A+E Networks is launching a new digital division as it looks to diversify its business model and look for new ways to engage with audiences and advertisers.
The division, led by former Dow Jones executive Ann McGowan, will encompass dedicated brand sites with robust editorial content, YouTube channels, SVOD platforms including A&E Crime Central, HISTORY Vault and Lifetime Movie Club, short form video creation, editorial newsletters and dozens of social handles across Instagram, X, Facebook and TikTok.
McGowan, who will serve as the division’s general manager and report to chief digital and marketing officer Juliana Stock, will be tasked with overseeing A+E’s digital platforms and developing strategies to grow audience engagement and revenue while optimizing content delivery across channels, leading a team that will leverage advanced technologies and data-driven insights.
“I’m thrilled to join A+E Networks and lead the new digital division as we shape the future of how audiences engage with our content,” McGowan said in a statement. “A+E’s unmatched legacy of storytelling, combined with its forward-thinking approach to digital innovation, makes it a true leader in bringing the power of human experience to consumers across the multimedia landscape. “
The digital division’s first initiative will focus on the relaunch of History.com. The site will be a destination for editorial and short-form content that will feature an expanded This Day in History section, fresh articles connecting history to current trends and next-day streaming of The HISTORY® Channel series’. It will also offer premium advertising opportunities through dynamic display units and sponsorships.
Additional initiatives will focus on personalization, community building and creating innovative opportunities for advertisers to connect with audiences.
A&E content reaches more than 414 million households in 200 territories and 40 languages. In addition to the digital division, the Disney-Hearst joint venture’s portfolio includes the History Channel, Lifetime, LMN, FYI and Vice TV brands, scripted and factual production divisions and over 50 FAST channels.
Prior to joining A+E, McGowan served as Dow Jones’ senior vice president of new ventures, where she spearheaded strategies that expanded audio and video operations and drove double digit growth in those businesses. She also launched subscriber-only audio offerings on platforms like Spotify and Apple and led innovative artificial intelligence projects.
Before that, she served in multiple senior leadership roles at NBCUniversal, overseeing digital strategies for entertainment programming including “Saturday Night Live” and “The Tonight Show” to grow consumer engagement and create new digital integration advertising opportunities and innovative partnerships. She also helped develop Showtime Networks’ first direct-to-consumer strategy, expanded its digital distribution partnerships with platforms such as Netflix and Apple and implemented the network’s initial TVE and Video-On-Demand (VOD) strategies.
Outside of the entertainment industry, McGowan worked at Lucent Technologies and Chase Manhattan Bank, with a focus on strategic business development and digital innovation.
“A+E is an innovative creator of distinct content that permeates the entire multi-platform media ecosystem and I could not have more confidence in Ann’s ability to lead our digital vision alongside our talented team,” Stock said in a statement. “Her expertise in digital innovation and strategic leadership will be instrumental in advancing our efforts to continue to grow audience engagement, streamline operations and deliver high-quality experiences that resonate with viewers and advertising partners alike.”
