Andrea Wong Assumes Role as Newly Appointed President & CEO, Lifetime Entertainment Services

Andrea Wong Assumes Role as Newly Appointed President & CEO, Lifetime Entertainment Services

NEW YORK, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Respected industry executive Andrea Wong, who most recently served as Executive Vice President of Alternative Programming, Specials and Late-Night, ABC Entertainment, has been named the new President & CEO of Lifetime Entertainment Services, it was announced by Anne Sweeney, Co-chair Disney Media Networks and President, Disney-ABC Television Group, and John Conomikes, Director, The Hearst Corporation. Lifetime Entertainment Services is a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070426/NYTH133 )

Known for her broad scope of television experience, expertise in programming and her ability to identify and deliver on distinct brands, Ms. Wong will now oversee all the day-to-day operations for Lifetime Television, LMN, Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime Digital (including LifetimeTV.com), including advertising sales, affiliate sales, research, programming, public affairs, marketing, business and legal affairs, and strategic planning and operations.

"Andrea is a straight shooter who is smart enough to know which challenges to undertake and fearless enough to see them through. She is also a true 'consumer-facing' executive, one who understands her audience and uses her experience to speak to them in compelling ways," said Ms. Sweeney. "Her entrepreneurial style, combined with a deep understanding of the television industry, will serve Lifetime, and its amazingly dedicated team, well."

Mr. Conomikes added, "Andrea is smart, creative and strategic. Her key relationships in the Hollywood community and her knowledge of the intricacies of the television business make her the perfect candidate to lead Lifetime into the future. We are looking forward to having her at the helm."

"Lifetime is one of the most distinct, powerful and evocative brands on television, and I'm thrilled that Anne and John have entrusted me with the opportunity to shepherd it into the future," Ms. Wong stated. "I'm especially looking forward to working with the incredibly talented group of people at Lifetime to unearth future growth opportunities that will extend and deepen Lifetime's marketplace dominance."

Biographical information on Ms. Wong:

Prior to this announcement, Andrea Wong served as Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, Specials and Late-Night, ABC Entertainment, from May 2004.

In the alternative series arena, with a multitude of successful programs under her leadership, Ms. Wong has created a positive brand of non-scripted programming for ABC that provides viewers with wish fulfillment, escapism and emotional journeys. She brought the UK phenomenon, "Dancing with the Stars," to the American audience in June 2005 -- and the hit show, which will soon premiere its fourth season, has topped the competition with record ratings.

Ms. Wong's programming won its second Emmy for ABC when "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" picked up another statue for Outstanding Reality Program this past September. A fixture in the top 10, the show is a cornerstone of ABC's dominant Sunday night lineup and launched the "feel good reality" trend that is now seen throughout the broadcast and cable landscape.

In addition, the 2006-07 season saw two critically acclaimed and highly rated reality series enter their third years: "Wife Swap," in which radically different wives swap homes and families for two weeks, and "Supernanny," which has Jo Frost, a modern-day, tough-love Mary Poppins, bringing her unique brand of childcare to overburdened, desperate parents.

The first franchise Ms. Wong brought to the network which became a true pop culture phenomenon was the relationship reality series, "The Bachelor," and its sister show, "The Bachelorette." Since it launched in 2002, 12 editions of the franchise have successfully aired, and a 13th season is currently underway.

In the specials area, Ms. Wong led the team that brought country music's crown jewel to ABC -- The CMA Awards. This event franchise came to ABC in 2006, the Awards' historic 40th anniversary. This coup gives the network the premier trinity of the entertainment industry's grandest institutions, "The Academy Awards," "The American Music Awards" and now "The CMA Awards," all under Ms. Wong's leadership.

Ms. Wong also oversaw ABC's Late-Night programming, including "Jimmy Kimmel Live." With the show's growing creative momentum, it recently attracted the biggest February sweep audience ever. Season to date, "Jimmy Kimmel Live" is up the most among the late-night entertainment programs, and is the only one to deliver year-to-year increases in the key Adult 18-49 demographic.

Ms. Wong joined ABC in August 1993 as a Researcher for ABC News' "PrimeTime Live." In June of 1994, she was named Executive Assistant to the President, ABC Television Network, and in November 1995, was appointed Executive Assistant to the President, ABC, Inc. In September 1997, she took on expanded duties when she was promoted to Vice President and Executive Assistant to the President, ABC, Inc. By 1998, she was appointed Vice President, Alternative Series and Specials, ABC Entertainment, and in 2000 was promoted to Senior Vice President.

Ms. Wong graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, and she holds an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

LIFETIME:

LIFETIME is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, LIFETIME is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. LIFETIME Television, LMN, Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime Digital (including LifetimeTV.com) are part of LIFETIME Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

Photo: NewsCom:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070426/NYTH133
AP Archive:

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Source: LIFETIME Entertainment Services

CONTACT: Meredith Wagner of LIFETIME Television, +1-212-424-7126,
mwagner@lifetimetv.com

Web site:

http://www.lifetimetv.com/

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