Benzinga | Oct 11, 2021 10:02AM EDT

Cinedigm Announces Contract Renewal With Crown Media Family Networks; Terms Not Disclosed

Cinedigm (NASDAQ:CIDM), the leading independent distribution company, announced today that the Company has extended its agreement with Hallmark Channel to distribute the network's content on TVOD and Physical. The two companies have worked together for nearly a decade and have grown the transactional business outpacing industry trends. The growth can be attributed to the superior quality of Hallmark's original films and scripted series. With a vast library, Hallmark has found a passionate audience in both the physical market, as well as on digital platforms like Amazon, Apple and VUDU. As part of the renewal, Cinedigm and Hallmark will open up digital rental on select titles for the first time ever.

The strength of Hallmark's original films and series continues to draw an enthusiastic audience, eager for storytelling rooted in optimism, hope and human connection. An engaged fanbase, along with diversified digital & physical strategies, such as day after air and in-store exclusives, have translated into a powerful partnership. Together the teams also maximize catalog revenue through promotions that align with Hallmark's on-air initiatives throughout the year.

"Hallmark is a special studio because their content does more than just entertain, they evoke a feeling of joy and warmth with their passionate fan base," said Yolanda Macias, Chief Content Officer and Head of Digital Sales. "With so much uncertainty in the world, they remind us of the values we all have in common: the importance of friendship, family and love. Seeing how audiences gravitate towards this content gives us a sense of pride; it's touching to know that we can play a part in building a connection between the audience and these films by making them available to own and now rent."

"We at Crown Media greatly value our ongoing relationship with Cinedigm, which allows us to bring our heartwarming, uplifting content to fans anywhere and everywhere, across retail and digital," said Natalie Vandergast, Vice President Consumer Products. "We look forward to continuing this rewarding partnership in the years ahead as our content offerings and fanbase continue to grow."