In a media landscape defined by complexity, fragmentation, and ceaseless transformation, A+E Global Media has made a bold move to redefine not only its moniker, but the very nature of how premium content is produced, distributed, and monetized across platforms. Announced during its 2025-2026 Upfront, the company formerly known as A+E Networks has embraced its evolution with a name that matches its ambition: A+E Global Media.
This isn’t just a rebrand-it’s a repositioning for a new media age. And the company is walking the talk. By deepening its partnership with FreeWheel, A+E Global Media is putting real muscle behind its promise to deliver simplicity, transparency, and results-driven innovation to the advertising community.
A+E has always been on the cutting edge of innovation, and this is no different. The move forward with FreeWheel reflects the company’s continued strategic commitment to data and technology to elevate the viewing and advertising experience. The renewed collaboration with FreeWheel gives advertisers unprecedented access to precision-targeted, scalable audiences through FreeWheel’s Audience Manager-an industry-leading tool that unifies audience data across devices and formats. The result: real-time audience sizing, faster forecasting, and smarter ad delivery that benefits everyone in the media value chain-from creators to consumers to clients.
“We are continually working to make sure we provide our viewers with quality content supported by a premium ad experience,” said Lee Barstow, Vice President of Revenue Operations at A+E Global Media. “Through our partnership with FreeWheel, we’re enabling advertisers to deliver smarter, targeted placements across our network of content which enhances both monetization, and most importantly, audience experience.”
This upgraded partnership is more than a tech stack integration-it reflects a philosophical alignment between two companies that understand the new rules of media engagement. In a world where screens and formats multiply, the imperative is clear: unify the experience, simplify the process, and deepen the impact.
As someone who has chronicled the evolution of media for four decades, I can say without hesitation that A+E is building a blueprint for what modern media companies must become: agile, global, data-enabled, creatively supercharged, and obsessively consumer-centric.
At their2025 Upfront, President and Chairman Paul Buccieri laid it out plainly: “Our company’s vision is to bring stories to the widest possible audience-stories that remind us all how we share universal hopes and dreams.” This statement wasn’t abstract rhetoric; it was backed by a lineup of powerhouse projects from Tom Hanks, Tyler Perry, Toni Braxton, Henry Winkler, and others-proof that A+E Global Media is doubling down on original storytelling with global appeal.
The pivot to a global-first, platform-agnostic business model reflects the ever-growing need to meet audiences wherever they are consuming content. With more than 70,000 creative assets in circulation, over 2,000 hours of new content produced annually, and an ecosystem that spans 200+ territories and 40+ languages, A+E Global Media is no longer just a content company. It’s a scalable, story-driven infrastructure designed to fuel brand storytelling at a time when connection matters more than ever.
That’s where A+E Media Solutions comes in. Under the leadership of President Toby Byrne, the group is harnessing the company’s expansive IP to create dynamic advertising partnerships. Whether through innovative custom, multiplatform campaigns such as Lifetimeand Chili’s “I’ll Be Home for National Margarita Day” or bespoke shore excursions for Holland America Line curated in partnership with The HISTORY Channel, A+E is creating flexible, creative brand integrations that resonate with today’s attention-squeezed audiences.
“We’re really focused on building relationships that meet advertiser needs and drive business growth,” said Byrne during the Upfront. With FreeWheel as a technology partner, that goal becomes not just aspirational but achievable.
As an observer of Upfronts over the years, I’ve often noted the yawning gap between slick presentations and practical, day-to-day execution. But A+E Global Media’s moves suggest something different. They are not only selling premium content-they are building a media company for the future: one that prioritizes cultural relevance, global scale, audience intelligence, and simplicity in delivery.
In an industry where legacy often slows innovation, A+E Global Media is proving that reinvention is not just possible-it’s essential.