A+E's Dubuc Resigns, Raven Returns As Acting CEO

Heading into the key upfront advertising season, the most senior executive at A+E Networks is departing.

Nancy Dubuc, president/CEO of A+E Networks, will resign effective April 16. Abbe Raven -- chairman emeritus and former CEO of A+E Networks, who retired from the company in 2015 -- will return as acting chair until a replacement is found.

The announcement was made by Steven Swartz, president and CEO of Hearst, and Ben Sherwood, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney|ABC Television. Disney-ABC and Hearst are 50-50, owners of the veteran cable network group.

Dubuc had been with A+E Networks for 20 years. 

One report says Dubuc is in talks to assume the role of CEO of Vice Media, a role long held by co-founder Shane Smith.

A&E Network’s national advertising revenue was $686.9 million from March 2017 to March 2018. Lifetime came in at $487.6 million, according to iSpot.tv.

A&E improved in overall prime-time ratings in 2017 -- 15% higher to 989,000 from 858,000 for Nielsen L7 ratings, live program-plus-seven days of time-shifted viewing. Lifetime lost ground -- 15% -- to 838,000 from 984,000.

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In August 2014, A+E took a 10% stake in Vice Media for $250 million. The company then announced that one of its channels, H2, would be rebranded into a Viceland channel. Viceland ratings sank 42% to 104,000 prime-time viewers in 2017 versus the year before.

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