Bill Abbott responded to the backlash over Bure’s remarks about preserving “traditional marriage at the core” of GAF programming. However, he notably avoided answering questions regarding whether the network plans to include same-sex couples in its movies.
Bill Abbott, the CEO of Great American Family, has clarified that Candace Cameron Bure’s statements do not represent the network’s stance on LGBTQ storytelling. Bure, who took on the role of GAF’s chief content officer last year, made headlines when she mentioned that the network would maintain “traditional marriage at the core” of its holiday movie lineup. Abbott emphasized that Bure was expressing her personal views and that her statements did not reflect the official position of Great American Media.
Abbott drew a comparison to the disclaimers often seen at the end of movies or TV series, stating, “It’s like the disclaimer you see at the end of a movie or a series that says, ‘The views reflected here are not necessarily those of the company.'” He acknowledged Bure’s high profile and her involvement in various topics, including her popular podcast. However, he reiterated that her remarks on this particular issue did not represent Great American Media. Bill Abbott responded
When pressed about whether the network had plans to incorporate LGBTQ stories into its programming or if it was open to doing so, Abbott responded with a somewhat vague statement, saying, “I think that’s a very good and fair question. I don’t think when we set out to do any type of movie we cast it first. The first thing we think about is a great storyline or great characters or an emotional journey. We’re not seeking to do anything or not do anything, and we take every day as it comes.”
He added, “This business is so challenged across the entire industry right now — with the streaming model and with the linear decline and all the other pieces — that we’re just looking to celebrate great stories. We don’t have an agenda either way. It’s not in the faith-and-family playbook to have agendas that are either pro or anti. We want to entertain and inspire and be uplifting and consistently provide an experience that is high quality — that is our most important objective.”