New Ownership for AmericanLife TV

LOS ANGELES: AmericanLife TV Network (ALN), a U.S. network targeted to the baby-boomer generation, has been sold to ComStar Media Fund, which invests in outfits that deliver "family values" content and is headed up by Reverend Robert A. Schuller, the former host of the Christian TV show The Hour of Power.

Schuller, the chairman of Comstar, and Chris Wyatt, the president and CEO, will assume oversight of the network. Dr. Schuller is the former senior pastor of Crystal Cathedral Ministries and hosted The Hour of Power, which he had taken over from his father, TV evangelist Robert H. Schuller. Wyatt is a television producer and the founder of Godtube.com. 

They plan to turn ALN into a destination for "safe, family programming" for viewers of all ages. "For too many years, baby boomers and their children have been assaulted by programming that exemplifies anything but family-values," Wyatt. "When was the last time you sat down with your family and didn’t have to cringe at vulgar language, lewd storylines and inappropriate commercials? We are developing new, original programming by leveraging our relationships with the world’s top artists, directors, producers, brands and the advertising community, with an obvious focus on family-values based programming."

The lineup will include a new series with Schuller. "Having been on television for 32 years, I’ve witnessed first-hand the decline of family-values programming in America," he said. "I’m looking forward to pioneering a new definition of ‘family-values’ programming that speaks to all generations. As for my regular viewers on The Hour of Power, I encourage you to call your cable or satellite provider to get ALN as not to miss the Fall debut of my new series. I can assure you, it won’t be like anything else on television today."

Wyatt added, "We are not creating another religious network but rather a family-values channel. We’ve tapped into a huge underserved market and have the opportunity over time to increase distribution to exceed 40 million homes. As the founder and former CEO of GodTube.com, one of the fastest growing website’s of 2007, I have experience to apply to achieve this type of growth in cable and satellite distribution."

ALN currently reaches 12.7 million subscribers and owns a content library of about 700 hours. Under its new owners, it will feature a new on-air look, with revamped syndicated programming and a rebrand to focus on family values. Original content will be developed to complement the slate of classic series and films.