UPtv has a little extra momentum heading into Christmas: the network says its audience grew faster than any other ad-supported cable network in Nielsen’s year-to-date comparison through August.
“Viewers continue to seek out stories that inspire, entertain and bring people together, and our team has been relentlessly focused on delivering programming that meets that demand.” UP Entertainment CEO Philip Manwaring shared that assessment in the network’s Oct. 7 announcement.
The Atlanta-based company credits HUDSON & REX, its UP Faith & Family original BLUE SKIES and acquired series THE ROOKIE with helping fuel the growth. Its mix pairs new mysteries with familiar favorites, giving viewers more than one reason to return.
The headline comes with an important distinction. UPtv’s No. 1 ranking measures percentage growth in household audience across the full programming day, comparing Dec. 29, 2025–Aug. 30, 2026 with Dec. 30, 2024–Aug. 31, 2025.
The network cites Nielsen’s C3 household metric for that comparison.
UPtv also reports a No. 30 cable ranking among women ages 18 and older for the third-quarter period through Aug. 30. That is a separate measure from its year-over-year household growth.
Two Thursday-night series supplied additional bright spots. According to the release, BLUE SKIES’ first season ranked eighth among ad-supported cable programs in household audience during its 9–10 p.m. slot, while HUDSON & REX’s eighth season ranked 11th during its 8–9 p.m. slot over their respective measured runs.
BLUE SKIES takes its mysteries into Crystal Ridge National Park, where park ranger Jodi Larsen teams up with a dog named Blue. The first episode follows Jodi after her mother’s death as she investigates a boy’s disappearance during a family camping trip.
HUDSON & REX brings another four-legged partner into the picture: Rex, a German shepherd working with the St. John’s Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit. Both series build investigations around human-canine partnerships, though their cases still call for parents to consider younger viewers’ sensitivities.
Next up, UPtv plans to lean into the holiday season. Its 2026 Christmas announcement schedules eight premiere movies beginning Nov. 5, alongside a Thanksgiving-week marathon of THE ROOKIE.
SNOWBODY LIKE YOU opens the lineup at 8 p.m. ET with a Christmas blizzard that reunites two people years after a first-date misunderstanding. CHOCOLATE FOR CHRISTMAS follows Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. ET, centering on a woman who returns home to save her family’s chocolate shop.
Later entries include THE CHRISTMAS TREEHOUSE, about an event planner caring for her injured mother and restoring her late father’s treehouse. The lineup gives UPtv another opportunity to carry its emphasis on relationships, fresh starts and family traditions into a season built around gathering together.
For viewers looking for the channel, UPtv lists providers including Frndly TV, Philo, DirecTV, DISH and Xfinity, with availability varying by provider and market. Its latest announcement presents a clear business milestone for uplifting entertainment—one measured in audience growth, with the holiday push still ahead.
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