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Lifetime Entertainment Services (LES) is an American
entertainment industry Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousand ...
company, whose media properties are focused on women. Lifetime Entertainment Services is a subsidiary of
A&E Networks A&E Networks (stylized as A+E NETWORKS) is an American multinational broadcasting company that is a 50–50 joint venture between Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company through its General Entertainment Content division. The company o ...
, a joint venture of
Hearst Communications Hearst Communications, Inc., often referred to simply as Hearst, is an American multinational mass media and business information conglomerate based in Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Hearst owns newspapers, magazines, telev ...
(50%) and
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
(50%).


Background


Hearst-ABC Video Services

ABC and the
Hearst Corporation Hearst Communications, Inc., often referred to simply as Hearst, is an American multinational mass media and business information conglomerate based in Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Hearst owns newspapers, magazines, telev ...
in January 1981 formed a joint venture, Hearst/ABC Video Services (HAVS), to provide programming to
Alpha Repertory Television Service The Alpha Repertory Television Service (ARTS) was an American cable television network that was owned by Hearst/ABC Video Services (now A+E Networks), a joint venture between the Hearst Corporation and the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). T ...
and launch
BETA Beta (, ; uppercase , lowercase , or cursive ; grc, βῆτα, bē̂ta or ell, βήτα, víta) is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 2. In Modern Greek, it represents the voiced labiod ...
, a women's cable service, later that year. Beta was supposed to operate four hours a day and be supported by advertising. HAVS instead launched the service under the name Daytime in March 1982.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.


Cable Health Network

Cable Health Network was a 24-hour cable channel launched by Viacom with health-related programming in June 1982. In June 1983, Hearst-ABC Video Services and Viacom International agreed that each has 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.(June 15, 1983
Hearst-ABC, Viacom in Pact
''New York Times''.


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 Lifetime is an American basic cable channel that is part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a subsidiary of A&E Networks, which is jointly owned by Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company. It features programming that is geared toward ...
. Lifetime committed $25 million to produce talk show programming, but very little worked with the audience. So by the end of 1985, Lifetime was $16 million in debt. Lifetime added 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 talk shows were canceled and the company was $36 million in debt. Lifetime instead refocused its programming towards women in 1987 and acquired second run syndicated programming and off-network shows. Beginning in the early 1990, Lifetime began producing multiple, original telefilms each year targeting the female audience. Over the next decade, the original movies boosted Lifetime TV's ratings, and successfully launched the "Television for Women" era and brand. In September 1991, HAVES launched Healthlink Television, which created health and wellness content, and provided the equipment to broadcast it into doctors' offices. Eventually, and to focus on its original content to support its women-centric brand, HAVES agreed to sell Healthlink TV to
Whittle Communications H. Christopher Whittle (born August 24, 1947) is an American entrepreneur who has founded four innovative companies in the fields of education and media, serving as the CEO of each. Whittle Communications, a 1,000-person magazine, television, and ...
. In October 1991, HAVES reorganized the company to have five group vice-presidents run the company so the CEO/President can focus on new programming acquisitions, the startup of new programming ventures, and to develop growth strategies; putting plans into motion that increased budgets for original content produced in New York and California by 50%. In 1993, and to better utilize its existing NY studio facilities that independently operated at the
Kaufman Astoria Studios The Kaufman Astoria Studios is a film studio located in the Astoria section of the New York City borough of Queens. The studio was constructed for Famous Players-Lasky in 1920, since it was close to Manhattan's Broadway theater district. The ...
(KAS) complex, "Lifetime Studios" was created as an anchor KAS tenant and as a stand-alone profit center for the company. The 100,000 square foot digital facility was intended to produce the network's NY-based original programming, as well as to provide studios, post-production, equipment and personnel for third party productions. During the next 12 years, under the aegis of Vice-President/General Manager Mitchell Brill, the studios and its production management and engineering team supported the production of thousands of hours of network content, and was simultaneously home to over 400 projects for an array of other global media companies. Among the many projects were long-running, award-winning children's television productions; PBS's '' Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?'', '' Where in Time Is Carmen San Diego?'', and ''
Between the Lions ''Between the Lions'' is an American animated/live-action/puppet children's television series designed to promote reading. The show was a co-production between WGBH in Boston and Sirius Thinking, Ltd., in New York City, in association with Miss ...
'', Jim Henson Television's ''
Bear in the Big Blue House ''Bear in the Big Blue House'' is an American children's television series created by Mitchell Kriegman and produced by Jim Henson Television for Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney preschool television block. Debuting on October 20, 1997, it aire ...
'', and '' Out of the Box'' for the Disney Channel. Additionally, many music and entertainment programs originated from the studios, including; ''
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of ...
'' for the BBC, ''
MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV U ...
'', A&E's ''
Live by Request ''Live by Request'' is a television show on the A&E Network from 1996 to 2004. On it, notable artists hold concerts where the set list would be determined by viewer phone calls. The show was created based on an idea by Tony Bennett. Bennett star ...
'', and PBS's ''
Great Performances ''Great Performances'' is a television anthology series dedicated to the performing arts; the banner has been used to televise theatrical performances such as plays, musicals, opera, ballet, concerts, as well as occasional documentaries. It is pr ...
''. For 10 years, one studio was exclusively dedicated for Lifetime's morning block of talk, cooking and craft programming, including chef ''The Main Ingredient with Bobby Flay''. In 1995, HAVES had
ABC News ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast '' ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include morning news-talk show ''Good Morning America'', ''Ni ...
produce a two-hour political special for Lifetime, and then a daily live news show that aired for two seasons. By 2000, entering the first dotcom era of emerging television and internet platforms, Lifetime Studios provided the facilities and technical expertise for some of the first interactive, cross-platform projects and companies, while also pushing to the forefront of the use of tapeless, server-based hardware and software for television production. Dubbed a "studio of the future", Lifetime Studios was an industry leader until operations ceased upon the expiration of its lease in 2005.


Lifetime Entertainment Services

Viacom sold its stake for $317 million 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 involvement 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 November 1998, it was announced that CEO Douglas McCormick's contract would not be renewed when it was up at the end of the year. Although Lifetime staff members reportedly were "dumbfounded" because the network had been so financially successful during McCormick's tenure, board members wanted someone who would "bring more vision" to the company. Board members reportedly were so insistent upon hiring a woman to replace McCormick that at one point during negotiations when his contract was about to expire, McCormick threatened to bring a sex-discrimination lawsuit against them, but decided against it. In 1999, LES started up its own in house production unit. In 2001, LES launched another spin off channel, Lifetime Real Women and published its first Lifetime imprint book. The company purchased a 4.6% equity stake in Women.com Networks Inc. in September 2000. In April 2004, Lifetime launched ''Lifetime Radio for Women'', a daily nationally syndicated four-hour morning show mixing
adult contemporary music Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet sto ...
, live caller interaction, celebrity guests and lively discussions about the topics relating to women. In partnership with
Jones Radio Networks Jones Radio Networks & Jones Media Group were branches of Jones International before being sold to Triton Media Group. JRN and JMN provide local radio stations with satellite-delivered formats. They also offer other services to local radio such ...
, the service aired Monday to Friday from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. or 6:00 a.m. to 10 a.m., depending on the market. On March 31, 2005, Betty Cohen, previously an executive at
Turner Broadcasting System Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (alternatively known as Turner Entertainment Networks from 2019 until 2022) was an American television and media conglomerate. Founded by Ted Turner and based in Atlanta, Georgia, it merged with Time Warner (lat ...
, was named CEO of Lifetime Entertainment Services. On August 27, 2009, as part of a corporate restructuring
A&E Television Networks A&E Networks (stylized as A+E NETWORKS) is an American multinational broadcasting company that is a 50–50 joint venture between Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company through its General Entertainment Content division. The company o ...
(another subsidiary of ABC and Hearst that handled cable networks) acquired Lifetime Entertainment Services.
Nancy Dubuc Nancy Jean Dubuc is an American businesswoman who currently serves as chief executive officer of the American-Canadian media company Vice Media. Early life and education Dubuc is the daughter of Carol D. Smith and Robert H. Dubuc Jr. Her parents ...
became Lifetime's president and general manager in April 2010.


Assets

*
Lifetime Lifetime may refer to: * Life expectancy, the length of time a person is expected to remain alive Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Lifetime (band), a rock band from New Jersey * ''Life Time'' (Rollins Band album), by Rollins Band * ...
* LMN (launched in 1998) * Lifetime Real Women (launched in 2001) *Lifetime Movie Club *Lifetime Radio for Women (launched in April 2004) *Lifetime Press *Lifetime Digital **myLifetime.com **LMN.tv **Lifetime Games **Roiworld.com, fashion games **DressUpChallenge.com, a fashion site **LifetimeMoms.com **MothersClick.com Company Overview of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC
Businessweek.com.


References


External links


MyLifetime.com
{{Hearst Lifetime (TV network) Entertainment companies of the United States Mass media companies of the United States Hearst Communications assets Cable network groups in the United States Mass media companies established in 1984 Former Viacom subsidiaries Former Comcast subsidiaries Former General Electric subsidiaries