by Aaron Goldsmith

A+E Television Networks
235 East 45th Street
New York, NY 10017
(212) 210-1400

Mission Statement:

“At A+E Networks, we are passionate about bringing human stories to life, knowing that it is in life itself that those stories originate. We are committed to empowering our employees, strengthening our partnerships and engaging audiences across the globe.

Life is what you make it. We make it entertaining,” (1).

The Executives:

About A+E Television Networks:

Beginning in 1984, A+E Television Networks is an “award-winning global media content company,” that serves the consumer base through primarily television networks as well as websites, DVD and Blu-Ray distribution, and education programming and software. With their headquarters based out of New York and offices in London and Singapore, A+E Television Networks prides itself on being a “Global Brand” with channels and branded programming in over 150 countries and 37 different languages, with over 300 million viewers. A+E Networks in divided into 10 different television networks as well as A+E Networks International, A+E Networks Digital, A&E IndieFilms, and A+E Networks Consumer Products (1).

Their Networks and Now:

“A&E is Real Life. Drama.” This A+E Networks channel provides top-rated content from reality shows to scripted dramas (1). Current Top Shows: Duck Dynasty, Bates Motel, Storage Wars, The First 48, American Hoggers, and Intervention (4).

What’s Happening Now:

• April 2, 2013: A&E reports its best quarter in network history due to its high ratings for Bates Motel, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars. This past March was the networks highest rated month since in network history (3).
• March 19, 2013: Bates Motel, A&E’s newest scripted drama, premiered March 18 with a viewership of 3.0 million people making it A&E’s “most-watched original drama series debut among the key 18-49 and 25-54 demos.” The show serves as a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (3).
• February 28, 2013: The season three premiere of A&E’s nonfiction series Duck Dynasty on February 27 had a total viewership of 8.6 million. Duck Dynasty is now the network’s #1 telecast in the history of the network and “the #1 nonfiction series on cable in 2013,” (3).
• January 4, 2013: Pre-production has begun on A&E’s newest reality series, Rodeo Girls. The show reveals the “chic and cutthroat” lives of professional woman rodeo competitors. A&E is working with The Weinstein Company for the eight one-hour episode order (3).
• January 4, 2013: A&E is to premiere a new real life series, The Governor’s Wife, on February 27 after ordering 12 episodes from Leftfield Pictures. The series shows the life of former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards who is 85 years old, his wife Trina who is 34 years old, and the family they have joined together (3).

Lifetime is A+E Television Networks’ premiere network made especially for women. The network features award-winning shows of different genres, targeting different demographics of women, including reality shows, dramas, and comedies (1). Current Top Shows: Army Wives, Dance Moms, Project Runway, Preachers’ Daughters, and The Client List (5).

What’s Happening Now:

• March 21, 2013: After a judge issued an injunction four days before its premiere, Lifetime won the rights to Romeo Killer: The Chris Porco Story, and premiered it as originally scheduled on March 23  (3).
• February 21, 2013: Lifetime announced the lineup of March season premieres, including hit shows Army Wives and The Client List, as well as the series premiere of  Preachers’ Daughters (1).
• January 23, 2013: Lifetime’s world premiere of its original movie, Prosecuting Casey Anthony, had a viewership of 3.3 million people, making it that night’s “number one telecast across ad-supported cable,” (1).
• January 2, 2013: The series three premiere of Dance Moms reached a series best in ratings with 2.8 million viewers, an increase of 33% from its summer premiere in June 2012 (1).

Movies to be premiered on Lifetime:

• Stalkers – April 13; Lifetime Original (3)
• Call Me Crazy: A Five Film – April 20; Lifetime Original (3)
• Dear Mom, Love Cher – May 6 (3)
• Ring of Fire – May 27; Lifetime Original (3)

A+E Television Networks’ HISTORY channel provides original content, combining entertainment and history to  deliver programming across multiple platforms (1). Current Top Shows: Vikings, Pawn Stars, Swamp People, The Bible, and American Pickers (6).

What’s Happening Now:

• April 2, 2013: HISTORY had the most total viewers out of all cable networks this past months, and this past quarter was the highest in the network’s history. These are due to the network’s shows’ high ratings including The Bible having 11.4 million viewers for its whole running, and both Vikings and Pawn Stars having 5.0 million viewers (1).
• March 4, 2013: Vikings, HISTORY’s first scripted series, premiered March 3 with 6.2 million viewers. Its premiere made the show cable’s #1 series launch so far this year (1).
• March 4, 2013: Averaging out with 14.8 million viewers over two telecasts, HISTORY’s premiere of The Bible was “the #1 cable entertainment telecast of the year,” (1).

H2 offers a different view of the HISTORY channel, delivering history with more entertainment and “more to explore, more to understand, More 2 History™,” (1). Top Current Shows: Ancient Aliens, America Unearthed, Mankind Decoded, and Modern Marvels (7).

What’s Happening Now:

• January 25, 2013: A+E Networks’ H2 is premiering Miracle Rising: South Africa on February 17. The film is about South Africa’s politics throughout the years since April 1994, and the story of how the country went from apartheid to a democracy (1).

Bio. is all about the truth. With shows like I Killed My BFF, I Survived…, and Celebrity Ghost Stories (9), bio. “delivers an honest portrayal of stories that will leave you amazed,” (1).

What’s Happening Now:

• April 4, 2013: Bio.’s newest documentary, Citizen Hearst, is planned to premiere on April 23. It is about William Randolph Hearst and the story of the Hearst Corporation, directed by Leslie Iwerks (1).

Crime & Investigation Network offers viewers with entertainment from behind-the-scenes looks at investigations, crimes, and mysteries (1). Its site features original webisodes, such as “Female Forces” and “Watching the Detectives,” while the television channel plays re-runs of popular dramas including Cold Case Files, SWAT, and The First 48 (8).

 A+E Networks Recent Ratings:

• Cable’s Top 25 Viewership – Ending March 31, 2013 (3)
  

  Rank	Shows	Net	Viewers Live + SD (000)
  2	The Bible	HIST	11745
  3	Duck Dynasty	A&E	8497
  6	Duck Dynasty	A&E	5282
  9	Vikings	HIST	4741
  14	Swamp People	HIST	4557
  16	Duck Dynasty	A&E	3909
  21	Duck Dynasty	A&E	3470
  24	Duck Dynasty	A&E	3404

• Cable’s Top 25 Viewership – Ending March 24, 2013 (3)
  

  Rank	Shows	Net	Viewers Live + SD (000)
  2	The Bible	HIST	10267
  3	Duck Dynasty	A&E	7839
  4	Duck Dynasty	A&E	7671
  6	Swamp People	HIST	4815
  7	Vikings	HIST	4538

• Cable’s Top 25 Viewership – Ending March 17, 2013 (3)
  

  Rank	Shows	Net	Viewers Live + SD (000)
  1	The Bible	HIST	10872
  3	Duck Dynasty	A&E	8285
  4	Duck Dynasty	A&E	7943
  6	Pawn Stars	HIST	5059
  7	Pawn Stars	HIST	5041
  10	Vikings	HIST	4834
  15	American Pickers	HIST	4352
  16	Swamp People	HIST	4196
  17	Duck Dynasty	HIST	4156
  25	Duck Dynasty	A&E	3648

Sources

1. “A+E Networks.” A+E Networks. A&E Television Networks, LLC., 2013. Web. 06 Apr. 2013. <http://www.aenetworks.com/>.
2. “A+E Networks – Brand Identity.” YouTube. YouTube, 22 May 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egQzFdDYfXE>.
3. “TV News.” TVbytheNumbers. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013. <http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/>.
4. “A&E TV.” A&E TV. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013. <http://www.aetv.com/>.
5. “MyLifetime.com.” Lifetime. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013. <http://www.mylifetime.com/>.
6. “History.com.” HISTORY. A+E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. <http://www.history.com/>.
7. “About H2 – Historical Television Network from the History Channel.” History.com. A+E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. <http://www.history.com/h2>.
8. “Crime & Investigation.” Crime & Investigation. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. <http://www.crimeandinvestigationnetwork.com/crime-and-investigation/>.
9. “Bio.” Bio.com. A+E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. <http://www.biography.com/>.