A+E Settles into Recharge Mode for Name, Focus and Celebrity Content Participation

The Big Message: Whatever channels or content A+E produces and distributes across the globe, it will be top-quality, relevant to contemporary audiences and available on whatever platform or device they like best. That will open up a variety of new ways advertisers can reach viewers, promised Paul Buccieri (pictured at top), A+E Global Media’s President & Chairman. “Our company’s vision is to bring stories to the widest possible audience,” he explained. “Stories that remind us all how we share universal hopes and dreams. We believe in simplicity, transparency, connection and relationships.”

Hosts: Buccieri and Toby Byrne, President of A+E Media Solutions (the new title of A+E’s advertising sales unit), bookended the opening and closing minutes of the presentation respectively. Tom Hanks, Toni Braxton, Henry Winkler and Taye Diggs were among the participating celebrities introducing their upcoming projects between Buccieri and Byrne’s remarks.

What Worked: Snazzy, dazzling visuals over the entire presentation, starting with a weaving backdrop of individual A+E programs lined up in rows while Buccieri and Byrne were talking. By contrast, the celebrity presenters, as in A+E Upfront showcases the last few years, largely let clips from their upcoming projects speak for themselves.

What Also Worked: Byrne (succeeding former A+E ad sales chief Peter Olsen) reinforcing his intention to develop more advertiser-programming partnerships for the company’s main linear channels (A+E, History, Lifetime and Home.Made.Nation) with examples of recent initiatives in that direction. Two examples: presenting Excursion short form vignettes on History, using info provided by sponsor Holland America Line, and Lifetime branded content/customized commercials for beauty product vendor Maybelline and fast-food chain Chili’s.

What Can Work Better: Offering premiere dates of the new projects displayed on-screen, so that advertisers and agencies can get a jump on considering campaign commitments to them. Also, organizing a follow-up conference call or in-person gathering of reporters to detail upcoming shows in-depth.

Data Points: A+E Global Media’s original programming output for the rest of 2025 through mid-2026 will again be in the range of several thousand hours, produced in 40 languages and available in over 200 territories. The company’s catalog of free ad-supported services (FAST channels), distributed through smart TV sets/devices and multichannel/on-demand content bundles, grew from 50-plus to 60-plus since March 2024. Single series channels make up the majority of A+E’s FAST lineup.

News: Tyler Perry’s TV series empire will expand into unscripted waters through a multi-show development pact with Lifetime. Pantheon Media Group will join Perry’s studio unit as co-producer. History’s upcoming new series roster includes several focusing on the offbeat track of notable and unknown events like Hazardous History with Henry Winkler, History’s Deadliest with Ving Rhames and Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny. Winkler, Rhames and Duchovny will host, and executive produce their respective History programs. AT A+E, Storage Wars will return in a new hour-long format, and the Duck Dynasty subjects will update their existence in a new The Revival series. Look for more than 100 new hours of programs appearing on Home.Made.Nation, including Willing To Flop from Reese Witherspoon-led production house Hello Sunshine, owned by Candle Media. Previously announced projects awaiting 2025-26 launch dates include Tom Hanks’ 20-hour World War II miniseries, Kevin Costner’s eight-episode The West and History Honors 250, various programs celebrating next year’s 250^th anniversary of establishing the United States of America.

Parting Words: “I truly believe non-fiction storytelling is the best storytelling, because it ends up being just entertaining as hell.” -- Tom Hanks

“We are a global provider of entertainment beyond one genre or platform.” -- A+E Global Media President & Chairman Paul Buccieri

“Passionate creators inspire a passionate audience.” -- Henry Winkler

“Some of the most iconic stories come right from the icons themselves,” -- Toni Braxton, on her ongoing made-for-TV movie producing arrangement with Lifetime.

“Talk about a dream team. We’re really excited about it.” -- Tyler Perry, announcing his new Lifetime unscripted series relationship

“Our goal is to implement relationships that meet advertiser needs and business growth.” -- Toby Byrne, President of A+E Media Solutions

Photo courtesy of A+E Global Media.

Posted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership self-publishing platform.

Click the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friends.
The opinions expressed here are the author's views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.org/MyersBizNet.