Lifetime Entertainment Services
- For other uses, see LES.
| Type | Limited liability company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mass Media |
| Genre | Womens |
| Predecessor(s) |
Daytime Cable Health Network[1] |
| Founded | 1984[1] |
| Headquarters | New York City, USA |
| Area served | USA |
| Production output | Magazine, videos |
| Services |
Cable Television Networks On-Line Information Services |
| Parent | A+E Networks |
Lifetime Entertainment Services (LES) is an American entertainment industry company, whose media properties were focused on women. Lifetime Entertainment Services is a subsidiary of A+E Networks, a joint venture of Hearst Corporation (50%) and The Walt Disney Company (50%).
Background
Daytime was launched in March 1982 by Hearst Corporation and ABC[1] via their joint venture Hearst-ABC Video Services.[2] The cable service operated four-hour per day weekday. The service was focused on alternative women's programming.[1]
Cable Health Network was a 24-hour cable channel launched by Viacom with health related programming in June 1982. In November 1983, Cable Health Network channel was renamed Lifetime Medical Television.[1]
In June 1983, Hearst-ABC Video Services and Viacom International agreed that each have an equal share for ABC, Hearst and Viacom held by Hearst-ABC Video Services and Cable Health Network in the joint venture, Hearst/ABC-Viacom Entertainment Services, containing the merged Daytime and Lifetime Medical Television satellite channel.[2]
History
Hearst/ABC-Viacom Entertainment Services
In 1984, Hearst/ABC-Viacom Entertainment Services (HAVES) was formed from the merger of Daytime and Lifetime Medical Television to start and operate a new cable channel, Lifetime Television.[1]
Lifetime committed to $25 million in talk show programming, but very little work with the audience. So by the end of 1985, Lifetime was $16 million in debt. Lifetime add more original programming to diversify its audience while programming a medical block on Sunday with all the medical talk shows which attracted pharmaceutical advertisers bringing in 25% of the network's revenue. By 1986, the all-talk show were canceled and the company was $36 million in debt.[1]
Lifetime instead refocused its programming towards women in 1987 and acquired second run syndicated programming and off-network shows.[1]
The company build the Lifetime Astoria Studios in Queens, New York, allowing the production of additional original programming. It was announced in 1990 that Lifetime would produce 15 originale telefilms targeting the female audience for the next three years. Also, HAVES purchased exclusive rights to two movie packages before the packages were syndication. The series of original movies had boosted Lifetime TV's rating with ratings three time the acquired movies. The broadcast networks were thus interest in Lifetime movies.[1]
In June 1990, HAVES launched Healthlink Television, which was to be provided along with the equipment to doctors' offices.[1] In October, HAVES reorganized the company to have 5 group vice presidents run the company so the CEO/president can focus on new programming acquisition and startup of new programming ventures plus to develop growth strategies.[3]
HAVES continued acquiring for Lifetime films and off-network rights in 1991. HAVES agreed to sell Healthlink TV to Whittle Communications in September 1991.[4] In 1992, HAVES had ABC News produce a two-hour political special for Lifetime while increasing its original programming budget by 50% between 1992 & 1993.[1]
Lifetime Medical Television ended in July 1993.[1]
Lifetime Entertainment Services
Viacom sold its stake in April 1994 to Hearst and Cap Cities/ABC becoming at some point Lifetime Entertainment Services (LES). For 1996, LES committed $100 million towards original programming. In 1996, the channel's website was launched, Lifetimetv.com. With its recent envolvement in sponsoring and programming women sports, the company started a sports division. Lifetime in fall 1998 spins off a new cable channel, Lifetime Movie Network. In 1999, LES started up its own in house production unit. In 2001, LES launches another spin off channel, Lifetime Real Women and published its first Lifetime imprint book.[1] The company purchased a 4.6% equity stake in Women.com Networks Inc. in September 2000.[5]
On August 27, 2009, A&E Television Networks acquired Lifetime Entertainment Services.[6][7] However, A&E is also a joint venture with Hearst and Disney.
Assets
- Lifetime
- Lifetime Movie Network (launched in 1998)
- Lifetime Real Women (launched in 2001)
- Lifetime Radio for Women
- Lifetime Press
- Lifetime Digital
Lifetime Real Women
| Lifetime Real Women | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Launched | August 20, 2001 |
| Owned by |
A+E Networks (Hearst Corporation (50%), Disney-ABC Television Group (50%) |
| Headquarters |
111 Eighth Avenue New York, NY, United States |
| Sister channel(s) |
Lifetime Lifetime Movie Network A&E The Biography Channel History H2 |
Availability | |
| Cable | |
| Available on some cable systems | Check local listings |
| IPTV | |
| AT&T U-verse | Channel 364 |
Lifetime Real Women was launched by Lifetime Entertainment Services in 2001 as a cable digital channel focusing on women reality-based programming.[1]
The channel's programming was launched with repeats of Lifetime new reality shows, the returning Beyond Chance and Women Docs plus other past reality Lifetime shows.[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Lifetime Entertainment Services History. International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 32. St. James Press, 2000. Hosted on Funding Universe.com. Retrieved on December 4, 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 (June 15, 1983) Hearst-ABC, Viacom in Pact. New York Times.
- ↑ (October 1, 1990) "Lifetime parent restructures to focus on expansion. (Hearst/ABC-Viacom Services)." Multichannel News. HighBeam Research. Accessed on December 9, 2013.
- ↑ (September 16, 1991) Whittle Deal For Healthlink. New York Times (The Associated Press).
- ↑ (September 13, 2000) Lifetime Buys Women.com Stake. (Reuters). Accessed on December 9, 2013.
- ↑ A&E Acquires Lifetime, Variety.com, August 27, 2009
- ↑ A&E Networks, Lifetime Merger Completed, Broadcasting & Cable, August 27, 2009
- ↑ Kenneally, Tim. (April 27, 2011) Demi Moore Strikes Multi-Project Deal With Lifetime. The Wrap.com.
- ↑ Company Overview of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC. Businessweek.com.
- ↑ Levin, Gary. (April 11, 2001) Lifetime adds 'Real Women' to its networks. USA TODAY. Accessed on December 9, 2013.
External links
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||