Lifetime Entertainment Services (LES) is an American entertainment industry company, whose media properties are focused on women. Lifetime Entertainment Services is a subsidiary of A&E Networks, a joint venture of Hearst Communications (50%) and The Walt Disney Company (50%). Background Hearst-ABC Video Services ABC and the Hearst Corporation in January 1981 formed a joint venture, Hearst/ABC Video Services (HAVS), to provide programming to Alpha Repertory Television Service and launch BETA, a women's cable service, later that year. Beta was supposed to operate four hours a day and be supported by advertising. HAVS instead launched the service under the name Daytime in March 1982. Cable Health Network Cable Health Network was a 24-hour cable channel launched by Viacom with health-related programming in June 1982. In June 1983, Hearst-ABC Video Services and Viacom International agreed that each has an equal share for ABC, Hearst and Viacom held by Hearst-ABC Video Services and Cable Health Network in the joint venture, Hearst/ABC-Viacom Entertainment Services, containing the merged Daytime and Lifetime Medical Television satellite channel. History Hearst/ABC-Viacom Entertainment Services In 1984, Hearst/ABC-Viacom Entertainment Services (HAVES) was formed from the merger of Daytime and Lifetime Medical Television to start and operate a new cable channel, Lifetime Television. Lifetime committed $25 million to produce talk show programming, but very little worked with the audience. So by the end of 1985, Lifetime was $16 million in debt. Lifetime added more original programming to diversify its audience while programming a medical block on Sunday with all the medical talk shows which attracted pharmaceutical advertisers bringing in 25% of the network's revenue. By 1986, the talk shows were canceled and the company was $36 million in debt. Lifetime instead refocused its programming towards women in 1987 and acquired second run syndicated programming and off-network shows. Beginning in the early 1990, Lifetime began producing multiple, original telefilms each year targeting the female audience. Over the next decade, the original movies boosted Lifetime TV's ratings, and successfully launched the "Television for Women" era and brand. In September 1991, HAVES launched Healthlink Television, which created health and wellness content, and provided the equipment to broadcast it into doctors' offices. Eventually, and to focus on its original content to support its women-centric brand, HAVES agreed to sell Healthlink TV to Whittle Communications. In October 1991, HAVES reorganized the company to have five group vice-presidents run the company so the CEO/President can focus on new