the power to fight demons, and “Recovery Road,” about a young person dealing with addiction. The network will remain off limits for most conservative families.
Please share this information with everyone you know so they are aware of this change.
Blessings,
Monica Cole
Director, OneMillionMoms.com
