A+E Shuffles Managers as History Ratings Fall

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A+E Networks said that Jana Bennett will replace Dirk Hoogstra as president and general manager of History, which has seen ratings fall 26% this summer.

Earlier this year, A+E put Robert Sharenow in charge of A&E Network, replacing David McKillop. A&E’s ratings were down 25%.

A+E said that Hoogstra will return to independent production. The company also said it will commence a search for a replacement for Bennett, who had been president of A+E’s smaller FYI and LMN networks.

“Jana has one of the strongest track records building and shaping global brands – first at the BBC and now here at A+E Networks,” said Nancy Dubuc, president and CEO of A+E Networks. “She joined our company with the mandate to take our networks into new and exciting places and what she’s done with FYI in such a short amount of time is remarkable. History and H2 will greatly benefit from her creative prowess and steady stewardship.”

Bennett will report to Paul Buccieri, president of A&E and History. She will also oversee H2, a network expected to be rebranded with Vice.com.

Jon Lafayette
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.