​Hallmark Movie Channel is turning to a life of crime.

The Crown Media-owned network plans to announce a rebrand to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, AdAge reported Thursday.

The network will unveil the new identity at its upfront lunch on Thursday, the magazine said, although the rebrand isn’t about overhauling programming as much as it’s about clarifying for advertisers and viewers what’s already on offer.

Hallmark Movie Channel already airs reruns of “Murder, She Wrote,” “Matlock,” “Perry Mason,” and “Diagnosis Murder” in heavy rotation.

So why emphasize mystery and crime? Those genres encourage viewer engagement and retention, according to Crown Media chief Bill Abbott.

The Hallmark Movie Channel rebrand is just the latest example of a cabler shifting to true crime and mystery.

A+E Networks is repositioning Lifetime Movie Network as LMN, and shifting the focus to crime and mystery, AdAge reported.

Discovery Networks led the way with the creation of Investigation Discovery in 2008. And Oxygen has also programmed more true crime shows, including “Snapped,” and “Snapped: Killer Couples.”

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries won’t be as dark as other channels, according to AdAge, and will still run Hallmark Hall of Fame movies and Hallmark’s signature holiday fare.

Read More: AdAge

Brief Take: Crown Media hopes to make it clear to advertisers and viewers that it has a channel that serves up lots of mystery and crime.

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