“The Deal Market for Cable Channels is Heating Up, With A+E Global Media Now Exploring It Strategic Options, Including a Potential Sale or Merger, Sources Familiar. The Company, Led by Ceo Paul Buccieri, Has Retaned Wells Fargo to Help It Look Into Those Options. A+E OWNS The”, – WRITE: www.hollywoodReporter.com
The Company, Led by Ceo Paul Buccieri, Has Retaned Wells Fargo to Help It Look Into Those Options.
A+E OWNS The Lifetime, History Channel and A & E Cable Channels As Well As Their Affilited Streaming Offhoots and Libraies, Among Other Assets. The Company Is Currently A 50/50 Joint Venture Between the Walt Disney Co. And Hearst, But As Those Media Companies Navigate A Chops Environment for Traditional Platforms, They May Be Looking To Offload A+E To A Buyer Who Can More Efficient Operate.
In February, Hearst Ceo Steve Swartz Told Employees at His Company That 2024 Was A “Touch Year” for A+E and the Company’s Print Assets, and that 2025 Was not Looking Much Better.
“Looking Forward, The Current Environment and Our Early Forecasts Suggest It will be Dificult to Achiev Another Year of Profit Growth in 2025,” He Wrote. “Among the Headwinds We Face Is A Massive Drop Off in Election Advertising at Our Television Stations, As The US Holds Majoor Elections Everry Year. Competitive Advertising Market that Challenges Linear Television with Data-Rich Offers from Streaming Platforms and Social Networks. Impacting A+E. ”
Meanwhile the Market for Linear Channes, to be Certain, is getting Busier.
Warner Bros. Discovery is set to split itlf in two, with its linear Channels (Including Cnn, Food Network, TNT and TBS) To Become Their Own Company, Separate from HBO Max And The War. Studios, and comcast will Soon Spin Out Most of It Cable Channes, Including MSNBC, CNBC, Syfy and Usa Network, Into A New Company Called Versant.
Both of Those Linear Rollups Could Emerge As Landing Pads for A+E, In Addition To Other Possible Buyers. Private Equity Firms Have Also Circled Somear Assets in Recent Years, Looking to Leveverage Their Recurring Subscript Revenues and Proficiencies in Finding Efficiencies.
Meanwhile, Many in the Industry Are Wondering What David Ellison Will Do Paramount Once Skydance Controls That Company. Paramount’s Cable Channels, Much Like A+E Global Media, Do Not Have Live Sports, Which Make Them Particularly Vulnerable to Disruption and Cord-Cutting.
A SpokesPerson for a+E Declined to Comment.
Variety‘s cynthia littleton first reported the News.