From a single cable channel, Lifetime Networks has now grown to Lifetime Television and Lifetime Movie Network, far and away the two most popular women's network; Lifetime Real Women; a thriving digital business including myLifetime.com; new channels such as Lifetime HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD, Lifetime On Demand, Lifetime Movie Network On Demand and Lifetime Movie Network Español On Demand, along with numerous award-winning public advocacy campaigns.
The reach of Lifetime — on-air, online and in communities — has been profound, from addressing issues and raising awareness like breast cancer and violence against women as well as this year's Every Woman Counts campaign around the 2008 election. Lifetime has also been credited by bipartisan members of Congress and administration officials with shaping public policy and has played a key role in passing five bills through Congress.
Lifetime Entertainment Services is a 50/50 joint venture of Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.
WEBSITE: www.myLifetime.com
LAUNCH DATES:
Lifetime Television February 1984
Lifetime Movie Network July 1998
Lifetime Real Women August 2001
Lifetime Digital April 1996
SATELLITE:
Lifetime Television
Galaxy V, Transponder 21 (East feed), Satcom, C3, Transponder 4 (West feed)
Lifetime Movie Network
Telstar 7, Transponder 14 and Galaxy XR, Transponder 20
Lifetime Real Women
Galaxy XR, Transponder 20
SUBSCRIBERS:
Lifetime Television
More than 98 million households
Lifetime Movie Network
More than 67 million households
Lifetime Real Women
10 million households
Lifetime Digital
Averages more than three million unique visitors/60 million page views monthly
SENIOR EXECUTIVES:
President and CEO, Lifetime Networks: Andrea Wong
Co-Chief Marketing Officers: Bob Bibb, Lew Goldstein
Executive Vice President, Entertainment: JoAnn Alfano
Executive Vice President/General Manager, Lifetime Movie Network: Louise Henry Bryson
Executive Vice President, Distribution: Lori Conkling
Executive Vice President, Research: Mike Greco
Executive Vice President, Legal, Business Affairs & Human Resources: Pat Langer
Executive Vice President, Ad Sales: Debbie Richman
Executive Vice President, Digital Media & Business Development: Dan Suratt
Executive Vice President, Public Affairs & Corporate Communications: Meredith Wagner
Executive Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer: Jim Wesley
Senior Vice President, Scripted Series Development: Nina Lederman
Senior Vice President, Original Movies: Tanya Lopez
Senior Vice President, Reality Programming: Jessica Samet
Senior Vice President, Operations, Information Systems & Technology: Gwynne McConkey
PRESS CONTACTS:
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications/Publicity
Josh Sabarra
310-556-7535
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
Toby Graff
212-424-7298
Director, Trade & Business Publicity
Gary Morgenstein
212-424-7162
Director, Corporate Communications Geralyn Lucas
212-424-7066
Director, Program Publicity (West Coast)
Tracy Speed
310-556-7541
LIFETIME OFFICES:
NEW YORK (Headquarters)
World Wide Plaza
309 West 49th Street
New York, New York 10019
(212) 424-7000
NEW YORK (Studios)
111 8th Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10011
(212) 641-3000
LOS ANGELES
2049 Century Park East
Suite 840
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 556-7500
CHICAGO
444 North Michigan Ave.
Suite 3270
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 464-1991
LIFETIME TELEVISION
Lifetime Television is a leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. Launched in 1984, Lifetime now serves more than 97 million households nationwide.
Far and away the most popular women's network, Lifetime has significantly increased its commitment to original programming, which has been rewarded by audiences and critics alike, highlighted by the smash hit "Army Wives," the most watched series in the network's 24-year history and the #1 cable drama for W18-49.The second season averaged 3.8 million viewers.
An ensemble drama series about the struggles, dreams and friendships of a diverse group of women — and one man — living with their spouses and families on an active army post, "Army Wives" stars Kim Delaney ("NYPD Blue"), Sally Pressman ("Shark"), Brigid Brannagh ("Over There"), Brian McNamara ("The O.C."), Sterling K. Brown ("Starved"), Wendy Davis ("Commander in Chief"), Drew Fuller ("Charmed") and Catherine Bell ("JAG").
Lifetime has produced nearly 200 Lifetime Original Movies (LOMs) since 1990, including basic cable's two most-watched original movies of the year: "The Memory Keeper's Daughter," starring Dermot Mulroney, Emily Watson and Gretchen Mol, became the network's most-watched original movie since 1995, averaging nearly six million viewers, while "Coco Chanel," starring Shirley MacLaine, drew more than five million.
"Almost Golden" (which starred Sela Ward as Jessica Savitch) and "The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life is Not a Fairy Tale" (which starred "American Idol" winner Fantasia in her own story), are the two most-watched LOMs ever. Past Original Movies have included the miniseries "Human Trafficking," (Mira Sorvino, Donald Sutherland and Robert Carlyle); "The Mermaid Chair" (Kim Basinger); "Living Proof" (Harry Connick Jr.); "Ambulance Girl" (Kathy Bates); "Wisegal" (Alyssa Milano); "Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy" (Sarah Chalke); "Dawn Anna" (Debra Winger); "Gracie's Choice" (Anne Heche); "Plain Truth" (Mariska Hargitay); "Odd Girl Out" (Alexa Vega and Lisa Vidal); a quartet of adaptations of Nora Roberts phenomenal best-sellers and "Matters of Life & Dating" (Ricki Lake).
On October 20, Lifetime premiered its first prime-time comedy in a decade, "Rita Rocks," starring Nicole Sullivan.
The network's daytime and late-night schedules also feature encores of popular broadcast series such as "Grey's Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives," "Reba," "Will & Grace," "Frasier" and "Still Standing." The reality series "Wife Swap" joined the schedule in September and, in January 2009, the popular comedy series "How I Met Your Mother" debuts.
LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK
The #2 network for women behind only Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network celebrated its 10th anniversary in June. Its first-ever original miniseries, "The Capture of the Green River Killer," starring Tom Cavanagh, Sharon Lawrence and Amy Davidson, became the most-watched program in the network's history, with the August telecast of "Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story," starring Judy Reyes, Ana Ortiz and A Martinez, ranking second. LMN is producing 18 original movies for the 2008-09 season, the most ever.
Lifetime Movie Network is available today in more than 60 million homes across the United States and recently posted its highest-rated Third Quarter ever. Its popularity has spawned brand extensions such as Lifetime Movie Network HD, Lifetime Movie Network Español On Demand and LMN.tv. 2008 also marks the second season of the Every Woman's Filmmaker Competition, designed to find and nurture the next generation of women filmmakers.
Lifetime Movie Network, launched in June 1998, features a monthly showcase of Original Movies as well as contemporary films for and about women, including made-for-television movies, mini-series, select theatrical films and independent film acquisitions. Genres include drama, suspense, family, romance, issue-oriented, comedy and mystery. Lifetime Movie Network offers viewers nearly 200 different titles each month including exclusive film and cable premieres, and is the women's portal to Hollywood.
LIFETIME REAL WOMEN
Launched in 2001, Lifetime Networks' third channel, Lifetime Real Women (LRW), is a network where every series and every story is about what's real to women. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, Lifetime Real Women offers programming from scripted series to specials that inspire, entertain and show true to life choices and experiences, to which all women can relate.
Lifetime Real Women's compelling lineup includes the biography series "Intimate Portrait," featuring the amazing personal stories of women from the diverse worlds of art, politics, business, entertainment and sports, reality series such as "Gay, Straight or Taken?", "Cheerleader Nation" and "Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead," as well as Lifetime classic hit dramas "Strong Medicine," "Missing" and "The Division."
LIFETIME PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Dedicated to using the power of the media to make a positive difference in women’s lives, Lifetime has created “My Lifetime Commitment,” a series of public awareness and advocacy campaigns -- on-air, online and in communities around the country -- in partnership with more than 200 leading nonprofit organizations, corporations and key, bipartisan political leaders. “My Lifetime Commitment,” which was recognized with the prestigious Governor’s Award Emmy® from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, includes initiatives to provide helpful resources throughout the Networks’ programming to Stop Breast Cancer for Life, to ensure that Every Woman Counts in the halls of power, and to promote Living Healthy.
My Lifetime Commitment: Every Woman Counts
Every Woman Counts is the only public service campaign dedicated to encouraging women to speak out on the issues they care about most, vote and run for office. For the first time, the 2008 Every Woman Counts initiative leverages the power of the #1 and #2 television networks for women -- Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) -- and includes the most extensive on-air programming, digital content and grassroots efforts to date. To expand the effort and reach women everywhere they live, work and play, Lifetime launched the first-ever Every Woman Counts media and advocacy coalition in partnership with REDBOOK, CosmoGIRL!, Marie Claire, celebrities, experts and hundreds of women's nonprofit organizations representing more than 15 million women from all sides of the political spectrum.
My Lifetime Commitment: Stop Breast Cancer for Life
For 14 years, Lifetime has championed the fight against breast cancer and remains dedicated to offering women the most up-to-date, comprehensive information about breast cancer. Part of Lifetime's Emmy®-winning My Lifetime Commitment public awareness campaigns, the Stop Breast Cancer for Life initiative reaches women and families in more than 97 million homes across the country and in partnership with the Network's cable affiliates, advertising sponsors and 10 leading nonprofit organizations. The Network has also collected more than 23 million viral signatures on myLifetime.com to urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2007(S.459/H.R.758), which the U.S. House of Representatives passed on September 25. The bill would end the practice of "drive-through" mastectomies, where women are sometimes forced to leave the hospital sometimes just hours following their physically and emotionally difficult surgeries even if they and their doctors feel they are not ready to go home.
In developing and implementing the campaign, Lifetime forged with the foremost nonprofit breast cancer advocacy groups in the nation to identify survivors and advocates recognized as Lifetime's Breast Cancer Heroes. Partners included: American Cancer Society; The Anastasia Fund; Breast Cancer Action; The Breast Cancer Research Foundation; breastcancer.org; the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC); Nueva Vida; SHARE; Sister Network, Inc.; Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization; the Young Survival Coalition and Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity.
My Lifetime Commitment: Living Healthy
Through PSAs and educational materials, Lifetime emphasizes that all women - regardless of their family history or age -- have tremendous power to reduce their risk of heart disease and can start right away. Lifetime’s nonprofit partners in the campaign include the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; WomenHeart: National Coalition for Women With Heart Disease; and Sister-to-Sister: Every Woman Has a Heart Foundation.
Lifetime Programming…Making a Difference
Lifetime Programming…Making a Difference is a campaign to provide expanded resources and information for viewers on a wide variety of topics addressed in the Network’s programming. After appropriate Lifetime Original Movies, acquired movies and episodes of original series, Lifetime airs “tags” and PSAs to connect viewers with a variety of advocacy organizations through toll-free hotlines and links on myLifetimeTV.com. Lifetime often uses talent from movies or series to drive the messages home, and in partnership with more than 200 nonprofit organizations and government agencies, Lifetime has tagged more than 2,000 movies/series episodes, helping viewers find more information and resources for critical issues including AIDS, heart disease and domestic violence.
Other Lifetime Commitments
Lifetime champions many other issues important to women and supports several organizations and initiatives including: the Ms. Foundation’s “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day,” the National Women’s History Project and Cable in the Classroom.
LIFETIME DIGITAL
Lifetime Digital Media, the leading digital source for women's entertainment, escape and play, reaches women wherever and however they connect, play and share. Combined with the reach of the Lifetime Networks, Lifetime Digital Media provides national sponsors an unrivaled opportunity to reach women with a powerful, singular-branded experience across all platforms.
myLifetime.com – which attracts nearly three million women per month – is the company’s flagship site and is more robust than the typical marketing and promotional site offered by competing networks. The site features a games channel with hundreds of compelling online and downloadable games – myLifetime.com is among the top 25 online gaming sites for women, entertainment and lifestyle content on beauty & style, celebrities, relationships, health, holidays, shopping, sweepstakes and astrology, and extensive community and public affairs sections.
To that end, Lifetime Digital contains a broadband video production unit which develops original broadband video series such as Mommy Madness and Street Doctors, and also shoots and edits behind-the-scenes content and features that enable women to engage deeper with Lifetime’s television programming. The unit is also responsible for syndicating such video content to outlets such as Hulu, FanCast, YouTube and similar sites.
Women trust the Lifetime brand and Lifetime Digital enhances that bond with the My Lifetime Commitment section of the site, which serves to improve the lives of girls and women and families through education, awareness and legislation. The Every Woman Counts section is part of the public affairs campaign to further engage women in the political process, and the Stop Breast Cancer for Life section, winner of the 2007 Beacon Award — New Media Campaign, features a stop "drive-through" mastectomies online petition which has been signed more than 20 million times since its inception in 1997.
Lifetime Digital also operates DressUpChallenge.com, a hit game from Lifetime Game Studios that provides women with a fun escape, an outlet for their creativity and a place to bond with other likeminded women. The site invites audience to create makeovers, enter and vote in weekly challenges and interact with other game-players in a dynamic community that more than 500,000 people have joined since its launch in May, 2008.
Lifetime Digital is further expanding its casual gaming initiative with the recent acquisition of South Korean dress-up site Roiworld.com and the simultaneous launch of Lifetime Game Studios Korea. Lifetime Games plans to launch a U.S. version of Roiworld.com in early 2009. The site will mix “casual” virtual worlds, user-generated content and social networking with fashion. The Korean version of Roiworld.com had 2.8 million uniques and 117 million page views in September, with visitors averaging 50 minutes per month.
To enter the high-value, fast-growing consumer category of parenting and moms online, Lifetime Digital acquired the ParentsClick Network, a privately held social network and digital media technology company, including Mothersclick.com and the MomBlogNetwork.com in August, 2008. Additionally, the technology assets of the ParentsClick Network, which has developed an online community application for creating customizable, content-rich websites for active parents and their real-life groups, will accelerate the development and launch of key vertical communities for myLifetime.com and its 2.5 million members.
MomBlogNetwork.com, which was launched in late 2007 and currently features over 2,500 registered blogs, aggregates and promotes content in a Digg™-like style, helping participating mom bloggers increase visibility and gain readership by reaching a wider audience.
Lifetime Digital extends its reach, branding and sales opportunities to more than five million unique visitors per month with the Lifetime-Glam Network. The co-branded vertical network of woman-focused websites and blogs includes more than 12 sites that offer advertisers reach for the women who comprise the Lifetime target audience. Finally, Lifetime Digital reaches women on the go with a WAP site and opportunities for advertisers to interact with Lifetime's programming via text message and mobile alerts. AWARDS & HONORS
Through the years, Lifetime has been honored with numerous and diverse awards for its public affairs initiatives and renowned programming.
Programming Awards
• In 2008, "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" received an Emmy® nomination in the Outstanding Made for Television Movie category.
• In 2007, the Lifetime Original Movie "Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy," the centerpiece of the network's 2006 "Stop Breast Cancer for Life" public awareness and advocacy initiative, received an Emmy® nomination in the Outstanding Made for Television Movie category. Gena Rowlands received an Emmy® nomination as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for her role in the Lifetime Original Movie "What If God Were the Sun?"
• In 2006, Lifetime received six Primetime Emmy® nominations, including: Outstanding Lead Actress for Judy Davis in "A Little Thing Called Murder" and Kathy Bates for "Ambulance Girl," Donald Sutherland and Robert Carlyle for Outstanding Lead Actor and Outstanding Supporting actor, respectively, for "Human Trafficking," and Outstanding Music Composition to Norman Corbell for "Human Trafficking" and Bruce Broughton for "The Dive From Clausen's Pier." "A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story" won an Outstanding Television Movie award at the 18th Annual GLAAD Media Awards.
• In 2005 Golden Globe® nominations; Mira Sorvino and Donald Sutherland were nominated for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, respectively, for their roles in the network's critically acclaimed "Human Trafficking."
• In 2005, Lifetime received three Primetime Emmy® nominations, including: Debra Winger for Outstanding Lead Actress for the Lifetime Original Movie "Dawn Anna," Grammy® Award-winning singer, songwriter and activist Michael Bolton for the original song "Tears of the Angels" from the Lifetime documentary "Terror at Home: Domestic Violence in America," and composer Joseph Conlon for the original score of the Lifetime Original Movie "Miracle Run."
Public Affairs Honors
• In 2008, Lifetime won two Gracie Allen Awards from American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT) for "Army Wives" (Outstanding Television Drama) and the "End Violence Against Women" PA campaign (Outstanding Public Service Announcement).
• In 2007, Lifetime received three Cable Television Public Affairs Association (CTPAA) Beacon Awards ("Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy;" "Stop Breast Cancer for Life" website; and "Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy" Viewer's Guide), with GLAAD saluting "Augusta, Gone" and "A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story," the NAACP honoring "Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story," and MADD giving an award to "Augusta, Gone."
• In 2005, Lifetime received the Cable Television Public Affairs Association's (CTPAA) highest honor - the Golden Beacon Award - for its Stop Violence Against Women campaign. In 2005, Lifetime also received Cable Positive's Joel A. Berger Memorial Award for outstanding contribution to the fight against HIV and AIDS by a cable industry leader and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape's (PCAR) national media award and the National Domestic Violence Hotline "Vital Link" Award for the public awareness campaign, "My Lifetime Commitment: Stop Violence Against Women."
• In 2004, Lifetime was awarded the prestigious Humanitarian Award from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, a White House Project EPIC Award for a special anti-violence episode of "The Division" and four Cable Television Public Affairs Association (CTPAA) Beacon Awards.
• In 2003, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences honored Lifetime with its prestigious Governors Award Emmy® for the campaign My Lifetime Commitment: Stop Violence Against Women.
• Lifetime received an Emmy® nomination for its breast cancer awareness campaign in August 2001; a National Political Women's Caucus EMMA award for its stop violence campaign in 2003.
• In October 2000, Lifetime received the National Breast Cancer Coalition's Corporate Leadership Award honoring the network for its ongoing commitment to use the power of the media to end breast cancer. Lifetime has also been the recipient of the National Media Award from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Caring Cooperation Award from the Child Care Action Campaign.
• For its dedication to diversity, The National Association of Minorities in Cable (NAMIC) awarded Lifetime Television with the 2003 North Star award for ethnic and diverse programming.
• In 2005, Lifetime's Vivica A. Fox received an NAACP Image Award nomination for her work in "Missing," and Lifetime received three Imagen Award nominations, for the positive portrayal of Latinos in the media.
• In 2004, Lifetime's Rosa Blasi received an Imagen Award for her work on "Strong Medicine."
• In 2002, NAMIC honored Lifetime with a Vision Award for "Intimate Portrait: Rosa Parks."
• In 2001, Lifetime was honored with the prestigious GLAAD Fairness Award, recognizing the network's commitment to equal rights demonstrated through programming such as the Lifetime Original Movies "What Makes a Family" and "The Truth About Jane."
• Lifetime was also presented with the Imagen Foundation Inspiration Award in June 2001, the National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Award in February 2001 and the YWCA Racial Justice Award in April 2000.
• Lifetime was awarded the Cable Television Public Affairs Association (CTPAA) Beacon Award, "Human Trafficking" Leadership Award and the Women in Cable and Telecommunications (WICT), Tribute Accolade Award, "Human Trafficking."
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Launched on February 1, 1984, Lifetime Television Network was created by the merger of Daytime and Cable Health Network (CHN). Daytime, operated by Hearst/ABC Video Services, began in March 1982, as a four-hour-per-day weekday service featuring alternative programming for women. CHN, operated by Viacom, debuted in June 1982, as a 24-hour service offering programs on personal and family health, fitness, science and medicine.
Thomas F. Burchill was the President and Chief Executive Officer from 1984 until February 1993, when he was succeeded by Douglas W. McCormick. Carole Black led Lifetime as President and CEO from 1999 until 2005, when she was succeeded by Betty Cohen. Andrea Wong was named President and CEO in April 2007.
In April 1994, Viacom sold its share of Lifetime to Hearst and Cap Cities/ABC, now The Walt Disney Company, its other partners in the joint venture that owned the network. Lifetime Television Network was crowned "Television for Women" in 1995.
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