There have been several suggestions to explain again that the Food Channel is not responsible for the non-renewal of Paula Deen’s contract with the Food Network. Others are wondering how and why we got involved. Here’s something we posted on our Facebook page in response to those inquiries, and we thought it might help everyone:

The Food Network and The Cooking Channel are both owned by the Scripps Interactive Network.

The Food Channel is not affiliated with Scripps. We realize it’s difficult to embrace the Food Channel when we don’t yet offer TV in the way you are used to receiving it. We are online and mobile only, but have been making the move toward TV.

We didn’t set out to get involved in this, as some of you have noted. We’ve always gotten some of the Food Network or the Cooking Channel’s mail and email, and have always tried to direct it to the proper location. It’s amazing how many people still don’t believe it’s not us–they call the phone directory and ask for the Food Channel, and they give them our number, of course, and it just gets crazy! We trademarked the name in the 1980s before the advent of the Food Network, so it’s not like we were trying to do something on their coat tails. We had the name first, but have to give them all credit for growing into the bigger company first.

When we started getting so much email, and so many phone calls, over the Paula Deen situation last week, we didn’t feel we had a choice but to begin answering things publicly and trying to direct people to the right place to have their voice heard. In the process, many of her fans suggested we pick her up–not necessarily realizing that we aren’t yet on TV. We do, however, have a strategic plan for TV and have been in talks about a cable channel–we just need content to fill it. If Ms. Deen would choose to consider us, we could move forward quickly and return her to television under the Food Channel brand. We hate that it seems like opportunism on our part, but perhaps now you can see how it happened–and what could happen. All suggestions appreciated, because we should be figuring this out together.

Ms. Deen and her company will have options and their own decisions to make. We hope to be part of that discussion. But either way, the Food Channel is here for that same fan base and we will continue letting you know about food trends, great recipes, food news–and creating some new shows that you can watch.

And, now, back to the food. For starters, maybe you’d like to check out Paula Deen’s Fourth of July recipes!