Candace Cameron Bure Reflects on Backlash Over Great American Family Network: 'We're Not Afraid to Talk About God'
Candace Cameron Bure, known for 'Full House' and her Christmas movies, discussed her role as chief content officer at Great American Media and the controversy surrounding its programming in a new 'Hollywood Reporter' interview.
The actress, who left Hallmark Channel in 2022, has continued producing holiday content, including two new Christmas films this year: 'A Christmas Less Traveled' and 'Home Sweet Christmas'.
Speaking about content selection for Great American Family (GAF), Bure emphasized the network's focus on faith-based storytelling.
"I'm looking for things that really touch the heart and have more purpose to them than just the magic of Christmas or the Santa Claus of Christmas," she explained, noting the channel's tagline "Christmas as it's meant to be."
Bure detailed her script selection process, revealing she can usually determine within the first 15-20 pages whether a story will resonate. This careful consideration recently led her to switch projects with co-star Cameron Mathison, scrapping "Jingle Bells, Wedding Bells" in favor of "Home Sweet Christmas," which she felt better suited their real-life friendship dynamic.
Addressing the backlash from her 2022 interview about GAF's programming priorities and subsequent controversy involving former co-star Jodie Sweetin, Bure acknowledged the challenges of conveying the network's values.
"It was a really hard time, and to be misunderstood in that way was difficult," she said. She clarified GAF's distinctive approach: "What really differentiates our channel from some of the other ones out there is that we're not afraid to talk about God and God's hand in our lives instead of fate or providence."
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The actress defended the network's focused approach to content, explaining that as a relatively new channel in its fourth year of Christmas programming, GAF aims to serve its core demographic rather than trying to be "all things to all people." This strategy aligns with typical network practices of targeting specific audience segments.
Bure also discussed her commitment to inclusive storytelling despite the country's divisions, stating, "God loves all of us, and so that's the spirit in which I make everything."
