{"id":31103,"date":"2023-09-15T09:23:21","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T13:23:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithmediaandculture\/?p=31103"},"modified":"2023-09-15T09:23:21","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T13:23:21","slug":"great-american-media-brand-grows-shari-rigby-is-a-woman-of-influence-amazon-prime-biopic-a-million-miles-away-soars-coming-attractions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithmediaandculture\/2023\/09\/great-american-media-brand-grows-shari-rigby-is-a-woman-of-influence-amazon-prime-biopic-a-million-miles-away-soars-coming-attractions.html","title":{"rendered":"Great American Media brand grows + Shari Rigby is a woman of influence + Amazon Prime biopic “A Million Miles Away” soars + Coming attractions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here’s the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 09\/15\/23<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Great<\/div>\n

Blue sky TV rises.<\/strong> For the tenth consecutive month Great American Family<\/strong> is television’s fastest-growing network, this after growing its total day audience by 169% in August. The channel, a subsidiary of Great American Media<\/strong> (which is partly owned by Sony<\/strong>) is run by Bill Abbott<\/strong><\/a>, the legendary TV executive who established the Hallmark Channel<\/strong> brand as a ratings juggernaut (which has seen its ratings decline since his departure).<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, following the merger of Great American Media and the popular faith and family streaming service Pure Flix<\/strong> in June, it has just been announced that the streamer will now be known as Great American Pure Flix<\/strong>. Speaking about the tweak, Abbott says it fits seamlessly with the overall company brand portfolio that, along with the Great American Family channel includes Great American Living<\/strong>, Great American Adventures<\/strong>, Great American Community<\/strong> and the soon-to-be-launched Great American FAST<\/strong>. “Our mission,” he explains, “is to provide families with quality entertainment that celebrates faith, family, and hometown values wherever and however they enjoy watching.\u201d IMHO:<\/strong> Great American Media’s remarkable success speaks to the void over much of the TV landscape where viewers are looking for broad-appeal programming that families can watch together. Not even Disney<\/strong> is considered reliable on that score anymore<\/a>.<\/p>\n

All of which brings us to this: Divine Influencer<\/em> drops today on Great American Pure Flix. <\/strong>Directed and co-produced by <\/span><\/span>Shari Rigby <\/span><\/span><\/strong>and starring <\/span><\/span>Lara Silva <\/span><\/span><\/strong>of <\/span><\/span>The Chosen<\/em>, <\/span><\/span><\/strong>the movie tells the seriocomic story of<\/span><\/span> an entitled influencer who, after losing everything, is forced to take a job in a homeless shelter where she learns that true happiness doesn’t come from the money, fame, power and good looks held to be life’s superfecta<\/a> on social media (which Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier<\/em> co-author Arthur C. Brooks<\/a><\/strong> recently called “this laboratory for the earthly goals that actually make you miserable\u201d). Instead, as the movie demonstrates,\u00a0 it stems from using one’s talents, experiences and influence to help others.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n