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EntityQ287149· pop 44· linked from 2,890 articles

Also known as ABC Family, Family Channel (USA), CBN Cable Network, CBN Cable, CBN Television Network, Family Channel (United States), CBN Satellite Service, The Family Channel USA

US pay television channel, formerly ABC Family

In the Vinony graph

Freeform appears in Vinony's Peabody Award collection — one of 454 entries.

Vinony's link graph records 2,890 inbound references to Freeform, and connects out to Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, ABC Family Worldwide and American Broadcasting Company.

It is catalogued under topics including 1997 mergers and acquisitions, 2001 mergers and acquisitions and American companies established in 1977.

Vinony links it to 44 Wikipedia language editions.

Key facts

Country
United States
Broadcast area
Nationwide
Headquarters
Los Angeles , California
Languages
English , Spanish (via SAP audio track)
Picture format
720p HDTV , (downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
Owner
Disney Entertainment
Parent
Christian Broadcasting Network (1977–1990) ABC Family Worldwide (1990–present)
Sister channels
List ABC Disney Channel Disney XD Disney Jr. FX FXX FXM National Geographic Nat Geo Wild
Launched
April 29, 1977 ; 49 years ago ( 1977-04-29 )
Former names
CBN Satellite Service/CBN Satellite Network (1977—1981) CBN Cable Network (1981–1988) The CBN Family Channel (1988–1990) The Family Channel (1990–1998) Fox Family Channel (1998–2000) Fox Family (2000–2001) ABC Family (2001–2016)
Website
freeform .com
Affiliated streaming service
Disney+ and Hulu
Streaming services
YouTube TV , Hulu + Live TV , Sling TV , FuboTV , Vidgo , DirecTV Stream

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Official name
Freeform
Official website
freeform.com
Show 3 more facts
inception
1977-04-29
Commons category
Freeform
social media followers
1790000
Sources (7)

via Wikidata · CC0

~26 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Freeform (known as Fox Family from 1998 to 2001, and ABC Family until 2016) is an American basic cable channel owned and operated by ABC Family Worldwide, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment business segment and division of the Walt Disney Company. Freeform primarily broadcasts programming geared towards young adults—with some skewing toward young women—in the 18–34 age range, a target demographic designated by the channel as "becomers". Its programming includes contemporary off-network syndicated reruns and original series, feature films, and made-for-TV original movies. Movies are also shown during seasonal programming blocks, like 31 Nights of Halloween, 30 Days of Disney, and 25 Days of Christmas.

Since the network was launched on April 29, 1977, it has undergone various changes to its programming format and naming under 4 different owners. The network was originally founded as a religious channel, the CBN Satellite Service—an extension of televangelist Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network. It evolved into a family-focused entertainment network in 1981. It was spun off into a for-profit company known as International Family Entertainment (IFE) in 1990, eventually becoming known as The Family Channel. As a condition of the spin-off, the channel was contractually required to maintain airings of The 700 Club and an annual telethon the last Sunday in January; these conditions have applied to all future owners of the channel.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Freeform” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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