A&E Network
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| A&E Network | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Launched | February 1, 1984 |
| Owned by | A&E Television Networks |
| Sister channel(s) | The History Channel, History International, The Biography Channel |
| Website | aetv.com |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | Channel 265 |
| Dish Network | Channel 118 |
| Star Choice | Channel 520 |
| Cable | |
| Available on most cable systems | Check Local Listings for channels |
The A&E Network is a cable and satellite television network based in New York City. A&E stands for "Arts & Entertainment," which for many years was in the channel's full title. The network also airs in Canada.
Contents |
[edit] Description and programming
The channel, which originally focused programming on biographies, documentaries, and drama series (especially crime dramas and mysteries), and has expanded to include reality television programming, reaches more than 85 million homes in the United States and Canada. A&E is a joint venture of the Hearst Corporation (37.5% ownership), The Walt Disney Company (37.5%), and NBC Universal (25%). The network is a result of a merger in 1984 between a service called ARTS, the Alpha Repertory Television Service, launched in 1981 by Hearst/ABC Video Services, and The Entertainment Channel, started by NBC in 1982.
The A&E channel is the flagship of the A&E Television Networks group, which also includes The History Channel and The Biography Channel. Unlike most other major American television networks, it has often shown programming from abroad, particularly the United Kingdom, one of the highest-profile outlets British programming has had in the United States outside of PBS until the introduction of BBC America. However, the use of British programming has diminished greatly since A&E began scheduling more reality shows. For example, the network waited almost a year and a half to show the fourth season of MI-5, programmed it after prime time on Friday nights at 11pm Eastern, then stopped showing it after only two episodes, and programmed the rest of the season in one day on October 21, 2006. [1]
Its fine arts programs have also been completely retired. Thursday nights once featured an anthology series called A&E Stage, hosted by John Mauceri, which featured telecasts of notable plays, concerts, full-length documentaries related to the arts, and complete operas, although shown with commercials. Such programs as Otto Schenk's 1978 production of Fidelio, with Leonard Bernstein conducting, were rebroadcast on this anthology. The show Breakfast with the Arts, which still airs, once featured a higher quantity of classical music than it does now, and fewer interviews.
[edit] Recent developments
Between 2003 and 2005, the channel gradually retired several long-running series, including Murder, She Wrote and Agatha Christie's Poirot (these programs have moved to The Biography Channel), in favor of reality programming such as Dog The Bounty Hunter, Growing Up Gotti, Family Plots, Airline, Inked, King of Cars, and Criss Angel Mindfreak. In addition, A&E has garnered favorable notice for "true-crime" documentary series such as Cold Case Files, American Justice, City Confidential, Investigative Reports, and The First 48. The station has also cut back on its broadcasts of Biography from its original twice-daily airings to once-weekly showings. Notably, the station also retired its long-held slogan "Time Well Spent." The changes are apparently an attempt to lure higher ratings, as reality programs have done for other stations.
A&E's most-watched program was the docudrama Flight 93, about the hijacking of the plane which crashed in Pennsylvania during the September 11, 2001 attacks. According to Nielsen, the program attracted 5.9 million viewers for its initial telecast on January 30, 2006. The previous record-holder for the network was a World War II docudrama, "Ike: Countdown to D-Day", starring Tom Selleck and broadcast in 2004, with 5.5 million viewers. [2] A&E has acquired rerun rights to The Sopranos from HBO. The program has garnered very good ratings for the network. Its A&E premiere on January 10, 2007 averaged 3.86 million viewers, making it the most-watched premiere of a rerun off-network series in cable television history.[3] The series has continued to perform well for A&E, and the network now regularly ranks in the top ten basic U.S. cable channels in prime time ratings.[4]
A&E HD is a high definition simulcast of A&E Network that launched on September 4, 2006. Currently, A&E HD is not widely available in the United States; however, it has found a home on many cable and satellite systems in Canada. As of January 31, 2007, A&E HD is available via Dish Network on channel 9419.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Tvguide.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-30.
- ^ Docu-Blog. Retrieved on 2006-09-30.
- ^ Anthony Crupi (2007-01-15). Time to Collect: A&E's Sopranos Bet Pays Off. Mediaweek.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Toni (2007-02-14). True grit: Remaking the A&E network. MediaLifeMagazine. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
