A+E Brings Out the Stars for Upfront Presentation

A+E Networks amped up its star power at its upfront presentation Wednesday evening in New York.

Paul Buccieri, president of A+E, leading the company’s upfront event for the first time, introduced President George Bush, who talked about his love for the History channel, which has new initiatives including History Talks, a traveling speaker series, History Speaks, a podcast series, and HistoryCon, a three-day fan convention.

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Also participating in new projects at A+E networks they spoke about at the upfront were Garth Brooks, Sylvester Stallone and Robin Roberts.

Stallone is set to direct and executive produce a new drama being developed for History with the working title The Tenderloin. The series, from A+E Studios, is based on true stories from a New York Police Department squad leader.

Two other History projects are Washington, which the network is working on with presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and The Food That Built America, looking at business and brand builders like Kellogg, Heinz and Hershey.

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For Lifetime, Robin Roberts is executive producing a movie on kidnapping victim Kamiyah Mobley, as well as an accompanying documentary.

The network is working on 150 new movies as well as a documentary event produced by gymnast Aly Raisman and actress Leah Remini giving a voice to victims of sexual assault.

A&E Network will have a four-part special Biography based on the life of country singer Garth Brooks.

The network also announced a new canine competition series with the working title Top Dog from the producers of the network’s hit Live PD.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.