ABC Family to Freeform TV

Launched in 1977 by the Christian Broadcasting Service, the network originally associated with Pat Robertson has gone through many changes in ownership and title. Its most recent incarnations, ABC Family (2001-2016) and Freeform (2016-present), feature a unique mixture of programming that over the past decade has taken significant risks to become one of the leading cable channels with its targeted demographic of 14-34 year-olds. Through a carefully selected group of essays, we examine this important television channel from a variety of perspectives. ABC Family/Freeform has encouraged intriguing marketing projects, utilizing social media to increase viewership and further monetize their programming. The network has boldly addressed topical issues including lesbian and gay parenting, postfeminism and changing perceptions of women, the complicated position of race in the United States, and the status of disability in American culture. Embracing inclusivity, ABC Family/Freeform has worked to make its television shows diverse, creating space for underrepresented communities like transgender youth, Deaf communities, fat teenagers, and disabled people. By embracing the new identity embodied in Freeform, the network has been better able to represent its boldness and willingness to break free from what has traditionally been understood as "family" programming.