Hallmark Media CEO and President Wonya Lucas will step down from her position at the end of the year, marking an end to her three years as CEO and president of the company.
In stepping down from her position, Lucas was praised by Hallmark for helping the company broaden its storytelling through "more diverse and inclusive storylines and characters." She will continue to work for the company on Hallmark Media's board of directors, according to a press release from the company.
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“I am honored to have led this company and am tremendously proud of the progress we’ve made by creating an evolved entertainment experience that inspires meaningful, emotionally connected moments for our audiences,” said Lucas. “My passion for the Hallmark brand has grown in deeply rewarding ways and will remain paramount as I continue to help guide Hallmark Media’s future in a more strategically focused capacity.”
Mike Perry, the president and CEO of Hallmark Companies, praised Lucas for her leadership of the company. He will be working with her and the company's executive leadership team to help complete the process of Lucas’s transition.
“I’m grateful for the important work she has done to bring the expansive foundation of the iconic Hallmark brand to life and am fortunate that her insights will continue to positively impact the future of the business,” said Perry.
Lucas's departure comes as the Hallmark Channel, known for its annual Christmas movies, has been criticized by conservatives over the last few years over its embrace of progressive values. In 2019, the channel withdrew a wedding advertisement that featured a lesbian couple kissing at the altar, but later reversed this decision following backlash.
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In 2022, one of the Hallmark Channel's leading actresses, Candace Cameron Bure, signed a deal with GAC Media, which owns the Great American Family cable channel and is considered to be a conservative alternative to the Hallmark Channel. Through the deal, Bure will produce "faith-filled" content, according to a statement from the media network.
“I’m very excited to develop heartwarming family and faith-filled programming and make the kind of stories my family and I love to watch,” Bure said regarding the deal.