ITV

Category: Factual

  • Nat Geo digs deep as Explorer Film Festival returns with fresh stories

    Nat Geo digs deep as Explorer Film Festival returns with fresh stories

    MUMBAI: Adventure calls again and this time, it’s cinematic. National Geographic is rolling out the yellow carpet for the return of its Explorer Film Festival, a celebration of bold ideas, breathtaking quests, and the indomitable human spirit. The much-loved festival premieres on Sunday, 9 November at 10 pm, promising an evening of storytelling that travels from the ocean floor to volcanic peaks.

    Continuing National Geographic’s legacy of inspiring curiosity, the 2025 edition spotlights Explorers scientists, conservationists, and adventurers whose work blurs the line between passion and peril. Whether it’s uncovering ancient secrets, saving species, or pushing the limits of human endurance, each film captures the thrill of discovery in its purest form.

    The global lineup reads like a love letter to exploration.

    . Love + War follows Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario, who has risked her life on frontlines from Afghanistan to Ukraine to reveal the human cost of conflict.

    . The Last Rhinos: A New Hope chronicles a daring scientific mission to save the Northern White Rhino from extinction through the world’s first surrogate rhino pregnancy.

    . Secrets of the Penguins dives into the icy lives of these resilient creatures, their courage, bonds, and surprising intelligence.

    . Titanic: The Digital Resurrection resurfaces the world’s most famous shipwreck using cutting-edge 3D scanning to create a digital twin of the Titanic for a hauntingly immersive exploration.

    . Explorer: Lake of Fire takes viewers into the molten heart of an uncharted volcano as scientists seek answers to one of nature’s most explosive mysteries.

    . Explorer: The Deepest Cave journeys into the Earth’s underbelly, where cavers navigate perilous underground mazes to reach the planet’s lowest known depths.

    Each film in the Explorer series isn’t just about discovery, it’s about reflection. It questions how far we’ve come, what we’ve lost, and what remains to be found.

    To drum up anticipation, National Geographic will launch a nationwide promo campaign two weeks ahead of the premiere. The teaser already hints at breathtaking visuals, edge-of-seat drama, and heart-stirring human stories, an ode to the restless spirit of exploration.

    With themes spanning love, loss, courage, and curiosity, this year’s Explorer Film Festival invites audiences to look beyond borders, dive beneath the surface, and climb into the unknown, one frame at a time.

    So, mark your calendars. On 9 November at 10 PM, switch on National Geographic and prepare to journey from the deepest caves to the coldest ice caps proof that the world’s greatest stories aren’t just out there; they’re waiting to be explored.

  • Travelxp expands Baltic footprint with Cgates launch in Lithuania

    Travelxp expands Baltic footprint with Cgates launch in Lithuania

    MUMBAI: Travelxp, the Mumbai-headquartered travel content powerhouse, has made its Lithuanian debut through a launch on Cgates, one of the country’s leading TV platforms—marking another milestone in its aggressive Baltic expansion.

    From 1 September, Cgates subscribers have been tuning into Travelxp HD via the “Laisvalaikio” (Leisure) thematic package, unlocking a world of adventure, culture, cuisine, and discovery in high definition. The channel promises more than just travelogues—viewers can expect adrenaline-packed explorations, wildlife documentaries, and local lifestyle stories that transport them across continents.

    Travelxp now beams into over 119 countries in 25-plus languages, reaffirming its position as a global leader in 4K HDR storytelling. “This launch deepens our footprint in Lithuania and the Baltics,” said Travelxp  managing director, Europe & Africa Sumant Bahl. “Together with Cgates, we’re igniting curiosity and connecting Lithuanian audiences to the world.”

    Cgates’ director of legal and TV content Dina Adomavičiūtė-Matulė called the tie-up a natural fit. “Travelxp’s blend of inspiration, education and entertainment perfectly complements our offering,” she said.

    With this move, Travelxp continues to chart new frontiers—turning television screens into global passports and reminding viewers everywhere that the journey never ends, it only widens.

  • Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of chimpanzees, dies at 91

    Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of chimpanzees, dies at 91

    LOSA ANGELES: Jane Goodall, the pioneering primatologist – who was the subject of two dozen documentaries and films and many more books  and  whose ground breaking observations of wild chimpanzees revolutionised both scientific understanding and public consciousness about humanity’s closest relatives, passed away  on 1 October 2025 in Los Angeles. She was 91.

    Goodall’s death, from natural causes during a speaking tour in America, ends a remarkable life that began in 1934 in Hampstead and led to the forests of Tanzania, where her patient, meticulous work upended long-held assumptions about what separates humans from other animals.

    Her discoveries were elegant and devastating to human exceptionalism. In 1960, watching a chimpanzee she had named David Greybeard fishing for termites with a modified grass stalk, she documented tool use in a species other than our own—a finding that prompted her mentor, Louis Leakey, to declare: “We must now redefine man, redefine tool, or accept chimpanzees as human.”

    More uncomfortable revelations followed. Goodall observed chimpanzees hunting and eating other primates, engaging in brutal inter-group warfare, and committing infanticide. “I had believed that the Gombe chimpanzees were, for the most part, rather nicer than human beings,” she reflected. “Then suddenly we found that chimpanzees could be brutal—that they, like us, had a darker side to their nature.”

    Her approach was as revolutionary as her findings. At a time when scientific objectivity demanded emotional distance and numerical designations for research subjects, Goodall named her chimpanzees and spoke openly of their personalities, emotions and relationships. The scientific establishment initially recoiled at such “anthropomorphism.” History vindicated her instincts.

    Born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall, she arrived in Kenya in 1957 with no formal training but an abiding love of animals. Working as a secretary, she telephoned Leakey on a friend’s advice. He recognised her potential and, after she spent time at Olduvai Gorge, sent her to Gombe Stream National Park in 1960. Her mother accompanied her—a requirement imposed by nervous colonial authorities.

    Cambridge University later admitted her to pursue a doctorate despite her lack of undergraduate degree, making her the eighth person granted such an exception. She became the only human ever accepted into chimpanzee society, developing bonds that would last decades.

    In 1977, Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute, which grew into a global conservation force with 19 offices worldwide. Its youth programme, Roots & Shoots, now operates in over 100 countries. By 2004, she had largely abandoned field research to become a tireless advocate, travelling nearly 300 days a year to speak on behalf of chimpanzees and the environment.

    She was an outspoken vegetarian who became vegan in 2021, a critic of factory farming and animal testing, and a vocal proponent of recognising ecocide as an international crime. Her activism earned her a damehood in 2003, a United Nations Messenger of Peace appointment in 2002, the Templeton Prize in 2021, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden in January 2025.

    Goodall was married twice—first to wildlife photographer Baron Hugo van Lawick, with whom she had a son, then to Derek Bryceson, a Tanzanian parliamentarian who died of cancer in 1980. She remained single thereafter, devoting herself to her work.

    Tributes poured in following her death. Prince Harry and Meghan called her “a visionary humanitarian, scientist, friend to the planet.” Leonardo DiCaprio described her as “a true hero for the planet.” United Nations secretary-general António Guterres  praised her “extraordinary legacy for humanity and our planet.”

    Goodall lived to see primatology transform from a male-dominated field into one with near gender parity—a change she helped inspire. Her insistence on treating animals as individuals with rich emotional lives influenced not just science but popular culture, ethics and law.

    She once said she saw no contradiction between science and spirituality, describing a “great spiritual power” she felt most keenly in nature. That sensibility—empirical yet reverent, rigorous yet compassionate—defined both her work and her life.

    Jane Goodall showed the world that to understand our closest relatives was to understand ourselves more clearly. In doing so, she changed what it means to be human.

  • NSE chief backs startups to drive India’s next wave of growth

    NSE chief backs startups to drive India’s next wave of growth

    MUMBAI: When the bell rings at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), it doesn’t just mark the opening of trade, it signals the heartbeat of India’s entrepreneurial dreams. And on Friday, those dreams took centre stage as Ideabaaz, the country’s first integrated startup-investor marketplace, debuted at NSE.

    NSE, MD & CEO Ashishkumar Chauhan used the occasion to underline how the bourse has become both the launchpad and the lighthouse for Indian enterprise. “NSE has always been a catalyst in India’s growth journey. By hosting the launch of Ideabaaz, we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of the country. We look forward to the day when many startups born on this platform will stand here, ringing the bell as listed companies,” Chauhan said.

    For the man who oversees India’s largest fintech, the NSE, the world’s first automated screen-based trading system, statistics tell the story. Today, NSE boasts access to 12 crore unique investors holding 23.5 crore accounts, covering 99.85 per cent of India’s market. Over 2,800 companies are listed on the exchange, whose market capitalisation has swelled 125 times in 30 years to Rs 460 lakh crore (5.2 trillion dollars). That makes India the fourth-largest economy and capital market globally.

    And the IPO bells are clanging louder than ever. NSE led the world in listings last year with 268 IPOs in 2024, raising Rs 1.67 lakh crore (19.5 billion dollars). Chauhan framed it as proof of India’s surging “trust market,” built on the belief of its 140 crore people in the power of entrepreneurs.

    “In India, the biggest achievement since independence is the trust of its people in its entrepreneurs,” he said. “That is why we also call this a trust market. To enable aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians, it is our time to turn ideas into shared prosperity.”

    Drawing parallels between icons and today’s founders, he added: “Many times I say on public platforms, what is the similarity between Dhirubhai Ambani, Ratan Tata and Nandini Letharia? They were in different businesses, came from different backgrounds but they became billionaires by listing on NSE. So you must come and list on NSE. We look forward to the day when all of you, startups, come here and become billionaires.”

    Chauhan also reminded the audience that India is no stranger to enterprise, with roots going back to ancient guilds and trade networks. Today, with the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, rising incomes, favourable policies, and a vast domestic market, the stage is set. “Integration is how we convert youthful energy into innovation, livelihoods and opportunities,” he said.

    As Ideabaaz takes its first steps, NSE is promising to be a steady partner from the first cheque to the IPO bell. Chauhan closed with a wish for every founder: “May your ideas find the right champions, may your ventures scale with purpose, and may you return to this stage as market leaders and nation builders. NSE will stand by you today, tomorrow and at every stage of your journey.”

    From startups to stalwarts, the message was clear: at NSE, every idea has the potential to make history, one bell at a time.

  • Insight TV creates media powerhouse after swooping on distressed rival

    Insight TV creates media powerhouse after swooping on distressed rival

    AMSTERDAM: Insight TV, the Dutch unscripted television channel operator, has unveiled World Storytelling Media Group (WSMG) to house its expanding empire after mopping up the distribution assets of bankrupt factual producer Off The Fence (OTF) this summer.

    The newly minted parent company will corral both firms under one roof, merging their commercial teams into a unified sales force. WSMG will make its bow at next month’s Mipcom television market as Insight TV marks its tenth anniversary.

    The tie-up creates a formidable catalogue spanning automotive, food and lifestyle programming from Insight TV alongside OTF’s factual fare—with promises of fresh genres to follow. Insight TV will continue expanding its stable of seven pay-TV and fast channels across global feeds, whilst centralising all intellectual property and rights investments within OTF’s operation.

    The reshuffle places OTF’s acquisition team, led by Loren Baxter, at the heart of content buying for both the channels and third-party producers. She will work closely with , Insight TV’s director of programming and scheduling Sarah Reed, and global vice-president of fast and content Lisette Schlippe to feed the group’s growing appetite for unscripted shows.

    Key Insight TV executives are joining OTF’s sales ranks. Sam Thomson becomes senior vice-president of content sales for North America and global networks, whilst former Fox hand Joanna Rowley takes charge of Asia-Pacific, Britain and Ireland. Inês Isidro will handle the Benelux, Brazil and Portugal territories.

    “The launch of WSMG heralds a new era to better facilitate the discovery of high-quality IP for partners and audiences at this moment of seismic change in our industry,” said , Insight TV chief executive Viktoriia Tkachenko. The group aims to offer producers access to traditional linear channels, fast platforms, YouTube “and indeed whatever comes next”.

    OTF chief executive Bo Stehmeier  boasted of assembling “arguably the most experienced and largest factual commercial team under one roof”. The ambition, he said, is creating “a true one-stop shop for the global non-scripted storytelling community”

  • Wild tales roar as Warner Bros Discovery unveils Dooars and Americas

    Wild tales roar as Warner Bros Discovery unveils Dooars and Americas

    MUMBAI: Nature is getting the star treatment this August, with Warner Bros. Discovery rolling out two blue-chip wildlife spectacles across Discovery, Animal Planet, and Discovery+. First up is The Dooars World, which premiered on 15 August with Dia Mirza lending her voice to the Eastern Himalayan wilderness. Directed by debutant Shaon Pritam Baral, the series transports viewers to the biodiverse Dooars region, where red pandas, one-horned rhinos, and vibrant birdlife share fragile harmony with local communities. “The Dooars is a living, breathing world,” Baral noted, calling Mirza’s narration the soulful thread that binds the storytelling. Interestingly, the project was spotted at Waves Film Bazaar, an NFDC initiative.

    Hot on its heels came The Americas, which debuted on 18 August with Hollywood heavyweight Tom Hanks narrating an 11-part odyssey from the Arctic to Patagonia. Produced by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit with Universal Television Alternative Studio, the series has already snagged Emmy nominations for Hanks’ narration and Hans Zimmer’s sweeping score. Expect breathtaking animal drama, from species thriving in icy extremes to the urgent climate challenges rewriting their futures.

    Warner Bros. Discovery head of factual entertainment, lifestyle & kids for South Asia Sai Abishek summed it up: “It’s this mix of fresh voices like Shaon and iconic ones like Tom Hanks that makes our storytelling spectacular and memorable.”

    Airing weekdays at 9:00 pm on Animal Planet with simulcasts on Discovery, and streaming on discovery+, these shows fuse cinematic grandeur with conservation urgency reminding viewers why the wild will always have the final word.

  • 40 years of Discovery: A legacy of wonder, knowledge & storytelling

    40 years of Discovery: A legacy of wonder, knowledge & storytelling

    MUMBAI: Thirty years ago, Discovery arrived in India as more than just a TV channel — it was a portal to worlds unseen, ideas unexplored, and stories untold. As Discovery turns 40 globally, the brand marks three transformative decades in India — celebrating its evolution  into a global storytelling powerhouse. Discovery continues to inspire curiosity, captivating audiences with its distinctive blend of education, adventure, and entertainment.

    From the early days of Discovery Atlas, Beyond 2000, Man vs Wild and the mind-bending MythBusters, it was never just television, it was education, inspiration and a gateway to global and local realities. From classrooms to living rooms, science labs to film studios, Discovery’s influence has transcended screens, shaping careers, expanding worldviews, and telling the stories of conservation, innovation, and cultural heritage like no one else.

    Warner Bros. Discovery South Asia MD Arjun Nohwar emphasises the impact, “For over three decades, Discovery has sparked imaginations, encouraged critical thinking, and created programming that left a mark in India. As we look ahead, our vision is to keep evolving with our audience, creating meaningful, relevant and future-forward content that continues to fuel India’s boundless curiosity. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the journey of these 30 years – it’s only with all your support that we are here today, gearing up for several more decades ahead.”

    In a country as diverse and dynamic as India, Discovery found powerful resonance through locally rooted stories. Shows like Breaking Point, Mission Frontline, India’s Paratroopers: Earning the Badge, Ladakh Warriors, Women Fighter Pilots, Journey of India, Revealed Franchise (Rashtrapati Bhavan & Siachen), Legends Franchise (Ramayana & Shiva), Secrets Franchise (Kohinoor, Sinauli & Buddha Relics), My Daughter Joined a Cult, Money Mafia, Hunt for India Mujahideen and Into The Wild with Bear Grylls, brought global scale production and storytelling formats deeply into Indian narratives. 
    Over the last three decades, Discovery has told the stories of the armed forces, collaborated with environmentalists, spotlighted women leaders, taken viewers from dense rainforests to war zones, from remote villages to cutting-edge laboratories, always with a factual lens and a wide-angle view.

    Warner Bros. Discovery South Asia head of content Sai Abhishek added, “For 30 years in India, Discovery has been a storyteller without boundaries — unearthing ancient archaeology, tracking wild animals in their natural habitats, venturing into the mysteries of space, exploring the depth of mythology, celebrating diverse cultures, capturing India’s defence might, and chronicling history as it unfolds. From riveting reality shows to awe-inspiring documentaries, we’ve brought local stories that entertain, enlighten, and endure. This anniversary isn’t just about looking back — it’s about continuing to surprise our viewers with stories exploring extraordinary new worlds.”

    To celebrate this milestone, Discovery has launched ‘My Discovery’, a nostalgic and people-powered campaign. On-air, the celebrations come alive every Saturday and Sunday at 6 PM all through the month of August, with a specially curated line-up of some of the channel’s most beloved titles. Under Extreme Action, audiences can relive the high-octane chaos of Destroyed in Seconds, which first premiered in 2008. Science & Innovation returns with the mechanical wonders of Extreme Machines from 1997 and the slow-motion revelations of Time Warp, which stunned viewers in 2008. Discovery Atlas: India Revealed – part of the celebrated 2007 documentary series, journeys deep into the country’s soul, offering a rich Cultural Lens. The thrill of Survival Against Odds plays out in Storm Chasers (2007), Junkyard Wars (1998), and the visceral storytelling of I Shouldn’t Be Alive: Science of Survival from 2005. Lastly, the impact of Human Endeavour shines through Doing Da Vinci, which brought Renaissance inventions to life in 2009, and Really Big Things (2007), alongside the gripping real-life rescues of Call 911 (2008). Each title is a window into the legacy Discovery has built, one story at a time.

    Beyond television, the #MyDiscovery campaign extends to social and digital platforms, inviting people to share how Discovery has sparked curiosity and shaped their lives. Through milestone moments, archival footage, and personal stories, the campaign taps into collective nostalgia while celebrating the enduring impact of Discovery’s storytelling. 
    For the past 30 years Discovery has been bringing stories of the world to India, and from India to the world. Continuing to reinvent itself, Discovery not only brings its rich library to audiences through its linear channel, but also showcases its commitment to cutting-edge technology by delivering content on its OTT platform, Discovery+. This allows fans to enjoy its stories anytime, anywhere, on the go. Today, with fresh formats and an expanded focus on regional storytelling, creator-led collaborations, and deeper integrations across digital platforms, Discovery is ready for its next frontier. 
    As part of the #MyDiscovery campaign, journey through inspiring stories brought to life by Discovery India — now on Instagram at:

     

     

  • WBD’s streaming and studios segments soar as linear TV slows

    WBD’s streaming and studios segments soar as linear TV slows

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has delivered a mixed bag of results in its second quarter, with its film and streaming divisions providing a much-needed shot in the arm as its traditional linear TV business struggles.

    The company, which is planning to split its streaming & studios and global linear networks businesses, reported a net income of $1.6 billion, a stark contrast to the massive $9.9 billion loss it posted in the same quarter last year. Adjusted EBITDA also saw a respectable 9 per cent year-on-year increase, hitting $2.0 billion. However, free cash flow took a hit, falling by 28 per cent to $702 million, partly due to one-off separation costs.

    The studios segment was the star of the show, with revenues rocketing by 54 per cent to $3.8 billion. Content revenues, in particular, surged by 59 per cent, largely driven by a strong box office performance from theatrical releases like A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, and Final Destination: Bloodlines. The company’s film slate grossed over $3 billion globally this year and saw five consecutive films open to over $45 million domestically. On the television side, WBTV received 60 Emmy nominations, a record for a studio, with its shows like The Pitt, Abbott Elementary and The Penguin receiving critical acclaim.

    The streaming business also showed strong momentum, adding 3.4 million global subscribers in the quarter to reach a total of 125.7 million. Revenues for the segment rose by eight per cent to $2.8 billion, and it turned a profit of $293 million in adjusted EBITDA, a significant improvement from a $107 million loss a year ago. The company’s international expansion, including a successful launch in Australia, helped drive subscriber growth. However, global average revenue per user (ARPU) decreased by 11 per cent to $7.14, mainly due to the influx of lower ARPU international subscribers and the wider distribution of the ad-supported HBO Max tier.

    In contrast, the global linear networks business took a tumble. Its revenues fell by nine per cent to $4.8 billion, and adjusted EBITDA plummeted by 25 per cent to $1.5 billion. The decline was attributed to a nine per cent drop in domestic pay TV subscribers and a hefty 13 per cent decrease in advertising revenue, driven by a 23 per cent decline in domestic linear audiences.

    Looking ahead, WBD is targeting 12-14 theatrical releases annually and is set to launch HBO Max in Germany, Italy, the UK, and Ireland in 2026. The company also reduced its gross debt by $2.7 billion in the quarter, bringing the total to $35.6 billion.

  • Warner Bros. Discovery announces new original docu-series ‘Ek Tha Raja with Akul Tripathi’

    Warner Bros. Discovery announces new original docu-series ‘Ek Tha Raja with Akul Tripathi’

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Discovery is all set to launch a new Indian original docu-series, ‘Ek Tha Raja with Akul Tripathi’, premiering exclusively on Discovery channel and discovery+ starting 7 August 2025, at 9:00 PM. Blending immersive storytelling with rich historical narratives, the show revisits the courage and resilience of India’s well-known as well as unsung kings and queens, including incredible guerrilla war strategists, naval warriors and empire builders.

    This eight-part series transports viewers across centuries and geographies. From Garhwal (Uttarakhand) and Malwa (western Madhya Pradesh) to Rajputana (Rajasthan), the Deccan (Maharashtra and Telangana), Karnataka, and Kashmir, each brings to life a ruler whose courage shaped history. To make it accessible to audiences across India and the South Asian diaspora, the series will be available in seven languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali.

    Ek Tha Raja is hosted by Akul Tripathi, a passionate storyteller, cultural expert, and one of India’s most respected voices in historical narratives. With a deep love for the subcontinent’s heritage, Akul brings history to life through compelling storytelling that blends fact, folklore, and modern-day relevance. His unique approach adds both gravitas and accessibility to the series, inviting audiences to experience India’s past as unforgettable and memorable stories.

    The show profiles remarkable rulers and leaders whose legacies live beyond the mainstream historical spotlight such as Rani Durgavati of Gondwana, who died defending her kingdom against the Mughals; Abbakka Chowta, the fiery queen of coastal Karnataka who defied Portuguese colonisers; and Lalitaditya Muktapida of Kashmir, known for building one of the region’s most formidable empires. Also featured are icons such as Maharana Pratap and Rana Sanga (Rajasthan), Peshwa Bajirao I (Maharashtra), Raja Chhatrasal (Bundelkhand), and Rani Karnavati of Garhwal, all of whom defended their land, people, and culture with unmatched courage and strategic brilliance.

    Commenting on the launch, Sai Abishek, head of factual entertainment, lifestyle & kids, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery said, “As a brand, we’ve always believed in championing powerful narratives, and Ek Tha Raja builds on that belief.  Through this series, we’re proud to bring the stories of leadership, sacrifice, and resilience, through a fresh, cinematic lens. It’s great to have a masterful storyteller like Akul Tripathi narrate these stories. His narration gives viewers a truly immersive experience into the lives of some of India’s greatest defenders.”

    As Discovery marks 30 years of storytelling in India and 40 years globally this August, Ek Tha Raja with Akul Tripathi reflects this continued commitment to spotlighting stories that celebrate the country’s rich and diverse regional histories.

    Host, Akul Tripathi added, “History is often remembered by its victors. India’s past is filled with remarkable figures who stood their ground against invaders and adversity. Ek Tha Raja is our attempt to honour these leaders and to remind viewers that the roots of India’s freedom run far deeper than we’re often told. It’s also a way to pass these stories on to a younger generation, to help them see India’s legacy as a reminder that courage and leadership have always been part of our DNA.”

    Each episode dives into epic tales of conquest, valour, lost kingdoms, and overlooked warriors who shaped the subcontinent’s legacy of resistance. Expert interviews with royal descendants, historians, and cultural voices further deepen the storytelling, providing lived context and invaluable insights into these enduring legacies.

    Ek Tha Raja with Akul Tripathi will be premiering exclusively on Discovery channel and discovery+ starting 7 August 2025, at 9 PM. The series will also stream on HBO Max in Southeast Asia.

  • A+E Global Media joins cable fire sale as Disney and Hearst weigh exit

    A+E Global Media joins cable fire sale as Disney and Hearst weigh exit

    MUMBAI: A+E Global Media, home to A&E, History and Lifetime, is up for grabs as Disney and Hearst are exploring a potential sale of their 50-50 joint venture, adding to the growing list of cable assets being spun off or dumped in a rapidly fragmenting media landscape.

    The duo have roped in Wells Fargo to explore strategic options for the privately held firm, which rebranded earlier this year from A+E Networks. International media reports quote sources saying that  a full or partial sale is on the cards, though no deal is guaranteed. The move comes amid a broader industry pivot, with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery already planning to cleave off large chunks of their legacy cable businesses.

    NBCU’s new entity Versant will house MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network and others, while WBD is prepping a 2026 split of its linear networks, including CNN, TNT, TBS, Discovery and HGTV. A+E’s roster—spanning Lifetime Movie Network, FYI, Vice TV, and a fleet of Fast and AVOD services—could make for a tasty bolt-on to either portfolio.

    While A+E continues to throw off cash, it’s not immune to cable’s cord-cutting crisis. Subscriber counts are down to around 58 million per brand, well off their peak, and Disney’s reported equity income from the venture plunged to $207 million in FY24 from $575 million the year prior. That said, the company’s content firepower remains formidable—with deep libraries, active Fast rollouts, and global syndication in nearly 200 markets.
    Under president Paul Buccieri, A+E has bucked some trends by doubling down on original movies for Lifetime and blockbuster docs for History. But the shift is unmistakable: legacy players are slimming down, linear is losing lustre, and media conglomerates are reshuffling the deck for a streaming-first world.

    Disney boss Bob Iger has flirted with calling linear TV “non-core” in the past but ultimately decided to hold on to ESPN, ABC and FX as content engines for Disney+ and Hulu. A+E, however, has long remained outside the mouse house’s main orbit—making it a prime candidate for offloading.

    No price tag has been floated, and reps for Disney, Hearst, A+E and Wells Fargo have declined to comment. But the timing is telling. With Versant aiming to close by end-2025, and WBD’s split targeted for mid-2026, A+E could be the next tile to shift in a fast-moving game of cable consolidation.

    Indian media observers may recollect that the Reliance group has a 51 per cent majority-owned joint venture AETN18 , now called A+E Networks India. The company operates the infotainment channel History TV18 and had, until 2020 , run the lifestyle channels of FYI TV18. How the potential sale of the global media company will affect the Indian joint venture is not known at the time of writing.  So keep watching this space.

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