Lifetime Entertainment Services

Walt Disney Co., NBC Universal and Hearst Corp. have finalized an agreement to merge several cable networks together -- for now, anyway. Under the terms of the agreement, A&E Television Networks, which is owned by all three companies, will acquire Lifetime Entertainment Services, which is owned by Disney and Hearst. The channels that will make up the new entity are A&E, History Channel, Lifetime Television, Biography and a handful of smaller networks. The deal is part of an ongoing process to reduce and eventually eliminate NBC Universal's stake in the entity.

Walt Disney Co., NBC Universal and Hearst Corp. have finalized an agreement to merge several cable networks together -- for now, anyway. Under the terms of the agreement, A&E Television Networks, which is owned by all three companies, will acquire Lifetime Entertainment Services, which is owned by Disney and Hearst. The channels that will make up the new entity are A&E, History Channel, Lifetime Television, Biography and a handful of smaller networks. The deal is part of an ongoing process to reduce and eventually eliminate NBC Universal's stake in the entity.

Lifetime Entertainment Services, a joint venture between Hearst Corp. and Walt Disney Co., said it will buy a 4.6% equity stake in Women.com Networks Inc. Under the deal, San Mateo, Calif.-based Women.com said it would buy $10 million in advertising over three years on the company's Lifetime Television network. Women.com closed up 19 cents at $3.25 on Nasdaq.

Andrea Wong, one of the architects of the ABC network's ratings renaissance, today is expected to be named chief executive of Lifetime Entertainment Services with marching orders to return the beleaguered cable channel to its former glory. Wong will replace Betty Cohen, said an executive close to the Lifetime board who asked not to be named because the announcement was not made official Wednesday.

Lifetime Entertainment Services named former WB network programming chief Susanne Daniels as its entertainment president responsible for developing shows and movies for the company's three cable channels. Daniels is the first major hire by Betty Cohen, who joined Lifetime in April as chief executive. The company, a joint venture of Hearst Corp. and Walt Disney Co., is trying to draw younger viewers.

A veteran cable TV programmer has been hired to breathe new life into the Lifetime cable channel. Betty Cohen, who helped launch the Cartoon Network, on Thursday was named president and chief executive of Lifetime Entertainment Services, which operates women-oriented channels owned jointly by Burbank-based Walt Disney Co. and Hearst Corp. of New York. The flagship Lifetime Television is one of cable's most popular channels and is best known for its original movies.

Andrea Wong, one of the architects of the ABC network's ratings renaissance, today is expected to be named chief executive of Lifetime Entertainment Services with marching orders to return the beleaguered cable channel to its former glory. Wong will replace Betty Cohen, said an executive close to the Lifetime board who asked not to be named because the announcement was not made official Wednesday.

A lawsuit by DirecTV Group Inc., the El Segundo-based satellite television provider, against cable network Lifetime Entertainment Services has been settled. Terms are confidential. DirecTV claimed in its suit that Lifetime reneged on a deal to lure customers from rival satellite TV provider EchoStar Communications Corp.

Satellite television provider DirecTV Group Inc. has sued Lifetime Entertainment Services, saying the women's cable network reneged on a deal to lure customers from rival EchoStar Communications Corp. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Los Angeles federal court, DirecTV accused Lifetime of retracting a Jan. 30 offer it had sent to about 30,000 customers of EchoStar Communications Corp.'s Dish Network promising $200 if they would switch. DirecTV accuses Lifetime of breach of contract.

The board members of the J. Paul Getty Trust, moving to quickly fill the gap left by the resignation of their beleaguered leader, John Biggs, have named vice chairwoman Louise Bryson to take over his role. As chairwoman of the trust, Bryson, 62, will lead efforts to rebuild the organization after a year of scandalous revelations that prompted the resignations of several top executives and board members.

Lifetime Entertainment Services named former WB network programming chief Susanne Daniels as its entertainment president responsible for developing shows and movies for the company's three cable channels. Daniels is the first major hire by Betty Cohen, who joined Lifetime in April as chief executive. The company, a joint venture of Hearst Corp. and Walt Disney Co., is trying to draw younger viewers.

A veteran cable TV programmer has been hired to breathe new life into the Lifetime cable channel. Betty Cohen, who helped launch the Cartoon Network, on Thursday was named president and chief executive of Lifetime Entertainment Services, which operates women-oriented channels owned jointly by Burbank-based Walt Disney Co. and Hearst Corp. of New York. The flagship Lifetime Television is one of cable's most popular channels and is best known for its original movies.

Lifetime Entertainment Services, a joint venture between Hearst Corp. and Walt Disney Co., said it will buy a 4.6% equity stake in Women.com Networks Inc. Under the deal, San Mateo, Calif.-based Women.com said it would buy $10 million in advertising over three years on the company's Lifetime Television network. Women.com closed up 19 cents at $3.25 on Nasdaq.

A cadre of the most powerful women in Hollywood descended on the Beverly Hills Hotel Tuesday morning for the Hollywood Reporter's annual celebration of the top 100 women in the industry. Studio heads, assistants and publicists schmoozed and air-kissed while clutching mimosas and the ultimate power accessory: the handbag.

Susanne Daniels had a singular goal in mind as she was developing a slate of original programs to debut on Lifetime Television this summer. "I was looking for hit shows," Daniels, president of entertainment for Lifetime Entertainment Services, said wryly. It may be an obvious aim, but it's an achievement that has recently eluded the women-oriented channel.