ABC Family changes to Freeform Jan. 12

Here’s what’s happening

Any avid ABC Family viewer or anyone who watched a Christmas special on the channel is probably aware that after nearly 30 years the Disney owned network is changing its name to Freeform Jan. 12.

According to Entertainment Weekly, ABC Family wants to shed the family perception and attract more of what the network coined, “becomers”, which entails viewers between the ages of 14 and 34.

ABC Family president Tom Ascheim tells Entertainment Weekly, “For the last 10-to-12 years, we’ve been targeting young people, Millennials, and then something happened. Millennials started getting older. The oldest ones are nearly 40. So do we follow Millennials or stay with the ‘life stage’ that got us here?”

In ABC Family’s press release they describe “becomers” as a life stage rather than a generation.

However, shows like Pretty Little Liars, The Fosters and Young and Hungry will still basically be the same.

Here’s what we think

It makes sense. But I don’t like it.

First off, Tom Ascheim, the president of ABC Family, says that in the early days of ABC Family they were targeting Millennials; but the network has always been family oriented.

Back when the network first started it was called The Family Channel and mostly included family game shows. But then in 2001 the network changed its name to ABC Family and the shows were still very directed to families. But they were good. Really good.

For example, “Gilmore Girls” aired for seven years, “Boy Meets World”  also aired for seven years, and “The Secret Life of an American Teenager” aired for five years. Of course there are more but these were some of the most popular.

It was only in the last four to five years that ABC family started churning out new shows that young-adults would be more interested in. And in 2015 alone, the network has aired, “Monica The Medium”,  “Next Step Realty NYC”, “Startup U”, “Freak Out” and “Becoming Us” which are all reality TV shows that give off a less trashy, cleaner MTV feel.

This change is just a way to make more money. They add new, risque reality shows and come up with a more appealing name in hopes of drawing in more viewers to make more money.

I think the network noticed they haven’t been bringing in as much dough as usual and looked to more successful channels, such as MTV and TLC, and is now mimicking what the others have been doing for years.

The once easygoing, cheerful network of our childhood is now turning into another bogus reality show supplier.

It’s smart and it makes sense.

I just don’t like it.

Besides, “Freeform” sounds dumb anyways.