A&E (TV network)
A&E is an American basic cable network and the flagship television property of A&E Networks. The network was originally founded in 1984 as the Arts & Entertainment Network, initially focusing on fine arts, documentaries, dramas, and educational entertainment. Today, the network deals primarily in non-fiction programming, including reality docusoaps, true crime, documentaries, and miniseries.
Country
United States
United States
Canada
New York City, U.S.
English
1080i (HDTV)
(480i letterboxed for the SDTV feed)
A&E Networks
(Hearst Communications/The Walt Disney Company, formerly NBCUniversal (1984-2012))
February 1, 1984
Alpha Repertory Television Service
The Entertainment Channel
January 1985 (on Nickelodeon's channel space)
Nick at Nite (on Nickelodeon's channel space)
- Arts & Entertainment Network (1984–1995)
- A&E Network (1995–1997)
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$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#0__call_to_action.textDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$As of November 2023, A&E is available to approximately 63,000,000 pay television households in the United States-down from its 2011 peak of 100,000,000 households.[1] The American version of the channel is being distributed in Canada while international versions were launched for Australia, Latin America, and Europe.
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Availability[edit]
A&E is available on Philo, Sling TV, DirecTV Stream, and Frndly TV. It is also available on some indoor TV antennas.
Criticism and controversy[edit]
Secrets of Playboy[edit]
Beginning in January 2022, A&E broadcast a 12-part series entitled "Secrets of Playboy." This included allegations that Hugh Hefner himself had committed rape and sexual assault. The show also included claims that other men in the Playboy orbit, such as Bill Cosby, had committed rape. One of the women coming forward was Sondra Theodore, Hefner's girlfriend in the late 1970s and early '80s. She stated that many people in fact believed the reports and accusations, but tended to blame the women anyway because of the reputation of the Playboy Mansion, even though Playboy tried to put forward a healthy "Girl Next Door" attitude. This A&E series also include claims by Dr. Mark Saginor’s estranged daughter, by Theodore, and by former butler Mitch Rosen that the doctor was not only Hefner’s live-in physician, but also his male lover. Dr. Saginor said this was not the case.[47]
Some Playboy employees signed a statement which read: “ . . Our time within Hugh Hefner's Playboy and the organization's subsidiaries remains a period all of us are fond of. I proudly sign this letter in recognition of Hugh Hefner's character amid unfounded allegations in the A&E show.” In response, A&E issued a statement which read: “The stories shared in Secrets of Playboy are the personal experiences of the documentary's participants and deserve to be told despite how difficult they may be for some to hear. Signatures on a letter, or a different experience with Mr. Hefner or the Playboy culture, do not negate the experiences of those who have come forward . . ”[48]
Duck Dynasty[edit]
On December 19, 2013, A&E attempted to place Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty on an indefinite hiatus following remarks on homosexuals in an interview with GQ.[51][52][53] A&E said in a statement, "We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson's comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty. His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community."[54][55][56] On December 27, 2013, A&E announced they would begin filming again with the entire Robertson family after an outcry from show viewers and discussions with the Robertson family and numerous advocacy groups, a decision which itself resulted in more criticism of the network for refusing to stand by its original statement.[57]
Nero Wolfe[edit]
Earlier, A&E had been criticized for extreme channel drift from its original focus on the fine arts. For example, Maury Chaykin reflected on the cancellation of the A&E original series A Nero Wolfe Mystery in a 2008 interview: "I'm a bit jaded and cynical about which shows succeed on television. I worked on a fantastic show once called Nero Wolfe, but at the time A&E was transforming from the premiere intellectual cable network in America to one that airs Dog the Bounty Hunter on repeat, so it was never promoted and eventually went off the air."[58]
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