The A+E Network is rebranding its rebrand as it shifts its focus from the pay TV business and to the fast-growing studio, digital and content creation sectors.
Going forward, the company will operate as A+E Global Media, and its advertising sales division is now known as A+E Media Solutions. The A+E network still operates pay TV channels such as A&E, Lifetime and History, but the company has relied on studio business and digital efforts in recent years, including aggressive licensing transactions for its own programs and launching both its YouTube and YouTube channels based on its brand.
“The name A+E Global Media reflects what we are today. Our innovative, multi-platform content engine reaches audiences everywhere,” says Paul Buccieri, president and chairman of A+E Global Media. “We are promoting unlimited borderless storytelling and global consumption. With our vast portfolio of premium brands, cutting-edge studios and world-class talent, we create compelling stories that will deeply engage our audiences across any screen or platform. As we expand our global footprint, our focus is on delivering extraordinary storytelling that resonates across cultures and connects with our audiences in meaningful ways.”
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Toby Byrne, president of A+E Media Solutions, said the new corporate brand “reflects very well who we are these days and who we are in the future.
“I think it’s the best time to change the name. The company is overall very positive, data-driven and has a digital mindset,” adds Byrne. “And certainly our team is also very solution oriented. Taking all that into consideration, the A+E network felt that the company was the name of the former name, not the current one.”
Last month, A+E launched a dedicated digital division that includes all digital video content and platforms as part of a larger bid to diversify its business line. The company is one of the largest pay TV companies with no sports in its portfolio, and is leaning more towards the production and distribution aspects of its business as cordcuts continue to erode traditional business models.
“We provide a multi-platform approach lens in a total distribution,” Byrne says. “Cable networks are part of the distribution. They are not close to the whole of what the addition of multi-platform digital endpoints offers. This is a really important component of our total range.”
“You have a much bigger platform and a larger media company. They all have sports. And we are truly the biggest entertainment company,” adds Byrne. “We have high quality content, a reliable environment that we continue to invest in every year. We have the innovative solutions and flexibility we can offer about the way we do business. And we are an efficient option compared to many of the many other assets in the market.”
Byrne framed historical content as a complement to sports ad purchases in terms of audience overlap.
An announcement from A+E (co-owned by Walt Disney Co. and Hearst) connected to the company’s pre-annual presentation, which was offered in virtual format on Wednesday.
The company usually presents stacked slates of programming with recognizable names both in front and behind the camera. Among the shows it unveiled is a history programme hosted by David Duchofney, Vin Rams and Henry Winkler, the biggest picks in American picker spinoff history, led by Mike Wolf. At Lifetime, the company announced a development agreement with Tyler Perry Studios and Pantheon Media Group, and announced a docusary about the Judd family. A&E will be ordering new seasons of Storage Wars and WWE programs LFG and WWE’s biggest moments.
