Odyssey acquires secular partners

National Catholic Reporter, July 17, 1998

Odyssey, the interfaith cable network based in New York, has acquired two new partners -- Hallmark Entertainment and the Jim Henson Company -- which wilt put $100 million in cash and programming into the channel, according to a June 29 announcement.

Fr. Bernard R. Bonnot, Odyssey's senior vice president for religious affairs and interim president, said in an interview July 1 that relaunching of the network would occur on or about Jan. 1. It will keep the name Odyssey, he said.

The post of chief executive officer, vacant since the death of Garry E. Hill last year, will probably be filled sometime before the end of the year, Bonnot said.

Although bringing in the new partners means that the religious groups that established the channel will lose majority control and wind up with fewer hours per week for their programs, Bonnot called the development a "huge step forward."

The religious groups will go from controlling programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week to controlling 30 hours per week, and all the partners will share another 10 hours of "faith and values programming." But a greatly increased viewership could mean greater impact despite the fewer hours, Bonnot said.

He said he expected the increased resources would enable Odyssey to reach its goal of gaining access to virtually all homes with cable, and the profits expected to be generated by increased advertising will enable the religious groups to produce better programs, he said.