• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, July 9, 2025

More cracks are appearing in the still-profitable but rapidly declining cable TV networks business: Now A+E Global Media is in play, at least according to a recent report.

The medium-sized cable TV network group of channels including A&E Network, Lifetime, and History -- co-owned 50-50% by Walt Disney and Hearst -- is looking to possibly sell their interest in the group.

A Variety report says the company has hired Wells Fargo to look into a sale. Representatives from Disney and Hearst did not respond to TV Watch inquiries by press time.

Earlier this year Steve Swartz, CEO of Hearst, in an annual letter said: “It was a tough year for our newspaper and magazine groups and our A+E Networks partnership with The Walt Disney Company, as the advertising market got much more competitive and such sectoral shifts as cord cutting, losses in search-related traffic and competition from generative AI led to lower profits.”

No surprise there. Nearly all legacy TV broadcast/cable network groups owners are going through the same things.

In that regard, many wonder about other modestly sized cable TV network groups -- AMC Networks and Hallmark (Hallmark Channel) -- as well as individual channels.

What are their current profitability levels -- and prospects?

Bigger owners of cable TV networks -- Comcast Corp., and Warner Bros Discovery -- have already made moves -- cable network spinoff plans.

Analysts predict Paramount Global will do the same when and if Skydance Media completes its $8 billion deal to acquire the company.

Supply-and-demand situations, coming from a glut of potential spinoffs and/or sales, might make for leery public stock market investors.

This is necessary to show advertisers and brands the overall health of the business in seeking long-term marketing partnerships.

In addition, short-term is not looking good. Current soft-growth predictions of an in-process summer TV upfront advertising market are not helping matters any.