The Hallmark Channel came under fire in 2019 when a conservative group called One Million Moms urged the network to stop showing a commercial that featured a same-sex marriage. Hallmark complied, which then caused controversy from audiences and activist groups who pushed for diversity among the channel's shows and movies. Wonya Lucas took over as CEO of Hallmark Media in 2020. Her goals for the channel include tackling the channel's diversity issue and keeping up with streaming services, as both issues affect the channel's viewership.

Lucas quickly aimed to build upon the existing but slight diversity in Hallmark's content. "The consumer needs or desires to see themselves in the love story," Lucas told CNBC. Films like "The Holiday Sitter," centered around a same-sex romance, and "Hanukkah on Rye" are examples of the channel's increasing diversity efforts. Plot diversity has paid off as well. "Three Wise Men and a Baby" was the most-watched cable movie of 2022, even though it did not include a love story for which Hallmark is usually famous.