A+E Favors Global Media Over Networks in Corporate Renaming

variety.com:

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor The streaming era has brought rapid change to the media industry — so much so that one TV mainstay is revamping its corporate moniker.

The company once known as A+E Networks, an entertainment joint venture backed by Disney and Hearst, is dialing back its connection to traditional TV by rechristening itself A+E Global Media, a move that signals executives’ intent to play up digital offerings and the appeal that content from cable mainstays like A+E, History and Lifetime has with broadband and social audiences. “Changing the name of the company better reflects who we are now and going forward.

I think it’s important for the market to understand, especially if there remains any perception that we are just a cable company,” says Toby Byrne, president of the company’s ad-sales division, which is being renamed A+E Media Solutions. “Replacing ‘Networks’ with ‘Global Media’ better characterizes who we are now, a multi-platform global entertainment provider,” Byrne said during a recent interview.

The announcement comes on the same day that A+E is holding an “upfront” presentation for advertisers aimed at selling the bulk of its commercial inventory tied to its next cycle of content.