William J. Abbott
Great American Media
### Great American Media

In June 2021, Abbott became a partner with [Hicks Equity Partners](/wiki/Tom_Hicks "Tom Hicks") on [GAC Media](/wiki/GAC_Media "GAC Media"), a newly formed media company that acquired the cable channels [Great American Country](/wiki/GAC_Family "GAC Family") and [Ride TV](/wiki/GAC_Living "GAC Living"). GAC was relaunched as GAC Family in September 2021, repositioning it as a family\-oriented network with a similar format to Hallmark Channel. The network acquired the *When Calls the Heart* spin\-off *[When Hope Calls](/wiki/When_Hope_Calls "When Hope Calls")*, and began hiring talent associated with Hallmark Channel productions to appear in its own competing slate of made\-for\-TV movies (with the channel establishing "Great American Christmas" as a direct competitor to Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas lineup).


Which cable channels were acquired by GAC Media?