Bill Abbott, president and chief executive officer of Great American Media (GAM), recently discussed with ChurchLeaders the importance of quality faith-based media, GAM’s merger with Pure Flix, and the new Great American Family (GAF) series “County Rescue.”
GAF, of which Candace Cameron Bure is chief creative officer, has been one of the fastest growing television networks in the last year, recording 12 consecutive months of growth in 2023.
“At GAM, we are very focused on storytelling, character development, setting, overall premise and really supporting faith and family,” Abbott told ChurchLeaders.
Abbott sees what GAM is doing in the culture as vital. He said, “It’s important culturally that viewers have alternatives.”
“I really believe that the majority of the country believes in faith, family, and country and it’s just such an underserved audience,” he added. “There’s so much dark material out there that is horrifying and inappropriate for families.”
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Abbott also emphasized the importance of having such supportive and appreciative viewers at a time when cancel culture is just waiting to attack the values GAM stands for.
Over 30,000 people reached out to share their “appreciation” for GAF’s Christmas movies this past season, Abbott said, adding, “The outpouring of love that we get is very motivating.”
“At the end of the day, it reaffirms everything and makes you fight harder the next day. And keep your principles and keep your focus on faith,” Abbott said.
Abbott told ChurchLeaders that GAM is rooting for others who put out good faith-driven media. “We were so happy when ‘Jesus Revolution’ and ‘Sound of Freedom’ did well at the box office,” he said.
Last year, GAM and Sony Picture Television’s Pure Flix, the leading faith and family-friendly streaming service, merged. Abbott said that it is “important for us to be in the streaming business given migration of viewers to streaming.”
