Crown Media Holdings Inc., which runs the Hallmark Channel cable-television network, said Wednesday that Chief Executive David Evans has resigned effective June 16, about three months before his contract ends.

The move comes three weeks after the board of Studio City-based Crown decided against selling its media holdings, which include a Hallmark-branded movie channel and an extensive television movie library.

The company said in a separate statement that first-quarter net loss was 45 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $50.9 million, or 49 cents, a year ago. Sales rose 11 percent to $45 million.

Crown shares fell 7.6 percent in morning trading. They are down 57 percent so far this year.