Join one replies to listen a business wars. One week early and ad free wonder, YAP download the wonder YAP in your apple or Google play Mobile appstore today It's early evening summer. Twenty seventeen directions, manager, Jamie Lake, slugs, back lukewarm coffee. Pulls onto exit to sixteen of the Trans Canada Highway is assessed, and those in the passenger seat nudges his assistant shoulder wake up we're almost there assistant stretches and takes in the surroundings. What do you think Times Charm Lake, non committal grunt. They spent the law twelve hours criss crossing the greater Vancouver area, scouting Luke,

stations for the upcoming movie, a rocky mountain Christmas for the Hallmark Channel, it's about a woman who escaped to her uncle s ranch after a break up it's a Hollywood actor preparing for a row. The town has to be perfect, quaint and welcoming, like the audiences, stepping into a snow globe, but so far nothing has been quite right: lake turns right. Then, right again and suddenly their driving down the picturesque main street of Fort Langley British Columbia, club store fronts, painted bright, red, yellow and green line, the streets lashly trees, dot, the sidewalks signs advertise bookstores, clothing, boutiques and cozy coffee shops, lakes distant grabs. His camera bounds out of the car lake adjusted baseball cat low on his head and ambles after it.

system grins as he takes a photo of an ice cream parlor. This is What I'm talking about this is a hallmark card, come to life lake strokes, who so and pepper goatee in narrows his eyes is perfect like it was perfect in the six other hallmark movies. I can think of just off the top of my head. We shot here in the past five years. We can't keep went back to the same old places, they'll lose that magical feeling. Lakes. Ways: trails officer spots of man cross. The street snapping photos his assent and followed. His gaze is at John again ESA Third time we ve seen him today. You must scouting for Lifetime nosing. Yet on our locations come on. The next item is we won laughed in his pretty far from Vancouver Lake shrugs.

You don't have a choice, system nods and the two hall themselves back into the car they to the next town in search of the perfect street, to create Christmas, movie magic. The lifetime scouts right behind you paid up to two days early with direct deposit is another reason: banking with capital. One is one of the easy decisions in the history of decisions, even easier Then deciding to listen to another episode of your favorite pot, guessed at with fees or minimums on checking and savings accounts come on. Is it even a decision That's banking, re imagined! What's in your wallet term supply see cap. One dot com, slash bag capital, one in a member. After I see. Ready for a new rights, but not sure where to start meet the tool that makes car shopping and financing easier

with capital one auto navigator, you can find a car and get pre qualified instantly. Yogurt. you're, real rate and monthly payment, without even impacting your credit score in fact is simple? You might feel like you're taking the easy way out. That's because you are capital, one. What's in your wallet terms and conditions apply find out more capital, one dot com, slash auto navigator,. From one I'm David Brown, and this is business wars,

Christmas is this season: the deck the halls build: snowman, sip, hot chocolate in exchange, present floodlit, wherever the ass ten years, a new tradition has emerged watching low budget holiday movies made for television plots hello, familiar lines theirs. royalty Christmas, fast those that save the town baking contest that advance the protagonists career city, women falling in love with small town, men precocious children setting up their single parents and so forth, whatever shape the plot eggs, the hero or heroin fines and weekends, their Christmas spirit and always Paul ways snows on Christmas, other These movies are derided, is cheesy and silly. They are big business Bringing in millions in advertising revenue then keep their channels afloat.

in two thousand and nine the Hallmark Channel launches cap down to Christmas starting day after Thanksgiving they air four hundred fifty hours of holiday programming and for me for original movies by Christmas, its array, his usual rank somewhere between tenth and twentieth, most watched, cable channels in December. They come the number one table channel in the country, Completing channel lifetime takes no and in twenty twelve they their own block of Christmas programming, with original movies at the center barks rivalry that has lasted almost a decade and shows no signs of abating too companies are locked into an arms race producing more and more Christmas Moody's each year play by women each other for locations, actors, crew and, of course, viewers.

And when streaming behemoth. Netflix moves in by producing its own Christmas movies. Weather competition only becomes more intense in our new I part, series we dive into the carpet. action between hallmark lifetime and Netflix as they battle it. To be America's primary destination for Christmas movies, while the films may be full of good will and cheer the rivalry cold and dark is a lump of coal. This is episode, one a very merry bribery its September. Twenty ten in LOS Angeles Bill Abbot this He'll of Crown media, which owns the Hallmark Channel and Michel victory. The head of hallmark programming sitting screening room at the company's headquarters,

outside its our record breaking one hundred thirteen degrees, but on the screen, the actors done markers and drink hot chocolate at Christmas. Parade really want me to blog about crazy old man who thinks abbot, Their career watching footage from a movie currently shooting in Canada, and they are not happy it scheduled premier in just a few months as part of their second ever count down to Christmas Block of programming and its not what they envisioned decoration her head and frustration. Her long white Herr sachet across her back victories in her late forties. She got starting music working with bands like Nirvana and whole, but television was always her passion. What is this? I should like to Christmas lights behind them. It should be times we're back their Christmas lights everywhere, Abbot his hand over his balding head, sharing, VIC Greece prostration

forty eight years old abbots been with crown media since, before the hallmark general even existed, he started advertising sales and only became ceo last year. One of his first major decisions. Was Tibet big on Christmas movies, but now he's having his doubts. I thought we were clear and appropriate meetings. Every these two explode with Christmas. This is hinting at Christmas audience sees a whole more movie is a magical world. That sense of wonder: that's how we compete against the classics. Abbot slumps in his seat, their channels, notably ABC family, which is owned by Disney and cast networks, have the resources to air classic Christmas films they show movies, like it's a wonderful life, a Christmas story in Polar Express during December. In contrast Crown Media's independently owned. They have to make their own films small budgets

one third of our total lad revenue. Last year in November and December, we can't where'd. You get this wrong. You think weeks production, do much last year, more channel premier for region Christmas movies. This year there slated to premier tan bakery shakes head adamantly. We crunch them. Worse, we sign much our ratings increase last year Viewers are hungry for Christmas programming. We just have to get our film yours on board there, not just making films brand ambassadors and our brand is Christmas magic once we get them understand them. Will beholden Abbot sits up, Strader and reaches for a cell phone? Your right is too late to correct as their only on day, three filming. We can impress on them the importance of having Christmas in every inch of the frame bakery nods. Don't worry, we'll

dominate Christmas, we're the only people doing what we do at the scale. We do it. That's a real edge, high Jason each bill. Listen I need to talk to production as soon as possible, but across the country, another channel has taken notice of hallmarks success, they want in on the Christmas cheer it's twenty. Eleven fancy, Dubuque paces in front of a conference room a lifetime entertainments headquarters in New York City Dubuque edge. sir glasses. In her, early forties Dubuque took over his head of lifetime. Last year after running history channel. She turned that it works rating woes around. By cutting back on some of the serious documentaries the channel was famous for Producing a slate of reality shows including ponds cars and ice road truckers shows

a cheap to produce and prove popular winning combination now she's tasked with by giving the lifetime channel in a few minutes, a stream executives will enter the conference room and she's going to tell about her new vision that includes and her team everything there doing. That's not working. She how's. This won't be a fun conversation that it has to be done. The door opens and twenty executives, violin taking seats Round the table Dubuque smiles, as soon as everyone seated Dubuque closes the door. She looks at it grim faces of the executive staring at her. Ok, we might as well dive in it's no secret. I was brought into give this channel and make over my predecessor, it took some gambles that didn't know pay off

obviously the biggest with securing the rights to project runway from Bravo, three Unfortunately, didn't follow, May we have some incredible scripted series. I love army wives and dropped the diva, but we have to face the facts. That their audiences are shrinking and the executive holds a legal pad in front of his mouth, grasses to his seat neighbour, how much you bet, she's gonna suggests we need to expand our reality slate. So much to you to produce. You know his seat, nay. Chuckles quietly! No way, I'm not taking that bad as what every higher up says these days, Dubuque takes, it sip of water, then launches into the next part of her presentation, Now I know a lot of you are worried that I'm going to turn lifetime into a reality, television factory and that's concern given my track record at the history channel and its true theirs. To expand our reality offerings but

I also want to lean into what we're doing well right now, killing it in the original movie game. there's a big area where we could expand our offerings Christmas We should be doing our own block of Christmas, programming. The way homework is the older accurate than his neighbor exchange are confused. Look the older negative leaned forward. This ass, a nine. I have to say something. Older executive, raises his hand, I dont mean any disrespect here but our original movies, tend to have salacious spin, I mean The titles we produce since I've been here include my steps on my lover and see quit sins of the father. Co egg call girl, you know I I know and Christmas movies here and there, but does it make and to make them a big part of our brand Dubuque shakes her head. She antics.

baited. This response lifetime made its first Christmas movie in nineteen. Ninety nine, that's before them. Mark Channel even existed, but we ve seated the market. Here's around. We average higher ratings than homework. All your long, then the holiday season comes along and they completely outperform us. They go. after the same demographic. We do women. Twenty five to fifty four occur. Into the numbers. They want Christmas movies, I want our version of countdown to Christmas. Let's get crack economic, she visas are eyebrow at the elder executive as if asking him guided the eggs. active grudgingly nods, the executive stream out Dubuque hopes, hurt confidence in this strategy pays off.

The holiday season is a wonderful lifetime. Its October eleven twenty twelve LOS Angeles homework negative bill Abbot and Michel victory or watching a pre you for lifetimes newly announced block of Christmas programming, decoration ex her head. Well, they do say: imitation is the greatest form of flattery, at least preparing fourteen new movies. They ve only got ten trickery wings Amateurs they both chuckle, then Victory drops her smile, the serious, am not worried. Surely time is a cable channels older than the Hallmark channel, but home itself is a hundred and ten year old company and one of them well defined brands in the world, Our movies are a perfect representation of that brand. Do they really think people going to tune into the same channel that airs things called my boyfriend. This

serial killer for the holidays, ebbed tugs. At his tie raised on long island. He still is in use to how hot the folly is in LOS Angeles stew. It wouldn't hurt up our game a little bit. I mean we're thinking about next year list just make sure we're not getting complacent. We don't want to take anything for granted victory, Jeanne agreement. It might makes and to increase our star power, find an actor who can really serve as the face of the company that consensus apart. her lifetime, definitely plus, of course, more movies. lifetimes, jumping in with ten who knows how many they'll add. Next year agreed, we have some work to do but finding a star for their movies won't be as easy as they think and soon another bigger company.

will be unwrapping their own Christmas movie, treats. There are a lot of things about getting some years under your belt that are pretty cool. For one thing, you have more experience, Therefore, a little more confidence prefer allotted eyes. There's something else. It happens as you age, two out of three of men will experience some form of hair lost by the time. Their thirty five, I know that's, true for a lot of my friends and it can be pretty tough to deal with, but here's the thing prevention is key and there or to FDA, approved medications that can prevent hair laws and our sponsor keeps offers both keeps is simple stress free way to keep your hair when you use keeps you'll get convenient virtual doktor consultations and medications delivered straight. Your door indiscreet packaging every three months, its low cost treatments star, just ten dollars a month, and they offer generic versions of their medications to keep

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investigative series from New York magazine uncovering the secrets behind this new revolution that no one wants to talk about its story: revolving around charismatic shamans, secret, colts and deep pocketed investors. willing to ignore at all. But ultimately it's a tale about mind. Body and control. Follow cover story on Spotify. Apple or wherever you listen its spring, twenty thirteen, in LOS Angeles Hallmarks gives Bill Abbot and Michel victory, are meeting The casting director hallmark estate Head of lifetime in the ratings, but last year, lifetime had its best year yet and hallmark here. It a snag with its quest to find a channel defining star the casting doubt takes a deep breath. It's time to,

Liver, the bad news, unfortunately, everyone on our initial list has turned us down mode agents are saying that pay is just too low. Average in his chair annoyed. Did you explained that every year we have over a thousand hours of holiday programming to fill we re air movies all the time they make up the difference in residuals the castle. director nods. I did, but I think there is a bigger problem they looked down on us It still seen as a blemish on people's resonates to being a hallmark movie. You know his coastal elite ISM our holiday programming brought in over fifty six million viewers last year, but the end three things we're a Joker Bakery whose and staring at the window turns. I think we just to embrace who we are Many channels are going dark and edgy they

it shows about science. Teachers turned meth dealers and murderous congressmen never gonna, be us we're, never gonna, be hip worthy channel. people who want to remember simpler times. get away from politics and darkness the cast. Director nods understand What victories getting at our casting tap into those feelings actors who bring up the nostalgia in It helps if they haven't worked much recently. People just remember them from their early roles. She crosses to a whiteboard in begins. Writing if our poor demographic. Is women aged twenty five to fifty four abbot crosses next to her and we you to the older side of that the casting director nods. Then we want to target actors who were on hit shows in the Eightys and Ninetys ice. Civically say shows because those are the act.

she came into living rooms week after week they were their friends, neighbours Russia's off the top of my head. I'm thinking the wonder years, oh, how safe by the Bell boy meets world. The cash director nods and rights them down. I definitely think Our stars on these shows that will be thrilled to appear in hallmark movies even more than one year. We need who embody are wholesome tradition minded brand. No one edge you're already o indefinitely What a criminal record homeward casts lorry Laughlin, who started his aunt Becky on full house in two of its series. She asked agrees to be in a Christmas moving making her ACE of Hallmark going in twenty thirteen holiday season hallmark fields about their prospects against lifetime, but it pocketed rival is about to spite

the ignored its December twentieth, twenty fourteen. Karen jailer sits in a small New York City apartment furiously typing in her beat up laptop Seven years ago, at age, forty scheiler gave up a successful broadcast journalism career to New York to become a screenwriter. It hasn't then the fairy tale journey. She imagined the economy, ash less than a year after her move and she's here. The cash out her for a one k to support herself, but she hasn't But up her dreams and over holidays she's deter and to write this next script. She really believe it could sell their produce. She recently met thinks so too. Reaches the end of the page and reads back what she wrote: Prince richer, amber and princess Emily, throw snowballs at each other, they laugh ass.

Snowball hits Mark Amber slips Prince Richard to landing on top of her. They look to each other's eyes time stops there Heads draw near to each other, suddenly a snowball pelts Prince Richard and the shoulder princess, Emily No socializing with the enemy Schiller's smiles to herself almost kiss shack jailer, loves, hallmark movies and she has studied there formula extensively. She knows they have nine acts in an almost kiss, always occurs in act: seven sailors phone rings, it's one of her, for it's from back home in Seattle, hey

I forgot to call you yesterday for your birthday, I'm the worse but actually you're the worse for not coming home for Christmas, your Christmas, Karen! No, unless Christmas more than you do, I can't believe Gonna, be all by yourself. I know, but I really want to finish the script. Excited about it. It's a journalist who travels to Europe to look into rumours that a princess going to advocate the throne. She goes under however, as a tutor for his younger sister and finds out, there's more to the prince than meets the eye and they fall in love. Of course, I love it. Good luck at all that the creative flow. Shame. get back to work. Turning up the hallmark movie, she's been playing in the background she wants to capture the tone perfectly The downside of writing this type of movie is that there are no places she can sell it if she can't secure green light from hallmark or lifetime

Why not get another chance? It's twenty! Sixteen, too years later jailers sitting in the basement of Fox NEWS, where she works as a correspondent. She doesn't like it, but she needs the paycheck She checks. The collar idea is to produce. she's been working with on her Christmas grip. How I got good news, your script so Sheeler let out a silent, scream and pumps. Her fists and excitement leave my movies going to be on hallmark hallmark, didn't buy it lifetime. No, it's netflix. Shaler surprised but not disappointed The term movies getting made the more people making these movies that better for her career. She

continues to dance in her cubicle. The executives at hallmark lifetime quite is pleased carved out niches in the industry by making cheap content in bulk. But Netflix is the death STAR attack come with a seemingly unlimited budget both companies will have to up their games to compete with each other and Netflix. But their attempts to outdo each other sacho the market our next episode. We go back in time to the origins of hallmarks foray into television and see how a young, flailing, cable channels saved itself embracing the Christmas Spirit. from wondering this is episode one of Christmas movie wars for business wars, if you like,

Oh, please give us a five star rating in a review and be sure to tell your friends follow business wars on Apple podcast, Spotify, Spotify, Amazon, music, wonder Riyadh wherever you're listening right now, you can listen ad free by joining wondering plus we'll, find him links and offers from our sponsors and the episode notes. Supporting them helps us keep offering our shows for free and other way you can all this shows by filling out a small survey. It wondering dot com, slash survey and tell us which the stories you'd like to hear a quick note about recreations you ve been hearing. Cases we can't know exactly what was said. Those scenes are dramatization, but their based on historical research, David Brown. Austin Rackliff wrote this story voice doing by Michel. Philippine Karen Low is our senior producer and editor edited and pretty by Emily Frost. Sound designed by Kyle Random are produced Dave shelling. Our executive producers are Jenny, Lauer, Beckmann and Martial Louie created

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