The ABC Family network, home of youthful dramas “Pretty Little Liars” and “The Fosters,” said Tuesday it will change its name to Freeform this winter.
The rebranding reflects the Disney-owned network’s worries that its current name is a turnoff to its target audience of 14- to 34-year-old viewers.
“This is an evolution for our company that has been going on for a long time,” said Tom Ascheim, ABC Family president.
The changeover takes place Jan. 1. The company tested several different names but felt Freeform would describe and appeal to the audience it is seeking, young people heading out into the world and experiencing their first jobs and first loves, he said.
ABC Family’s ancestry dates to the 1970s as the Christian Broadcasting Network, started by Pat Robertson. It changed its name to The Family Channel in 1990 and was sold twice, first to Fox in 1997 and then to Disney in 2001, when it was rechristened ABC Family.
While changing the name, Ascheim said the network won’t change its focus or programming mix. ABC Family has seen declines, with its average prime-time audience slipping from 1.37 million five years ago to 970,000 this year.
Associated Press
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