A+E Global Media

What A+E Global Media does

A+E Global Media is a privately held, global multiplatform media company operating as a 50/50 joint venture between Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company. Founded in 1983, the company runs a portfolio of iconic U.S. cable networks—A&E, HISTORY Channel, Lifetime, LMN, FYI, and VICE TV—alongside international affiliate networks, three direct-to-consumer SVOD products (HISTORY Vault, Lifetime Movie Club, A&E Crime Central), more than 65 FAST channels, two production studios (A+E Studios for scripted, A+E Factual Studios for unscripted via Category 6 Media and Six West Media), and a brand creative studio called Storyground launched in 2026. Content reaches 320+ million households across 195 territories in 41 languages through 71 channel feeds, with global distribution managed by Global Content Sales via joint ventures, licensees, and wholly owned subsidiaries. Advertising is sold globally through A+E Media Solutions, including via annual upfronts and the OpenAP cross-publisher initiative; additional revenue streams include content licensing to streaming platforms (Netflix, Hulu, HBO, ABC), international channel distribution, and branded content partnerships.

Name

A+E Global Media

Legal name

A&E Television Networks, LLC

Website

https://www.aegm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

A+E Global Media is a privately held, multiplatform media joint venture between Hearst and Disney operating U.S. cable networks (A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime), production studios, 65+ FAST channels, three SVOD products, and global content licensing across 195 territories reaching 320M+ households.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cable Television Broadcasting and Media Production

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)

akta.pro primary industry

General Entertainment SVOD Platforms (MPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aggregator/Platform Channels & Marketplace Bundles (Channel Stores, Super-Aggregators) (MPABAHAM), OTT Platform CMS & Content Operations (Catalog, Scheduling, Workflows) (MPAHAJAA)

Keywords

• Cable television networks
• Video content production
• Subscription video streaming
• Advertising media sales
• International content distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Primary revenue stream from advertising sales across linear television and digital platforms, including streaming ad inventory. Sold through A+E Media Solutions to brands and agencies at upfronts and throughout the year.
2. Content Licensing & Distribution: Global content licensing through 71 channel feeds in approximately 195 territories reaching 320+ million households. Includes FAST channels, AVOD, SVOD products (HISTORY Vault, Lifetime Movie Club, A&E Crime Central).
3. Brand Content Partnerships: Branded content creation through Storyground studio, creating custom advertiser content across linear, digital and social media platforms.
4. Scripted Content Production: A+E Studios produces scripted entertainment for streaming, cable, broadcast and international platforms. Revenue comes from licensing productions to platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and ABC.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

A+E Global Media is a global content company that owns and operates a portfolio of cable television networks (A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime, LMN, FYI, VICE TV) and produces scripted and unscripted programming through in-house studios (A+E Studios, A+E Factual Studios, A+E IndieFilms). It distributes content globally through 71 channel feeds reaching 320+ million households across 195 territories in 41 languages, sells premium advertising solutions via A+E Media Solutions, offers SVOD products (HISTORY Vault, Lifetime Movie Club, A&E Crime Central) and FAST channels, runs branded content creation through Storyground, and licenses scripted productions to platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and ABC.

Product overview

A+E Global Media is a multiplatform, multimedia, multi-genre global content company offering a portfolio of television networks, streaming/digital products, production studios, and content distribution services. The core product portfolio includes linear television networks (A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime, LMN, FYI, VICE TV) alongside digital subscription products (HISTORY Vault, Lifetime Movie Club, A&E Crime Central). Production is handled through A+E Studios (scripted) and A+E Factual Studios (unscripted), with additional offerings including podcasts like History This Week and more than 65 FAST channels. The company operates Global Content Sales (reaching 320M+ households in 195+ territories), A+E Media Solutions (advertising), and launched Storyground (brand creative studio) in 2026. Content reaches across more than 200 territories in 40 languages, and the company is a joint venture with Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• A&E: The premier destination for edge-of-your-seat nonfiction entertainment.
• Lifetime
• The HISTORY Channel
• LMN (Lifetime Movies)
• FYI
• VICE TV
• Home.Made.Nation
• Crime 360
• Lifetime Movie Club
• HISTORY Vault
• History This Week
• History2
• Crime+Investigation
• LRW
• History en Espanol
• Biography
• Military History
• Storyground

Products and services

• A&E Network The premier destination for edge-of-your-seat nonfiction entertainment, offering reality programming, documentaries, and true crime series across linear television and digital platforms, distributed to viewers via cable, satellite, and streaming.
• HISTORY Channel The premier destination for historical content, offering documentaries, docuseries, and historical programming exploring events and figures that shaped America and the world, distributed via linear TV and digital platforms.
• Lifetime Unapologetically bold, unbelievably true cable network with stories told by and for women, including original movies, reality series, and lifestyle programming distributed across linear TV and digital platforms.
• LMN (Lifetime Movies Network) A cable network serving a passionate and loyal audience with a continuous slate of movie genres, particularly thriller and drama movies targeted at women, distributed via linear TV and digital platforms.
• FYI A cable network serving as the home of enthusiast content, offering lifestyle programming across food, home design, and real estate genres, distributed via linear TV and digital platforms.
• VICE TV A cable channel challenging young viewers with relatable, explorative, and daring content, including documentaries, docuseries, and alternative sports programming, distributed via linear TV and digital platforms.
• A+E Studios The scripted production division of A+E Global Media producing scripted series, event series, and movies including The Lincoln Lawyer, UnREAL, and Roots for licensing to streaming, cable, broadcast, and international platforms like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and ABC.
• A+E Factual Studios The unscripted production division of A+E Global Media encompassing Category 6 Media and Six West Media brands, producing nonfiction content including documentaries and reality programming.
• A+E IndieFilms The independent film unit of A+E Global Media, focused on producing and acquiring independent films.
• HISTORY Vault A subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service offering on-demand access to the HISTORY Channel's extensive library of historical documentaries and series for individual subscribers.
• Lifetime Movie Club A subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service providing unlimited access to Lifetime movies and exclusive original content for individual subscribers.
• A&E Crime Central A subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service offering crime and investigation-focused documentary content for individual subscribers.
• FAST Channels Free ad-supported streaming TV channels operated by A+E Global Media, with 65+ FAST channels drawn from the company's content library and distributed globally.
• Global Content Sales International content distribution division operating 71 channel feeds in approximately 195 territories and 41 languages, reaching 320+ million households through joint ventures, licensee partnerships, and wholly owned subsidiaries.
• A+E Media Solutions The advertising sales and solutions division of A+E Global Media, providing access to premium content, advanced targeting, creative formats, multiplatform reach, and flexible business models for advertisers and agencies across linear TV, streaming, and digital platforms.
• Storyground A brand creative studio launched by A+E Global Media to extend the company's multiplatform storytelling capabilities for brands, partners, and creators, producing bespoke, audience-driven creative executions across linear, digital, and social media.
• History This Week A weekly podcast featuring episodes exploring historical events and their connection to contemporary issues, distributed through major podcast platforms.
• Crime 360 A digital streaming product offering crime-focused content across platforms for individual viewers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 84% reduction in ad server load
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SnowflakecoreTechnology or Integration · 3 June 2026Expanded collaboration with Snowflake as Preferred Launch Partner for CoCo platform. A+E Global Media deployed AI-powered intelligent agents across its analytics practice, operationalizing 30+ enterprise use cases. The partnership has expanded to over 2,250 users with quantified outcomes including 70% effort reduction and 200 hours reclaimed.
• OpenAPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026A+E Global Media partnered with OpenAP along with eight other major TV publishers (AMC Global Media, FOX, Hallmark Media, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Scripps Networks, TelevisaUnivision, Warner Bros. Discovery) to create unified advertising infrastructure for audience buying across linear TV and streaming platforms. The initiative introduces standardized cross-publisher conversion API and new campaign workflows to connect first-party outcome data with campaign exposure data through a single integration point.
• RoseBerry MediaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 May 2026Content repurposing partnership to convert select library content into mobile-first vertical video microseries. RoseBerry Media is a new studio focused on vertical video content with partnerships from five major distributors.
• FreeWheelcoreTechnology or Integration · 14 April 2026Pilot customer for FreeWheel's AI Context Engine feature integrated into Streaming Hub, powered by Comcast Technology Solutions' VideoAI. Uses computer vision, machine learning, and generative AI to analyze video content and assign contextual segments for ad targeting.
• Index ExchangecoreTechnology or Integration · 24 March 2026Partnership with Index Exchange and FreeWheel to restructure programmatic streaming monetization by shifting from individual slot auctions to pod-level bidding using OpenRTB 2.6. Results: 84% reduction in ad server requests, 39% increase in impressions, 19% lift in ad spend.
• NielsencoreTechnology or Integration · 16 March 2026Multiyear agreement covering audience measurement and media intelligence for A+E's linear and digital properties. Deal expands Nielsen's service offerings to include three new data products alongside existing measurement services.
• Corus EntertainmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 February 2026Co-production partnership for Countdown to Zero Hour with The HISTORY Channel in Canada. Corus Entertainment operates Canada's #1 lifestyle and factual specialty networks including The HISTORY Channel Canada.
• Samsung TV PlusminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 December 2025Content distribution partnership adding 10 A+E Global Media channels to Samsung TV Plus platform in Southeast Asia (Singapore, Philippines, Thailand), expanding to over 230 channels.
• Hearst CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA+E Global Media is a joint venture with Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company, operating as a global content company with popular brands including A&E, Lifetime, History Channel.
• The Walt Disney CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA+E Global Media is a joint venture with The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications, operating as a global content company with popular brands including A&E, Lifetime, History Channel.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Roku: Operates the Roku Channel (a leading FAST/AVOD aggregator), Roku TV OS, and a programmatic ad exchange that competes for A+E's smart-TV viewership and FAST inventory monetization.
• The Walt Disney Company: Parent JV partner and operates overlapping linear (ESPN, FX, National Geographic) plus Disney+ and Hulu — broader incumbent and counterparty in A+E's ownership structure.
• Hearst Communications: Parent JV partner; operates major TV (ESPN co-owner), magazines, newspapers, and business media — broader incumbent and counterparty in A+E's ownership structure.

Direct peers

• Warner Bros. Discovery: Operates a similar portfolio of cable networks (Discovery, HGTV, TLC, ID, CNN, TBS) plus HBO/Max streaming, content production arms, and global content licensing — directly comparable to A+E Global Media's network+production+distribution business.
• Fox Corporation: Operates Fox News, Fox Sports, Fox Broadcasting, and owns Tubi (FAST/AVOD) — directly comparable in operating cable/broadcast networks plus a major FAST distribution platform.
• Hallmark Media: Operates Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark+ SVOD with curated, brand-loyal audiences — direct co-member of OpenAP and most similar niche cable-and-streaming peer.
• AMC Networks: Operates AMC, BBC America, IFC, SundanceTV, plus AMC+ streaming and global content sales — another OpenAP co-member and direct competitor in premium cable drama and nonfiction.
• NBCUniversal: Operates USA Network, Bravo, E!, CNBC, MSNBC, plus Peacock SVOD and extensive content licensing — directly comparable multi-genre network and streaming portfolio.
• Paramount Global: Operates linear cable networks (MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon), broadcast (CBS), Paramount+ SVOD, and content licensing — most direct competitor to A+E's premium-channel and FAST-channel strategy.

Regional players

• Corus Entertainment: Operates Canada's #1 specialty networks including HISTORY Channel Canada under licence from A+E — comparable content operator with a co-production partnership, but focused on the Canadian market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AE_GlobalMedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/aegm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aeglobalmedia
• Instagraminstagram.com/AE_GlobalMedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments19 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about A+E Global Media