The network that brings you Pretty Little Liars, The Fosters and a lot of Boy Meets World reruns will soon change its name.
ABC Family is becoming Freeform.
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The change, set to take place in January 2016, is motivated by the network's efforts to reach what it calls "the becomer audience." Or, humans aged 14-34 -- more commonly known as Millennials.
Exciting news! @ABCFamily is changing its name to #Freeform this January. New name, same awesome shows! https://t.co/TFV7wmFR2y— ABC Family (@ABCFamily) October 6, 2015
"Freeform evokes the spirit and adventure of our audience," says Tom Ascheim, ABC Family president, in a statement. "Freeform will deliver new, exciting original content as well as all the favorite shows our viewers already love on ABC Family."
The change will mark the first major departure from the network's "family" branding in over three decades.
Prior to adopting the ABC Family monkier in 2001, the network -- which is part of the Disney–ABC Television Group -- operated as The Family Channel (1990 – 1998) and then the Fox Family Channel (1998 – 2001).
The name switch actually makes sense, considering the channel has moved away from the sticky sweet, safe fare it offered in its early years. The network, in fact, started off in 1977 as an extension of televangelist Pat Robertson's Christian television ministry.
ABC Family says that despite the change, it "remains committed" to its current slate, which includes teen-centric thriller Pretty Little Liars and multi-cultural family drama The Fosters.
The name change will come just before the premiere of the much-anticipated Shadowhunters, based on the Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments novels. The series debuts in January, on ... Freeform.
That's going to take a while to get used to.